Agronomic benefitsof conventionaluses of glyphosate

Jaime Costa, PhD

March 23rd, 2010

Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Manager Monsanto Spain & Portugal

ü Early use to cope with manpower reduction and the weakness of other herbicides (1975-1985)

Contents

ü Optimized application brings use expansion in larger surfaces and some not anticipated benefits (1980-1995)

ü Lower prices following competition with generic products leads tohigher intensity of use (1990-2005)

ü Growing stewardship needs, under frequent use and lowernumber of alternative low cost herbicides (2005-2010).

Roundup® introduction

ü Solution vs. growing infestationsof Agropyron (Elymus) repens and other perennial weeds in arable crops.

ü The trend to higher fertilizer ratesand shorter varieties of cerealsincreased the pressure of weeds

012345

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

Avg. wheat yields in Europe in t/ha (Oerke et al., 1994)

Roundup® introductionü Growing infestations of Sorghum

halep., Paspalum spp. and Cyperusrotundus in irrigated orchards.

ü Control of growing infestations of Cynodon dactylon and Convolvulusarvensis in vineyards and olives.

Comparative evolution in Spain of prices forRoundup®, diesel and manpower (in today €)Need to optimize applications to gain new uses

20.00

25.00

30.001 l Roundup

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2009

10 l diesel

1 day salary (minimum wage)

Optimized timingfor applicationü Fully developed perennial weeds

(unless drought stressed)ü Best performance in preharvest

applicationsü Faster harvest, lower need for drying

and lower mycotoxin risksü Couch population highly correlated (R2

= 0,9572) with yield loss in wheat:= 0,9572) with yield loss in wheat:

01020304050

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

% yield loss2000’s ß 1990’s ß 1980’s

Couch shoots /m2

Harvest aid glyphosate benefitsü Excellent fit in olives, hazelnuts…ü Facilitates mechanical harvestsü Reduced manpower costü Reduced yield losses.

Easier managementin orchards and vines

ü Need to access lower branchesü Less diseases or pests under the rowü Faster mowing or cultivation.

Optimized application equipment

ü Low volume applications (< 300 l/ha)ü Shielded sprayers for directed applications in sensitive cropsü ULV controlled droplet applications (20 l/ha)ü Wipers for contact applications.

Cost and operator safety benefits in citrus(data from IVIA expert Dr. Gómez de Barreda, 1981)

150

200 Total cost in €/haManpower hours/ha

0

50

100

Mechanical cultivation

No tillage with

knapsack herbicide applications

No tillage with CDA

applications

Other benefits in citrusü Excellent safety for maturing fruitsü Better fit with part time agricultureü Ridge maintenance under flood

irrigationü Best compatibility with drip irrigation

Other benefits in orchards and vinesü Best compatibility with drip irrigationü Compatibility with stony soils.

Non crop applicationsü Improved safety for roads, streets and

other non crop areasü Reduced cost (and risk) for operatorsü Lower risk formulations available, for

best compatibility with aquatic wildlife.

Comparative evolution in Spain of prices forRoundup®, diesel and manpower (in today €)

20.00

25.00

30.001 l Roundup

Proliferation of generic products

Lower prices facilitate more benefits as tillage replacement

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2009

10 l diesel

1 day salary (minimum wage)

Pre plant or pre-emergencecontrol in annual crops

ü Quicker planting operationsü Cleaner start with all the

moistureü Stale seedbed for control of ü Stale seedbed for control of

weeds resistant to otherherbicides (Alopecurus, Bromus, etc.)

ü Breaking the green bridge forbetter control of pests and diseases.

Less manpower, lowerCO2 emissions and more moisture and biodiversitywith conservation tillage

ü More details by AEAC/SV Directorü Particular benefits for contractors.

Benefits of glyphosate and no-tillage in olives(according to data from M. Pastor in Olivae, 1990-1991 and 1997)

100

120

140 Relative yield of olivesFuel consumption l/haTotal cost equiv. €/ha

0

20

40

60

80

Conventional tillage

No tillage with bare soil

Highest risk of soil erosion in cultivated olives

Olive –shallow roots- responds very well to no-tillage

Erosion control in perennial cropsüTemporary green coverüGlyphosate use to control at the endof winter the green vegetation stripsbetween the rows of olives

Erosion control and more biodiversityin perennial crops

Vegetation management in vineyard

Selective applications in forestry, pastures and protected areas

ü Stump treatments to control regrowthü No spray, no drift, lowest exposureü Improved formulations without risk

pictograms.pictograms.

Improved, low risk formulations, available for use in sensitive areas

ü Benefits not recognized in application exposure modelsor regulation of emptypackagespackages

ü Classified risk of several of our glyphosate formulationsincreases when the bottle isempty!

Directed applicationsin annual crops

ü Diverse types of equipment forselective use of glyphosate.

ü Preharvest use in maize iseasier to perform than selectivein-crop application

ü Farmers welcome new tools forcontrol of Datura, Xanthium, control of Datura, Xanthium, Abutilon and other new weeds.

Comparative evolution in Spain of prices forRoundup®, diesel and manpower (in today €)

20.00

25.00

30.001 l Roundup

Lower number of alternative low cost

a.i.’sFocus on stewardship

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2009

10 l diesel

1 day salary (minimum wage)

Continued benefitsunder increasedstewardship after 2005

ü Acceptable operator exposure in applications of undiluted Roundup®

ü Management of some cases of glyphosate resistance (Lolium and Conyza).

Continued benefitsunder increasedstewardship after 2005

ü BAP traning for compliance withestablished tolerances

ü More contribution to biodiversitythrough conservation agriculture.

Helping the trend for a more affordable foodalso in the next century(data on real prices in the US from CAST Issue Paper 45, , 2010)

Thank you!