Potato Production near Glyphosate-resistant Crops — Injury Potential

Abstract

The herbicide glyphosate is used in many countries because of low cost and effective weed control, but low levels of glyphosate on potato can reduce yield, marketability, and seed quality. Glyphosate is a phloem-mobile herbicide that can translocate to tubers, causing malformations that reduce the quality of current-season production. Potato plants are most susceptible to glyphosate at the hooking or tuber initiation stage. Tubers exposed at these stages often will become malformed and yield loss can occur. Seed production can be affected because glyphosate degradation is slow and it translocates to tubers. Seed potato exposed to glyphosate can store glyphosate residues until they are planted the next season. Tubers planted with glyphosate residues will have an erratic and slow emergence pattern, bending and twisting of leaves, multiple shoots from eyes, "candelabra" or "cauliflower" formation of shoots, or completely inhibited shoot growth, depending on the rate and cultivar. Glyphosate-affected seed tubers produce less tuber set and tubers with reduced weight. Tubers suspected to have glyphosate injury should be tested at a reputable laboratory to confirm glyphosate residues are present. Good management practices can help prevent potato from being exposed to glyphosate.