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Widely Used
Crop Herbicide Is Losing Weed Resistance
By ANDREW
POLLACK (NYT) 1601 words
Late
Edition - Final , Section C , Page 1 , Column 4
ABSTRACT -
Monsanto Corp's herbicide known as Roundup is beginning to lose its
effectiveness in controlling weeds; weeds resistant to herbicide have
emerged in Delaware, Maryland, California, western Tennessee and at
edges of Corn Belt in Ohio and Indiana; crop scientists say problem
is success of genetically engineered crops, especially soybeans,
which account for more than three-quarters of all soybeans grown in
US; farmers like genetically engineered crops, which are sold under
brand name Roundup Ready, because they can spray Roundup herbicide
directly over fields, killing weeds while leaving crops intact;
popularity of crops has caused use of Roundup herbicide to skyrocket,
setting up 'survival of the fittest' conditions in which rare weeks
that survive herbicide can flourish; experts say eventually farmers
will need to reduce their applications of genetically enegineered
soybeans and other crops to preserve long-term usefulness; Roundup is
Monsanto's biggest product, accounting for about 40 percent of its
estimated revenue of $4.6 billion; photos (M) The world's most widely
grown genetically engineered crops -- soybeans, cotton and corn
developed to be impervious to a popular herbicide -- are facing a new
challenge to their continued long-term use. The herbicide, known as
Roundup, is beginning to lose its effectiveness in controlling weeds.
In the last
few years, weeds resistant to the herbicide have emerged in Delaware,
Maryland, California, western Tennessee and at the edges of the Corn
Belt in Ohio and Indiana.
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