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The mysterious mechanism of glyphosate: How does this herb make plants "surrender" in just a few days?
Since its introduction as a herbicide in 1974, glyphosate has been widely used in the global agricultural industry. Its main ingredient, N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide that inhibits plant enzymes, especially 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP), causing many plants to die in just a few days. Completely "surrender" within. However, behind this power, the true secrets and potential risks of glyphosate are a topic that continues to spark widespread discussion.
Glyphosate has always been one of the first choices for farmers to combat weeds due to its amazing effect. However, whether it affects human health is still controversial.
Mechanism of action of glyphosate
The main mechanism of action of glyphosate is to achieve its herbicidal effect by hindering the plant's synthesis of three aromatic amino acids, including tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine. These amino acids are originally necessary for plant growth. Glyphosate is quickly absorbed by the plant after application and is transferred along the plant's growing points, causing plant growth to stop immediately, and the leaves to turn yellow and eventually die after a few days.
History and Discovery of Glyphosate
Glyphosate was first synthesized by Swiss chemist Henry Martin in 1950, but was not rediscovered and marketed until the 1970s during research at the Monsanto Company in the United States. Its invention began with a series of experiments with chemical derivatives, with glyphosate becoming the final successful product. As the times change, the application of this herbicide has continued to expand and become one of the most widely used pesticides in the world.
The use of glyphosate has sparked a diverse conversation, and its impacts on the environment and the health of organisms are still being studied.
Use and Impact
Glyphosate is widely used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and other fields. In the United States, it was the most popular herbicide in agriculture in 2007, with 1.8 million to 1.85 million pounds used annually. However, as its use increases, environmental groups are raising concerns about glyphosate. Many studies have shown that glyphosate residues may have impacts on human health and ecosystems.
Safety Assessment and Health Controversy
According to the World Health Organization, the safety of glyphosate remains controversial. Although some regulatory agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization have stated that glyphosate has not been found to be carcinogenic to humans under labeled use conditions, the World Health Organization classified it as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015. This has left many farmers and consumers uneasy about how crops containing glyphosate are used and eaten.
Environmental impact and degradation
Glyphosate's behavior in the environment has also drawn the attention of scientists. Studies have shown that glyphosate is widespread in soil and gradually breaks down, which reduces the risk of it leaching into surface water systems during rainfall. However, glyphosate residues may still enter water bodies due to agricultural use and cause water pollution.
Future Discussion Directions
With the development of biotechnology, many crops have been genetically modified to be tolerant to glyphosate, which not only increases crop yields but also triggers a debate on whether genetically modified crops are suitable for public consumption. Looking to the future, more informed scientific research and policies will be key to maintaining sustainable agricultural production and public health.
While the use of glyphosate provides high yields, it also raises ethical questions about its safety and environmental impact. How should we strike a balance between agricultural production and ecological protection?
The mysterious mechanism and impact of glyphosate cannot be ignored. Future agricultural development needs to continuously explore safer and more effective pesticide alternatives to better balance the relationship between agricultural production and environmental protection. How can this be achieved? Woolen cloth?
