About Glyphosate:
- Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that can kill certain weeds and grasses.
- Glyphosate works by blocking an enzyme essential for plant growth.
- First developed in 1970, glyphosate is scientifically N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine under the IUPAC system of nomenclature.
Application:
- In India, glyphosate use was approved only for tea crop and non-crop areas for control of weeds.
- Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the major tea plantation states in India.
- In India it goes by various brand names, including Roundup, Glycel, and Brake.
- But glyphosate consumption is higher in states that do not have tea crops.
- It is being widely and indiscriminately used in paddy fields by farmers.
Consequences:
- The surface casting activity of vertically burrowing earthworms almost ceased after three weeks and reproduction of soil dwellers reduced by 56 per cent within three months after herbicide application.
- There are long-term negative consequences for honey bee navigation, contamination of water bodies and serious health hazards.
Q1) What are herbicides?
Herbicides are chemicals used to manipulate or control undesirable vegetation.
Source: PIB
Last updated on July, 2025
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