What exactly is Roundup Ready?

First, what exactly is Roundup Ready and what are the Roundup Ready plants? Roundup Ready is the trademark name for a line of genetically modified crops that are intolerant to Roundup. These are the crops that are known as Roundup Ready.

Who was the first to invent Roundup?
Glyphosate, the active agent in Roundup, was first discovered as an herbicide in the year 1970 by Monsanto Chemist John Franz. Most herbicides of the period were preemergent. They were applied prior to the growth of the crop and the weeds. Glyphosate’s remarkable post-emergent ability to control large quantities of herbicides for broadleaf and grass was unique. This was combined with its exceptional environmental (soil destruction rapid degradation, no carryover) as well as toxicological (extremely low toxicity to mammals, beneficial organisms, etc.) This made it a breakthrough product.

When was the Roundup the first time it was created?
Roundup(r) which is a broad-spectrum herbicide, was first released on the market in 1974. It quickly grew to become the top-selling agricultural chemical. Roundup(r), originally, was employed in ditches on railway tracks as well as in fields between growing seasons. This allowed farmers to manage grass and broadleaf weeds emerging from the soil. This reduced the need for tillage, preserved soil structure and reduced soil erosion.

ラウンドアップ Then came Roundup Ready GMOs.
Inspiring by the amazing breakthroughs in the field of recombinant DNA technology in the 1970s, Monsanto scientists recognized the many benefits to farmers when Roundup(r) could be directly applied on growing crops to eliminate weeds from their fields. The issue was initially addressed by a small team of scientists headed by Dr. Ernie Jaworski (Rob Horsch and Steve Rogers), In the early 1980s, this group had created the first methods that allowed the introduction of particular genes into plants. https://www.roundupjp.com/ Eventually, our focus was on the development of virus-resistant as well as insect-resistant and Roundup-tolerant plants.

It was known that Roundup may block the biochemical pathway that plants use to make aromatic amino acids. Roundup’s high level security for humans and mammals is due to the fact that glyphosate is able to be broken down quickly by soil microorganisms. https://www.zennoh.or.jp/tc/einou/pesticides/ulv5/ In the middle of the 1980s scientists discovered both plant genes and microbial genes which conferred higher herbicide tolerance. In 1987, the USDA approved the first field trial of Roundup Ready crops. This was the first field test conducted for Roundup Ready tomato plants. In the following years, the Roundup Ready trait from bacteria was discovered and was isolated.

Let’s take soybeans as an illustration. First, we need to address two issues. What is Roundup Ready soybeans? ラウンドアップ How do they get made? ラウンドアップ Roundup Ready Soybeans are genetically engineered soybeans with their DNA changed to allow them to withstand the herbicide glyphosate that is the main component in the herbicide Roundup. This soybean is tolerant to Roundup because every seed is equipped with the Roundup Ready gene that has been infected before it’s planted. This allows farmers to spray their field with herbicides and not kill their crops.

As you can see, the introduction Roundup Ready crops in 1996 revolutionized agriculture and farming science! Roundup resistance soon became a popular plant in the U.S. More than 90 percent of U.S. soybeans as well as cotton, corn and canola acres now use this biotech characteristic. Roundup Ready crops not only made it easier and more efficient to manage weeds systems, but also reduced tillage costs and equipment costs. This allowed for more efficient harvests and lower weed count. An environmental major benefit has been the rise in adoption of conservation cultivation: farmers are able to reduce their the amount of energy used, GHG emissions and soil structure while preserving soil structure. This is equivalent to eliminating 28.4 Billion kilograms of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere or 12.4 M automobiles off the roads for one year (Source . PG Economics.