[compost_tea] Re: Soil microbes and Round Up

From: Tim Wilson <thegoodjob_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 23:47:06 -0000

What would be microbial recognition software? You know of my DVD?

Tim

--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Dan" <dansquest2005_at_...> wrote:
>
> Hi Tim,
> Thank you for the information. I was hoping that the soil microbes woul=
d be the canary in the mine so to speak but I guess as with most things the=
 changes are subtle and would need time lapse photography to see the total =
difference. I was also hoping you were going to say you were working on the=
 microbial recognition software and it would be ready in the near future.
>
> Dan in Ct Zone 6A Where I am heading to the patent office with plans fo=
r a newer and better patent office.
>
> --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Tim Wilson" <thegoodjob_at_> wrote:
> >
> > The following interview is with another scientist, Don Huber, who recen=
tly retired from Purdue University, who has also documented negative enviro=
nmental impacts from glyphosate.
> >
> > The widespread use of glyphosate is causing negative impacts on soil an=
d plants as well as possibly animal and human health. These are key finding=
s of Don Huber, emeritus professor of plant pathology, Purdue University.
> >
> > Compromise agricultural sustainability, animal and human health
> >
> > In a paper published in the European Journal of Agronomy in October 200=
9, Huber and co-author G.S. Johal, from Purdue's department of botany and p=
lant pathology, state that the widespread use of glyphosate that we see tod=
ay in agriculture in the United States can "significantly increase the seve=
rity of various plant diseases, impair plant defense to pathogens and disea=
ses, and immobilize soil and plant nutrients rendering them unavailable for=
 plant use." Further, the authors state that glyphosate stimulates the grow=
th of fungi and enhances the virulence of pathogens such as Fusarium and "c=
an have serious consequences for sustainable production of a wide range of =
susceptible crops." The authors warn "ignoring potential non-target detrime=
ntal side effects of any chemical, especially used as heavily as glyphosate=
, may have dire consequences for agriculture such as rendering soils infert=
ile, crops non-productive, and plants less nutritious. To do otherwise migh=
t well compromise not only agricultural sustainability, but also the health=
 and well-being of animals and humans."
> >
> > Please tell me about your research with glyphosate.
> > Don Huber: I have been doing research on glyphosate for 20 years. I beg=
an noticing problems when I saw a consistent increase in "take-all" (a fung=
al disease that impacts wheat) where glyphosate had been applied in a previ=
ous year for weed control. I tried to understand why there was an increase =
in disease with glyphosate.
> >
> > I found that glyphosate has an effect on reducing manganese in plants, =
which is essential to many plant defense reactions that protect plants from=
 disease and environmental stress. Glyphosate can immobilize plant nutrient=
s such as manganese, copper, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc =
so they are no longer nutritionally functional.
> >
> > Glyphosate kills weeds by tying up essential nutrients needed to keep p=
lant defenses active. Glyphosate doesn't kill weeds directly but shuts down=
 their defense mechanisms so pathogens in the soil can mobilize and kill th=
e weeds. Glyphosate completely weakens the plant, making it susceptible to =
soil borne fungal pathogens.
> >
> > That is one reason why we see an increase in plant diseases. Glyphosate=
 causes plants to be more susceptible and greatly stimulates the virulence =
of pathogens that kill plants.
> > How many plant diseases are linked to glyphosate?
> >
> > DH: There has been a general increase in the number of plant diseases i=
n the last 15 to 18 years.
> > There are four primary soil fungi—Fusarium, Phythium, Rhizoctonia, an=
d Phytophthora—that become more active with the use of glyphosate.
> > There has been an increase in take-all, Fusarium diseases, such as head=
 scab, Gibberella (Fusarium) in corn, Pythium, Corynespora or root rot in s=
oybeans, crown rot in sugar beets, and bacterial and fungal diseases. Fusar=
ium head blight (which affects cereal crops) is a disease that produces a m=
ycotoxin that could enter the food chain.
> >
> > There are more than 40 diseases reported with use of glyphosate, and th=
at number keeps growing as people recognize the association (between glypho=
sate and disease).
> > Has research confirmed the link between glyphosate and Fusarium?
> >
> > DH: There is plenty of data to show that, and it raises concerns about =
toxins in food.
> >
> > Can you give an example of a specific crop that has been negatively imp=
acted by glyphosate?
> > DH: Last summer I visited farms that had typical glyphosate damage. I r=
eceived a call from a potato seed farmer in Minnesota who grows 1000 acres =
of seed potatoes. There was so much glyphosate in the potato tubers from a =
previous crop of Roundup Ready soybeans that the potatoes can't be used as =
seed and could not be certified.
> >
> > Proponents of glyphosate say it is environmentally benign. Would you ag=
ree with that assessment?
> > DH: Absolutely not. That's an outright mistaken notion. Glyphosate is t=
he single most important agronomic factor predisposing some plants to both =
disease and toxins. These toxins can produce a serious impact on the health=
 of animals and humans.
> > Toxins produced can infect the roots and head of the plant and be trans=
ferred to the rest of the plant. The toxin levels in straw can be high enou=
gh to make cattle and pigs infertile.
> >
> > In your paper you say that "the introduction of such an intense mineral=
 chelator as glyphosate into the food chain through accumulation in feed, f=
orage, and food, and root exudation into ground water, could pose significa=
nt health concerns for animals and humans and needs further evaluation." Co=
uld you elaborate on this?
> > DH: Micronutrients such as manganese, copper, potassium, iron, magnesiu=
m, calcium, and zinc are essential to human health. All of them can be redu=
ced in availability by glyphosate; mineral nutrients are less in glyphosate=
 treated plants. We are seeing a reduction in nutrient quality (in food cro=
ps).
> > There are also reports of allergic reactions, such as stomach lesions, =
produced by the Roundup Ready (genetically modified) gene.
> > These reactions need to be studied; there needs to be a lot more inform=
ation that we don't have. This type of research has been prevented by a lac=
k of access to information.
> >
> > What other impacts do you see caused by the Roundup Ready gene?
> > DH: The gene will reduce micronutrient efficiency up to 50% for zinc an=
d manganese. It's very significant unless the plant is supplemented with mi=
cronutrients. This could also account for the yield drag (reported with Rou=
ndup Ready crops).
> > Unfortunately, most researchers are forbidden to do work in the area. T=
hey don't have access to isogenic lines (conventional and Roundup Ready pla=
nt lines that are otherwise genetically identical); the materials are denie=
d to researchers.
> >
> > In your paper you recommend using as small a dose of glyphosate as poss=
ible. Why is this?
> > DH: To my knowledge we've never had this much reliance on one herbicide=
. It's hard to find an acre in the US that hasn't had glyphosate applied on=
 it in the last three years.
> > We need to have judicious use of glyphosate and remediate the damage th=
at it does. If we continue to abuse the use of glyphosate, it's just a matt=
er of time before we see more serious negative ramifications. We will have =
increasing toxin levels (in crops), reduced nutrient values, and the direct=
 presence of glyphosate in crops.
> > There are a lot of serious questions about the impacts of glyphosate th=
at we need answers for in order to continue using this technology. I don't =
believe we can ignore these questions any more if we want to ensure a safe,=
 sustainable food supply and abundant crop production.
> > (Copyright The Organic & Non-GMO Report, May 2010)
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Dan" <dansquest2005_at_> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Group,
> > > I was wondering as a home gardener if anyone had done a quick look =
through their microscopes to see if Round-Up had had any effect on soil mic=
robes or know of research that has been done on this subject.
> > >
> > > Dan in Ct Zone 6A
> > >
> >
>




Received on Mon Mar 14 2011 - 20:34:06 EDT

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