Roundup

Roundup is the brand name of a family of herbicides produced by the American chemical manufacturer Monsanto. Systemic and non-selective, Roundup is the world's single most popular herbicide.

Related Topics:
Herbicide - Monsanto

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The active ingredient of Roundup is the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate. Glyphosate's mode of action is to inhibit an enzyme involved in the synthesis of the amino acids tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine. It is absorbed through foliage and translocated to growing points. Because of this mode of action it is only effective on actively growing plants; it is not effective as a pre-emergence herbicide. Due to the absorption being limited to foliage, soil-bound glyphosate is effectively inert.

Related Topics:
Glyphosate - Enzyme - Amino acids - Tyrosine - Tryptophan - Phenylalanine

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Monsanto also produces seeds which grow into plants genetically engineered to be tolerant to glyphosate, known as Roundup Ready crops. The genes contained in these seeds, although naturally occurring in other species, are patented and protected by intellectual property laws. Such crops allow farmers to use glyphosate as a post-emergence pesticide against both broadleaf and cereal weeds. Soy was the first Roundup Ready crop and was produced at Monsanto's Agracetus Campus located in Middleton, Wisconsin. Current Roundup Ready crops include maize (corn), sorghum, cotton, soy, canola, and alfalfa.

Related Topics:
Genetically engineered - Agracetus - Maize - Sorghum - Cotton - Soy - Canola - Alfalfa

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