Does the use of Glyphosate cause a flush of bacteria growth in soil that might benefit the next growth of weed seeds?

Expert response from GMOAnswers Admin_1

Tuesday, 19/04/2016 14:13

• Glyphosate does not cause a flush of bacterial growth in soil that might benefit the next growth of weed seeds.
• Studies showed us that glyphosate and AMPA have no short-term or long-term effects on soil bacterial populations.

Glyphosate does not cause a flush of bacterial growth in soil that might benefit the next growth of weed seeds. A flush of bacterial growth in soil would result from significant inputs of nutrients to the soil. The levels of carbon, phosphorous and nitrogen added to the soil from glyphosate breaking down is very low and will not result in flushes of bacterial growth in soil or a situation where weed seeds in the seed bank would benefit.

The potential for glyphosate and its primary bacterial break down product (aminomethylphosphonic acid or AMPA) to stimulate or inhibit populations of soil microbes has been carefully evaluated. This was accomplished running two tests that evaluated potential impacts to bacterial populations responsible for two very important soil processes. These processes are carbon and nitrogen transformation. These studies showed us that glyphosate and AMPA have no short-term or long-term effects on soil bacterial populations at application rates that are relevant for the way glyphosate is used to control weeds. Even at rates that were much higher than would ever be used to control weeds, there were no impacts to these two key soil processes.