CELEBRATING
60
YEARS
SERVING THE GREEN INDUSTRY WINTER 2020
The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine
A ROUNDUP ON
GLYPHOSATE PLUS,
MEET YOUR NEW
MTA BOARD
Turfgrasses for the 21st Century
Our goal is to produce the highest quality, innovative turfgrass on the market today while providing the best customer service. Our affiliation with several research and development professionals gives us access to some of the best varieties of turf available for difficult applications. We are also a grower of Tennessee Crop Improvement Association Certified Turfgrass.
www.WinsteadTurfFarms.com
901.867.8116 • 1.800.624.TURF (8873) 22860 Highway 196 • Arlington, TN 38002
UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS 38% Less Water Greater Fall Color Retention
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www.TheTurfgrassGroup.com
WINTER 2020
CONTENTS • The Mississippi Turfgrass Association Magazine
FEATURES
10 Recent Event —
MTA Annual Meeting at Deep South Turf Expo
8
12 Cover Story —
A Roundup on Glyphosate
DEPARTMENTS
6 From the MTA President
6 Meet your New MTA Board
8 News From MTA
9 Index of Advertisers
Mississippi Turfgrass is the Mississippi Turfgrass Association magazine. Subscriptions are complimentary to MTA members. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, its board of directors, Mississippi Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as MTA members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in any issue of Mississippi Turfgrass. Copyright ©2019 by the Mississippi Turfgrass Association. Mississippi Turfgrass is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of MTA. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: MTA allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to MTA. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
4 • MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS • WINTER 2020
10
12
Mississippi Turfgrass Association Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-0517 Fax: (662) 325-2705 www.msturfassociation.org Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, TN 37064 Office: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 info@leadingedgecommunications.com MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS EDITOR James D. McCurdy, Ph.D.
Riebeling Farms, Inc. Palmetto St. Augustine • Empire Zoysia Centipede Sod • Delivery Available
251-943-6012
20732 Hadley Rd. • Foley, AL. 36535
MTA OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jeremy Tate Tate’s Turf LLC (662) 209-0023 VICE PRESIDENT Keair Edwards City of Gulfport (228) 861-5641 SECRETARY/TREASURER Dr. Barry Stewart Mississippi State University (662) 325-2725
Specialty Distribution
Butch Pugh PO Box 9168 Searcy, AR 72145
Cell: 662-545-5664
www.agrainc.com
Fax: 501 268-0606
Email: butchpugh@gmail.com
PAST PRESIDENT Al Osteen Turf Consultant (601) 214-9907 ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY Linda Wells Mississippi State University Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-0517 Cell: (662) 769-7558 lmw218@pss.msstate.edu
Located near Bastrop in northeast Louisiana, Bayou Bend turf Grass is a grower of certified, quality tifeagle, tifdwarf, tifGreen and MiniVerde grasses. ®
DIRECTORS
(318) 283-2279
Chris Hussey / Sod Hussey Sod Farm (662) 231-3203 Justin Lanford / North Starkville Country Club (662) 822-5806 Todd McCullough / Grounds-Lawn Maintenance City of Louisville (601) 416-3292 Rob Webb / Central GreenPoint Ag (601) 594-5798 Frank Ogletree / South Hattiesburg Country Club (601) 543-5033
www.BayouBendturf.com
Big Roll TuRf TuBes
heavy Duty papeR tubeS
100% Recycled paper
RD MuRphy LLC Sales: (256) 762-3564 info@rdmurphy.com www.rdmurphy.com
Scooter Huckabee / Industry LADD’S (601) 818-7586
FACULTY ADVISOR Jay McCurdy, Ph.D. (662) 325-2331
THE MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE • 5
FROM THE MTA PRESIDENT, Jeremy Tate
DON’T BLINK
BECAUSE YOU WILL MISS IT
It’s
hard to believe that 2020 is upon us. My grandmother told me as a child that time flies. I know exactly what she meant now that I’m 12 years into my full adult and professional life. I don’t even fret the summer heat anymore because as soon as it starts getting hot it seems like fall comes on in no time. One reason time flies is because I love what I do for a living. There is something that gets in your blood when you care for turf. I embrace the challenges that come with this industry, because the reward of our work is so satisfying. I tell all the young people that work with me that you better love it or you will find a new career. I’m extremely proud to be serving as President this year for the MTA. Our goal is to continue to promote all things turf. We do this through research funding, continued education, and scholarship opportunities for aspiring turf professionals. We are also in the process of creating our own website that will help us promote
membership, schedule events, post jobs, and many other MTA related items. We have a lot of events already on the calendar, and some that are on deck to be scheduled. The first event was the MTA roadshow January 7 in Senatobia, MS. This was a great opportunity to get GCSAA CEU credits and re-certification of pesticide license. Every event I go to I learn something new that helps me promote great turf. Please help me in welcoming the new board members. If you have never served on the MTA board, we would love an opportunity to talk to you. Also, a huge thank you to Linda Wells. She tirelessly keeps our organization on track. Hope everyone has a wonderful new year.
Jeremy Tate MTA President
MEET YOUR NEW MTA BOARD PRESIDENT Jeremy Tate
Tate’s Turf LLC 6477 Morgan Town Rd Sturgis, MS 39769 (662) 209-0023 tatesturfllc@hotmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT Keair Edwards
City of Gulfport 114 Reservation Drive Gulfport, MS 39503 (228) 861-5641 kedwards@gulfport-ms.gov
SECRETARY/TREASURER Dr. Barry Stewart
Mississippi State University Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-2725 Cell: (662) 312-9335 bastewar@pss.msstate.edu
PAST PRESIDENT Al Osteen
Turf Consultant 104 East Hill Drive Madison, MS 39110 (601) 214-9907 osteenal@gmail.com
ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY Linda Wells
Mississippi State University Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 Office: (662) 325-0517 Cell: (662) 769-7558 lmw218@pss.msstate.edu
DIRECTORS Chris Hussey / Sod
Hussey Sod Farm 814 Road 1589 Tupelo, MS 38804 (662) 231-3203 husseysod@hughes.net
Justin Lanford / North Starkville Country Club 93 King Edward Drive Columbus, MS 39705 (662) 822-5806 Jlanford33@gmail.com
Todd McCullough / Grounds-Lawn Maintenance City of Louisville P.O. Box 510 Louisville, MS 39339 (601) 416-3292 louisvillecoliseum@gmail.com
Rob Webb / Central
GreenPoint Ag 252 Country Club Rd. Canton, MS 39046 (601) 594-5798 Rob.webb@greenpointag.com
6 • MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS • WINTER 2020
Frank Ogletree / South Hattiesburg Country Club 61 Classic Drive Hattiesburg, MS 39402 (601) 543-5033 FAO617@aol.com
Scooter Huckabee / Industry LADD’S 1105 Christy Street Bossier City, LA 71111 (601) 818-7586 shuckabee@bobladd.com
EX-OFFICIO Dr. Jay McCurdy / Faculty Advisor
Mississippi State University Box 9555 MS State, MS 39762 (662) 325-2331 (731) 514-1514 JMcCurdy@pss.msstate.edu
NEWS FROM MTA
NEWS FROM MTA
“Hospitality KUDOS Night”
GCSAA Conference & GIS • ORLANDO, FL Wednesday – January 29, 2020 • 5:00 – 7:00 P.M.
KINGS DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
8255 International Drive, Suite 120 • ORLANDO, FL 32819 Catch up with all your peers and classmates! Hosted By MSU ALUMNI • LMGCSA • AGCSA • GCGCSA Appetizers & Cash Bar • RSVP by January 17, 2020 Name:_________________________________________________________________________ Company:_______________________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________________________ City:_____________________________________State:__________Zip:_____________________ Individual:.......................................................................................................................................................$25 Couple:............................................................................................................................................................$45 Total Enclosed:...............................................................................................................$_________________
Payment Method (Pre-Payment is Suggested): Check*
Visa
MasterCard
American Express
* Make check payable to MTA ** Please note – we can use our credit cards at the bar Card #_________________________________________________________________________ Expiration Date:__________________________________________________________________ Signature:______________________________________________________________________
QUESTIONS? Call Linda Wells — (662) 769-7558 or lmw218@pss.msstate.edu Send Registration Form to: Linda Wells • MTA • Box 9555 • Mississippi State, MS 39762 Fax to: (662) 325-2705 8 • MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS • WINTER 2020
…to Brandon Hardin (pictured), 2006 MSU Alum, and his staff. Mississippi State University’s Scott Field has been given the Sports Turf Managers Association distinction of 2019 Field of the Year. This is the third time MSU has earned the distinction. The award will be presented at the January 2020 STMA annual conference.
…also to Mitch Hooten, 2012 MSU Alum, Head Groundskeeper for the West Michigan Whitecaps, recipient of the 2019 Midwest League Sports Turf Manager of the Year Award.
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Agra Turf, Inc..................................................5 www.agrainc.com
Bayou Bend Turfgrass.....................................5 www.bayoubendturfgrass.com
Harrell’s LLC................................... Back Cover www.harrells.com
KWMI / K & W Products, Inc............................7 www.KWMIequipment.com
Leading Edge Communications....................11 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com
Progressive Turf Equipment Inc...................14 www.progressiveturfequip.com
Pure Green Sports Turf.................................11 www.puregreenllc.com
R.W. Distributors................. Inside Back Cover www.Exmark.com
RD Murphy, LLC...............................................5 www.rdmurphy.com
Riebeling Farms, Inc.......................................5 Southeast Turf Maintenance...........................9 www.southeastturf.com
Sur-Line Turf, Inc............................................9 www.surlineturf.com
The Turfgrass Group........................................3 www.theturfgrassgroup.com
Winstead Turf......................Inside Front Cover www.winsteadturffarms.com
To discuss advertising opportunities, contact Leading Edge Communications:
615-790-3718 888-707-7141 (Toll Free) OR sales@leadingedgecommunications.com www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com
Southeast Turf utilizes the best deep aerification equipment available today to address any type of turf aerification need, including Deep Drill and Drill & Fill.
Randy Emens 256-255-5231 • SouthEastTurf.com • seturfmaint@gmail.com 211 Skyline Road • Madison, AL 35758 THE MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE • 9
RECENT EVENT
MTA ANNUAL MEETING OCTOBER 2, 2019 — BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD WINNERS!
Bud Thigpen Distinguished Service Award was awarded posthumously to
JAY STRICKLAND Jay passed away in July, 2019. He was a lifetime member of the Mississippi Turfgrass Association and a valued supporter of MSU’s Golf & Sports Turf Management Program. Accepting the award for the family is family friend, Chad Lambert. Presenting the awards is MTA President Al Osteen.
Outstanding Turf Professional
WAYNE PHILLEY
2019 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
JAKE SORRELLS (left); Dr. Jay McCurdy, faculty advisor, center and Brandon Livingston (right) Mississippi State University
HUNTER MORGAN GUY (center) On his left faculty advisor, Will Arnett and to his right, faculty advisor, Danny Smith. East Mississippi Community College
MTA Lifetime Honorary Membership Presented to ROB WEBB for his outstanding service and commitment to the Mississippi Turfgrass Association
10 • MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS • WINTER 2020
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Incoming president, JEREMY TATE (left) presents 2019 President AL OSTEEN with his president’s plaque.
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ANY SIZE AD IN MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS MAGAZINE OFFER GOOD FOR 1 ISSUE AND LIMITED TO NEW ADVERTISERS ONLY
Contact kristin@leadingedgecommunications.com or 615.790.3718 to take advantage of this offer! Cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts, offers or current advertising agreements. Limited to one single ad in one issue only. Space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. To ensure the integrity of our publications and for the benefit of our readers and advertisers, publisher reserves the right to revise, reclassify, edit or reject any Ad Material or any portion thereof at any time. Offer good through 6/30/2020.
THE MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE • 11
COVER STORY
A ROUNDUP ON GLYPHOSATE: HISTORY, USE, ISSUES, AND ALTERNATIVES By Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. Professor of Weed Science, Virginia Tech
G
lyphosate has been in the news quite a bit recently. You probably have seen the ads on television concerning glyphosate and human health. In this article I discuss some background information on this herbicide as well as scientific reports on toxicity of the chemical.
A. What is glyphosate?
The glyphosate molecule (Figure 1) is similar to the amino acid glycine. The chemical name is N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, a relatively small molecule compared to newer herbicides. It is the active ingredient in products such as Roundup PROMAX, as well as in generic products sold under a variety of trade names. Since the chemical is off patent (patent expired around 2000), other companies besides Monsanto/Bayer can sell this herbicide under their own trade name. Some examples of other trade names for products that contain glyphosate include Accord, Gly Star Pro, Glyphomate 41, Razor, Rodeo and Touchdown, among others.
B. Formulation
The initial formation of this herbicide was an isopropylamine salt of glyphosate, which is still widely used, although other salt formulations are available now, such as the potassium salt and the dimethylamine salt. This becomes important when comparing products. We need to look at the amount of glyphosate acid in products, not the amount of active ingredient, since the different salt formulations differ in their molecular weight. For example, Roundup PROMAX contains 5.5 pounds per gallon of the potassium salt of glyphosate (ai) or 4.5 lbs/gallon glyphosate acid (ae). Roundup Pro contained 4.0 lbs/gallon of the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate (ai) or 3.0 lbs/gallon glyphosate acid (ae). So Roundup PROMAX contains 50% more glyphosate acid than Roundup Pro and applications rates in terms of fluid ounces of product per acre are lower than for Roundup Pro. Besides glyphosate, there are other chemicals in commercial formulations, usually water and a surfactant. As an example of a formulation, Roundup PROMAX contains the potassium salt of glyphosate at 48.7% by weight, surfactant(s) approximately 9%, and water plus minor ingredients at approximately 42%.
FIGURE 1: glyphosate isopropylamine salt
12 • MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS • WINTER 2020
Surfactants can aid in the absorption of herbicides by weeds. One example would be POEA (polyoxyethylene tallow amine). Concerns have been raised about the toxicity of this surfactant to aquatic organisms such as tadpoles, salamanders, and frogs. Aquatic formulations of glyphosate either do not contain a surfactant or contain a surfactant that has not shown to be an issue. That is why certain formulations of glyphosate are not labeled for aquatic use – not due to the toxicity of glyphosate but due to toxicity concerns about the surfactant to amphibians and other aquatic organisms. For glyphosate products that do not contain a surfactant, one generally needs to add an approved one for optimum weed control.
C. History
Glyphosate was found to control weeds by a Monsanto scientist in 1970. The herbicide was patented in 1971 and was introduced commercially as Roundup in 1974. Glyphosate use has increased over time, especially when Roundup-Ready crops were introduced, starting with Roundup Ready soybeans in 1996. These soybean lines, and later corn, cotton, and other crop cultivars, were developed to be resistant to glyphosate through biotechnology. For these geneticallymodified crops, glyphosate could be applied overtop for selective weed control.
D. Mode of action
Glyphosate inhibits the enzyme enolpyruvyl shikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase, needed for synthesis of the aromatic amino acids tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine in plants. Animals, including people, do not make these amino acids, so they need to get these chemicals in their diet. Plants have to make these amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. So glyphosate inhibits a process that occurs in plants but not in animals, resulting in a chemical that controls plants with low acute toxicity to animals, including people.
E. Acute toxicity of glyphosate
A measure of toxicity is the LD50 value, the dose required to kill 50% of the test animal, usually rats. The higher the LD50, the lower the toxicity. The acute oral LD50 for glyphosate in rats is greater than 5,000 mg/kg – practically non-toxic. The acute dermal LD50 rat is greater than 5,000 mg/kg – practically non-toxic. (taken from
SDS sheet for Roundup PROMAX, http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ mp8NJ004.pdf). For comparison the acute oral LD50 rat for caffeine is 192 mg/kg (https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Caffeine) so caffeine is a much more toxic chemical than glyphosate. The acute oral LD50 rat for aspirin is 950 mg/kg (aspirin SDS, https:// www.caymanchem.com/msdss/70260m.pdf), also more toxic on an acute basis than glyphosate. Another point to keep in mind is that risk associated with a given pesticide is based on the toxicity of the chemical along with the exposure level.
F. Use
Glyphosate is a nonselective postemergence herbicide, meaning that it controls essentially all weeds. The recent development of glyphosate-resistant weeds has pushed researchers and growers to find alternative means to control these weed species. However, most weed species are still susceptible to glyphosate. Glyphosate is systemic, so it moves into and controls underground portions of weeds (roots, rhizomes, tubers, etc.), making it the preferred product for perennial weed control in many situations. This chemical binds to soil particles and has essentially no soil activity, so crops can be planted a week after application. Glyphosate is used for preplant weed control/site preparation, lawn renovation, spot treatment of weeds in landscape beds, as a directed spray application in fruit and nursery production, and for noncrop weed management, such as guard rails, railroad lines, and parking lots, among other uses. It controls grasses, sedges, and broadleaf weeds, making it a broad spectrum herbicide.
G. Recent issues about glyphosate
It has been suggested that glyphosate causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a type of cancer, and other diseases. In one epidemiological report, associations between pesticides and NHL subtypes were reported, including B cell lymphoma and glyphosate (Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Apr 23;11(4):4449-527. doi: 10.3390/ ijerph110404449). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health organization, listed glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen (Group 2A) in 2015 (https:// monographs.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mono112-10.pdf), along with burning of wood, eating red meat, high-temperature frying, late-night work shifts, being a hairdresser or barber, spraying insecticides, and making art glass, among others (https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IARC_Group_2A_carcinogens). In August 2018, a jury in San Francisco ordered Roundup’s manufacturer, Monsanto, to pay $289 million in damages to a school groundskeeper (Dewayne Lee Johnson) who argued that the glyphosate-based herbicide caused his cancer. A judge later upheld that decision but reduced Monsanto’s payout to $78 million. Recently, another jury in San Francisco ruled against Monsanto, with the jury concluding that glyphosate was a substantial factor in causing non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Edwin Hardeman, a 70-year-old Sonoma County man. Bayer, which bought Monsanto, responded by saying that there is over four decades of extensive science on glyphosate and the conclusions of regulators worldwide support the safety of their glyphosate-based herbicides and that they are not carcinogenic (https://www.bayer.us/en/newsroom/press-releases/ article/?id=123290). Harrells has decided not to sell glyphosate products (https://www. lawnandlandscape.com/article/ll-031219-harrells-discontinuesglyphosate/). Although the company feels that the weight of scientific evidence strongly supports its safety when used properly, their insurance provider would not cover any claims related to glyphosate.
With apparently over 11,000 lawsuits filed against Monsanto, there is a financial risk from the insurance standpoint related to glyphosate. Another issue that has been mentioned is that glyphosate may affect bacteria in the gut microbiome. Low levels of glyphosate have been reported in certain crops, generally in the parts per billion range, although the EPA has determined that the low levels do not pose a significant health risk to humans. Low levels of labeled pesticides can sometimes be detected in food crops, but the EPA compares these levels to the toxicity data for that pesticide to determine a no effects level and to set residue levels allowed before approving a pesticide. Certain bacteria can be adversely affected by exposure to glyphosate. A recent issue that has been reported is an impact on the gut bacteria in honey bees, resulting in adverse effects (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2018 Oct 9; 115(41): 10305–10310).
H. What does the scientific literature say about glyphosate and cancer?
As of 2016, there were 23 epidemiological studies, 15 animal carcinogenicity studies and over 90 genotoxicity studies for glyphosate. Reviews have been written summarizing the conducted studies. A review in 2012 found no consistent pattern of causation between glyphosate exposure and cancer (Mink et al. Reg. Toxicology & Pharmacology 63:440-452). Some conclusions of glyphosate effects are not supported by available evidence (Frontiers in Public Health 2017 Vol 5 Article 316). There was no association between glyphosate and any solid tumor, including. non-Hodgkin lymphoma (Andreotti et al. 2018 J. National Cancer Institute 110 (5): 509516). The U.S. EPA concluded in a 2013 report that glyphosate does not pose a cancer risk to humans (2013 Federal Register Notice (FR 25396, Vol. 78, No. 84, May 1, 2013). In 2016, EPA’s office of Pesticide Programs released a report (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/ glyphosate_issue_paper_evaluation_of_carcincogenic_potential. pdf). In it, EPA states that “In epidemiological studies, there was no evidence of an association between glyphosate exposure and numerous cancer outcomes; however, due to conflicting results and various limitations identified in studies investigating NHL, a conclusion regarding the association between glyphosate exposure and risk of NHL cannot be determined based on the available data.” “Increases in tumor incidence were not considered treatment-related in any of the animal carcinogenicity studies.” “The overall weight of evidence indicates that there is no convincing evidence that glyphosate induces mutations in vivo via the oral route.” EPA’s overall conclusion was that glyphosate was “’not likely to be carcinogenic to humans’ at doses relevant to human health risk assessment.” In 2017, the EPA issued a draft assessment, which also concluded that glyphosate is not a likely carcinogen to humans (Released Draft Risk Assessments for Glyphosate, https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ epa-releases-draft-risk-assessments-glyphosate). The European Food Safety Authority and the EU member states concluded in 2015 that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans and the evidence does not support classification with regard to its carcinogenic potential (EFSA Journal 2015;13(11):4302). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in a 2016 summary report concluded that “in view of the absence of carcinogenic potential in rodents at human-relevant doses and the absence of genotoxicity by the oral route in mammals, and considering the epidemiological evidence from occupational exposures, the Meeting concluded that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure through the diet” (https://www.who.int/foodsafety/jmprsummary2016.pdf). THE MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE • 13
COVER STORY • Continued
Why did the ARC reach a different conclusion than EPA and the EFSA and the FAO? The IARC only looked at publicly-available reports while EPA evaluated all data, including those submitted by the registrant and those not published. The IARC did not consider dose in their analysis while the EPA considered dose to be relevant to the interpretation of data. EPA did a systemic evaluation of the quality for the studies conducted with glyphosate while the IARC did less of a quality evaluation. There can be differing opinions on the interpretation of laboratory testing of pesticides. One cannot test chemicals on people, so scientists use a test animal such as rats. Labs will use only a limited number of test animals and may increase the dose to levels much higher than typical exposure levels of the chemical to try to force responses that may occur at low frequency or at low dosages. If cancer develops in the test animal only at doses much higher than a typical exposure would be, what do you conclude? Did the dose cause the response or did the chemical cause the effect? Can you extrapolate the data to lower doses? These are questions that arise when interpreting results from lab studies.
I. Alternatives to glyphosate
We do not have a ready alternative to glyphosate that provides the same level of weed control and use. The closest in my opinion is glufosinate (Finale, Cheetah Pro), another non-selective postemergence herbicide that is inactivated upon contact with soil. It works faster on weeds than glyphosate but it is not as systemic as glyphosate. So glyphosate generally provides greater control of perennial
14 • MISSISSIPPI TURFGRASS • WINTER 2020
weeds, especially perennial grasses, compared to glufosinate. There are nonselective postemergence contact herbicides, such as diquat (Reward), pelargonic acid (Scythe), and acetic acid (WeedPharm). These contact herbicides will not affect the underground portions of perennial weeds so they are more effective overall on annual weeds.
J. Decision making
Read the literature cited in this article and determine for yourself the benefits and risks to use of glyphosate. Be careful about articles you read on the internet, in newspapers, and in other media. Sometimes claims are made about chemicals that are not supported by scientific research. Ask to see data from published, peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. If you plan to continue using glyphosate, as we plan to do here at the research station, follow information listed on the label. For example, the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Roundup PROMAX is a long sleeve shirt, long pants, shoes, and socks (http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld8NJ010.pdf). Read and follow all label directions. Make sure the product you use has a label for the site to be treated.
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank Dr. Timothy Pastoor, of Pastoor Science Communications for sharing his PowerPoint “Glyphosate – Get the Facts” with me. Some of the information listed above was taken from this PowerPoint
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