In message , Mike Lyle
writes
David in Normandy wrote:
On 03/07/2010 15:58, Timothy Murphy wrote:

Just an idle question, but is glyphosate
the same as Roundup?

I notice people on this group have suddenly started
talking about glyphosate;
I don't recall seeing it mentioned until recently.


Another important difference is the price. Ghyphosate is a generic
name of the most common weed killer ingredient and is always far
cheaper than paying for the same product under a brand name. Roundup
can cost between ten and a hundred times as much as generic
glyphosate to treat the same area!!!

Sound advice. Note also SRH's info. In case you're worried about these
things (as I am), bear in mind that glyphosate, while it may be
unnecessary most of the time, seems to be environmentally pretty safe,
since it's neutralized on contact with clay particles in the soil.

Glyphosate is immobilised on contact with clay particles in the soil
(and therefore isn't subsequently absorbed by plant roots). It is
subsequently degraded by bacteria. A typical soil residence half-life is
a month, but it varies - it could be a few days, or several months.

It's said that the surfactants included in the formulations have worse
environmental effects than the glyphosate.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley