Impact of Oxygen and Cultivation on Glyphosate Breakdown
The breakdown of glyphosate in soils is influenced by three key factors: oxygen availability, soil biology, and the presence of cultivations.
Glyphosate is used for controlling weeds and terminating cover crops, but its persistence in soil raises concerns about environmental impacts and soil health.
Prof Andrew Neal, a microbiologist at Rothamsted Research, explains that oxygen availability within the soil is essential for effective glyphosate degradation.
Glyphosate contains a strong carbon-phosphorus bond, which requires substantial energy to break and is rarely found in nature.
- Oxygen availability is crucial for soil microorganisms to cleave this bond efficiently.
- Microscopic pores are important for oxygen movement and availability.
Author's summary: Oxygen affects glyphosate breakdown.