Super weeds refers to unwanted plant species which have become resistant to herbicides. Herbicides are chemicals used to kill unwanted plants. This is a potential problem with any type of herbicide, but has especially become a discussed issue within the context of genetically modified (GM) agricultural crops.
The leading US (and global) company developing GM crops is Monsanto. Many of their best-selling crops are designed to be resistant to a herbicide called glyphosate ("Round-Up"). Glyphosate is sprayed on the field before planting, kills everything (almost), degrades rapidly and soon the glyphosate-resistant crop can be planted and it will grow well.
The resisant crop sometimes breeds with wild but closely-related species, creating weeds that were never much of a problem before (superweeds). This is especially likely to happen when a glyphosate-resistant crop is grown on the same patch of land year after year. Moreover, the GM crop may itself become a superweed, bred as it has been, to be resistant to herbicides if the farmer wants to plant something different in later years.
Example actual or potential superweeds are rye-grass in Australia, soybeans in North American and many wild cousins of oilseed rape in Britain.
The leading US (and global) company developing GM crops is Monsanto. Many of their best-selling crops are designed to be resistant to a herbicide called glyphosate ("Round-Up"). Glyphosate is sprayed on the field before planting, kills everything (almost), degrades rapidly and soon the glyphosate-resistant crop can be planted and it will grow well.
The resisant crop sometimes breeds with wild but closely-related species, creating weeds that were never much of a problem before (superweeds). This is especially likely to happen when a glyphosate-resistant crop is grown on the same patch of land year after year. Moreover, the GM crop may itself become a superweed, bred as it has been, to be resistant to herbicides if the farmer wants to plant something different in later years.
Example actual or potential superweeds are rye-grass in Australia, soybeans in North American and many wild cousins of oilseed rape in Britain.
