[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I wasn't meaning to sound like I believe resistance is a non-issue. That's not the case at all... it's a huge problem in my line of work. It's arguably the single largest issue I face day-to-day, agronomically speaking.

The point I was making was that this resistance is not a result of genetic modification... It's a result of our own over-use. Bacteria is developing resistance because we over-use anti-biotics, not because scientists created a genetically modified strain (has this ever been done?)... much like weeds are developing resistance because we over-use herbicides, not because scientists created a genetically modified crop.

Being that herbicide use is in no way exclusive to GMO crops, people need to stop blaming GMOs for herbicide resistant weeds ("super weeds"). That is my argument.



An example of a common crop rotation here in Western Canada would be:

Year 1 - Oilseed (ex: Canola/Mustard)
Year 2 - Pulse (ex: Pea/Lentil)
Year 3 - Cereal (ex: Wheat/Barley)
Year 4 - Chemfallow

Using this rotation, I'll show glyphosate (Roundup) use over that 4yr period, for both GMO canola and Conventional canola:

Year 1 - RoundupReady Canola = 1L/ac Pre-seed, .75L/ac In-crop, 1L/ac Post-harvest = 2.75L/ac
Year 2 - Lentil = 1L/ac Pre-seed, 1L/ac Dessicant or Post-seed = 2L/ac
Year 3 - Durum = 1L/ac Pre-seed, 1L/ac Dessicant or Post-seed = 2L/ac
Year 4 - Chemfallow = 1L/ac x 4 applications = 4L/ac
Total = 10.75L/ac glyphosate over 4 year rotation (GMO included)

Year 1 - Conventional Canola = 1L/ac Pre-seed, 1L/ac Post-harvest = 2L/ac
Year 2 - Lentil = 1L/ac Pre-seed, 1L/ac Dessicant or Post-seed = 2L/ac
Year 3 - Durum = 1L/ac Pre-seed, 1L/ac Dessicant or Post-seed = 2L/ac
Year 4 - Chemfallow = 1L/ac x 4 applications = 4L/ac
Total = 10L/ac glyphosate over 4 year rotation (Non-GMO)

You can see in the total numbers, very little of the glyphosate use across the prairies is being applied on RR crops. It's a chemical that we use liberally in a variety of different situations. It's this over-use that is causing the glyphosate resistant weeds, and so eliminating RR GMO crops from the rotation will do little to nothing in regards to slowing down the rise in glyphosate resistant weeds.

To rid ourselves of the resistant weeds, and prevent future resistance, farmers need to be more responsible in their herbicide selection and herbicide group rotation.

Thanks for that, although it seems we have two totally different backgrounds in science, I do appreciate what you understand and are saying here. I don't disagree, however, I do think still that there will be a consequence to using GMO crops that is in no way related to herbicides. There are reports of illegal GMO seeds being used so regularly that they are now overtaking the wild crops of each food item. There may be a time within our lifetime that we can no longer even grow the organic option because it will be extinct. Just food for thought.