1 Pheromone Report Special Volume XXXIII, Number 3/4, March/April 2011 (Published July 2012) Brave New World—Systemic Pesticides and Genetically Engineered Crops By William Quarles Photo courtesy Glenda Denniston, UW-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve lmost overnight, genetically engineered (GE) crops have A profoundly changed agricul- ture in the U.S. Leading the way have been corn, soybean, and cot- ton crops resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. As a result, traditional farming and IPM methods have been tossed aside and replaced with a simplistic solution. Seeds are drilled into the soil without cultiva- tion. When weeds appear, fields and crops are sprayed with glyphosate, usually by aerial application. Repeated applications are needed, and glyphosate resistant (GR) crops are often grown in the same field, year after year (Duke and Powles 2009; Mortensen et al. 2012). Glyphosate is systemically absorbed by the crop, and it appears in the food sold for con- Glyphosate applications associated with GR crops have destroyed milk- sumption (EPA 2011; Arregui et al. weed habitat of the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, leading to an 2004; Duke 2011). Other GE 81% reduction of Midwest monarch populations. changes include crops that grow their own pesticide. Genes from the Large Pesticide Increase resistant, and resistance increases bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis pesticide applications (Duke and Overall, GE crops have caused a (BT) are inserted into plant Powles 2009). GR crops actually large pesticide increase. BT crops genomes. Each plant cell produces reduced herbicide applications over have led to less applied insecticide, insecticidal proteins, and these the first three years after their but GR crops need large amounts of insecticides are incorporated into introduction. But rapid emergence the food (Gassmann 2012). glyphosate. Roundup Ready® GR of resistant weeds has caused large Genetically engineered foods are crops were introduced in 1996, and glyphosate increases each year. For not labeled, despite the fact that cumulative pesticide use over 16 instance, there was a 31% increase 90% of Americans support labeling years has increased by about 400 (Acres 2012). Consumers are million lbs (182 million kg) exposed to these new genetic cre- (Benbrook 2009; Benbrook 2012). ations and their systemic pesticides These production systems are not without their knowledge. The effects sustainable, but agribusiness has In This Issue of longterm, widespread exposure to bet America’s future on GE crops, these products have not been fully in exchange for large, shortterm investigated, and most of the stud- corporate profits. Systemic Pesticides 1 ies supporting their safety have GE crops are not sustainable ESA Report 10 been produced by industry because farmers rely on larger (Antoniou et al. 2011; Antoniou et amounts of fewer pesticides. Weeds al. 2012). and pest insects then become 2 Update in glyphosate use from 2007 to Photo courtesy Gary Nafis The IPM Practitioner is published six times 2008 (Benbrook 2009). per year by the Bio-Integral Resource Repeated use of the same pesti- Center (BIRC), a non-profit corporation undertaking research and education in inte- cides is leading to their buildup in grated pest management. soil and contamination of water and Managing Editor William Quarles air (Chang et al. 2011; Battaglin et Contributing Editors Sheila Daar al. 2005). GE crops have caused Tanya Drlik destruction of habitat for the Laurie Swiadon monarch butterfly and other envi- Glyphosate formulations can Editor-at-Large Joel Grossman ronmental problems (Hartzler 2010; be toxic to frogs. Business Manager Jennifer Bates Pleasants and Oberhauser 2012; Artist Diane Kuhn Antoniou et al. 2012). Resistance to and about 8.6 million lbs (3.9 mil- BT and invasion of secondary pests lion kg) were applied in 2010 (CA For media kits or other advertising informa- have led to systemic seed treat- tion, contact Bill Quarles at 510/524-2567, DPR 1996; 2010). [email protected]. ments with neonicotinoid pesticides In 2008, 57% of the corn acreage that have toxic effects on bees and 73% of the cotton acreage in Advisory Board George Bird, Michigan State Univ.; Sterling (Quarles 2011; Hopwood et al. the U.S. had been planted in BT Bunnell, M.D., Berkeley, CA ; Momei Chen, 2012; Krupke et al. 2012). More varieties (Benbrook 2009). In 2010, Jepson Herbarium, Univ. Calif., Berkeley; than 45% of U.S. cropland is now over 58 million acres (23.5 ha) Sharon Collman, Coop Extn., Wash. State treated with systemic chemical pes- Univ.; Sheila Daar, Daar & Associates, worldwide were planted to BT Berkeley, CA; Walter Ebeling, UCLA, Emer.; ticides (Stokstad 2012). crops, mostly cotton and corn Steve Frantz, Global Environmental Options, (Gassmann 2012). Longmeadow, MA; Linda Gilkeson, Canadian Ministry of Envir., Victoria, BC; Joseph Scope of the Problem Hancock, Univ. Calif, Berkeley; William GE canola, sugarbeets, corn, soy- Monarch Butterfly Olkowski, Birc Founder; George Poinar, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; beans, and cotton are grown com- Habitat destruction of the Ramesh Chandra Saxena, ICIPE, Nairobi, mercially in the U.S. (Duke and monarch butterfly, Danaus plexip- Kenya; Ruth Troetschler, PTF Press, Los Powles 2009). Since most of the pus, represents one of the first Altos, CA; J.C. van Lenteren, Agricultural University Wageningen, The Netherlands. acreage is devoted to GE soybeans, large scale environmental catastro- cotton, and corn, only these crops phes due to GE crops. The monarch Manuscripts The IPMP welcomes accounts of IPM for any will be discussed here. In 2008, butterfly is one of the best known pest situation. Write for details on format for herbicide resistant soybeans, cot- environmental icons (Brower and manuscripts or email us, [email protected]. ton, and corn represented 92%, Malcolm 1991). Developing caterpil- Citations 93%, and 63% of total acres plant- lars of the monarch are dependent The material here is protected by copyright, ed to each crop in the U.S., and on wild stands of milkweed, and may not be reproduced in any form, either written, electronic or otherwise without amount was increasing each year Asclepias spp. From the milkweed written permission from BIRC. Contact (Benbrook 2009). In 2011, 94% of they obtain the chemicals that give William Quarles at 510/524-2567 for proper all U.S. soybeans were GE them a bad taste, and thus protect publication credits and acknowledgement. glyphosate resistant. Since GR soy- them from predators (Malcolm et al. Subscriptions/Memberships beans were first planted, there has 1989). A subscription to the IPMP is one of the bene- fits of membership in BIRC. We also answer been a 97% glyphosate increase in Milkweed is especially sensitive to pest management questions for our members soybeans, from 3 million lbs (1.4 glyphosate, and stands along crop and help them search for information. million kg) in 1994 to 92 million lbs edges have been destroyed by mas- Memberships are $60/yr (institutions/ libraries/businesses); $35/yr (individuals). (41.7 million kg) in 2006 (Pleasants sive glyphosate applications associ- Canadian subscribers add $15 postage. All and Oberhauser 2012). ated with GE crops. There has been other foreign subscribers add $25 airmail In 2011, about 72% of all U.S. an 81-90% reduction of milkweed postage. A Dual membership, which includes a combined subscription to both the IPMP corn was GE glyphosate resistant. on farmland in Iowa. Similar reduc- and the Common Sense Pest Control There has been a 94% glyphosate tions are found throughout the Quarterly, costs $85/yr (institutions); $55/yr (individuals). Government purchase orders increase in corn, from 4 million lbs Midwest where GE crops are plant- accepted. Donations to BIRC are tax- (1.8 million kg) in 2000 to 63 mil- ed (Hartzler 2010; Pleasants and deductible. lion lbs (28.5 million kg) in 2010 Oberhauser 2012). FEI# 94-2554036. (Pleasants and Oberhauser 2012). From 1999 to 2010 disappearing Change of Address California has fewer acres of GE milkweed insectary plants have led When writing to request a change of address, please send a copy of a recent address label. crops planted than areas such as to an 81% decline in Midwest pro- © 2012 BIRC, PO Box 7414, Berkeley, CA the Midwest, but glyphosate use in duction of migrating monarchs. 94707; (510) 524-2567; FAX (510) 524-1758. California has doubled since 1996, Partly due to this reduction, over- All rights reserved. ISSN #0738-968X the first year that Roundup Ready wintering populations in Mexico crops were used. About 4.2 million have dropped by 65% (Pleasants lbs (1.9 million kg) of glyphosate and Oberhauser 2012; Brower et al. and its salts were applied in 1996, 2012). IPM Practitioner, XXXIII(3/4) March/April 2011 2 Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707 3 Update Frogs, Pathogens, Nutrients Box A. Glyphosate Problems Pesticides may be one of the causes of widespread amphibian Glyphosate herbicide was origi- phoma (de Roos et al. 2003; Cox decline seen over the last 30 years. nally developed by John Franz at 2004). More than one-third of amphibian Monsanto in 1970. It works by There is a large variation in envi- species are now threatened with inhibiting a key enzyme needed for ronmental persistence. The soil half extinction. Glyphosate formulations plant growth. It is broadspectrum life of glyphosate ranges from 2-197 and will affect most higher plants. days, and the soil half life of the containing various surfactants and Differences in damage between degradation product AMPA ranges inerts may cause amphibian toxici- plant species is due mainly to dif- from 76-240 days. Glyphosate binds ty, including birth defects (Paetow ferences in absorption (Duke and to soil, but it still moves out into et al. 2012; Paganelli et al. 2010; Powles 2008). streams. Phosphate fertilizers dis- Howe et al. 2004). Glyphosate for- Glyphosate has low acute toxicity, place glyphosate and increase mulations are toxic to tadpoles, and a generally benign toxicological runoff (Cerdeira and Duke 2010).