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How does Roundup Ready technology work?
Roundup Ready herbicide works by inhibiting the production of EPSPS (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase), an enzyme necessary for the production of amino acids and essential for plant protein production and growth. As a result, protein cannot be made and the plant system of the target weed collapses.
A novel genetic trait has been identified and transferred into Roundup Ready canola through biotechnology, which renders the canola plant tolerant to in-crop (or over-the-top) vegetative applications of Roundup Ready herbicide. This novel trait enables the canola plant to produce two enzymes – one of which protects it from the glyphosate and the other which degrades the glyphosate.
The ability to use Roundup Ready herbicide over-the-top in Roundup Ready canola crops enables growers to safely control weeds when and where they appear without effecting the yield potential of their crop.
| Herb and seed | Cunderdin | Darkan | Eradu | Gibson | Mingenew | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearfield OP | -$47 | $55 | $469 | $820 | $128 | $285 |
| Clearfield Hybrid | -$66 | $153 | $449 | $1,111 | $175 | $364 |
| Triazine OP | -$78 | -$138 | $412 | $984 | $40 | $244 |
| Triazne Hybrid | -$64 | $5 | $459 | $1,105 | $70 | $315 |
| Roundup Ready OP | -$63 | $66 | $491 | $1,245 | $396 | $427 |
| Roundup Ready Hybrid | -$14 | $272 | $633 | $1,423 | $446 | $552 |
| Mean | -$55 | $69 | $486 | $1,115 | $209 | $365 |
Gross Margin comparison 2010 density experiments ($/ha at optimum density)
Ryegrass 10CH09 Mingenew
Source: Mark Seymour, WA Department of Agriculture, Grains Industry
Crop Updates presentation, Perth, February 2011.
Open pollinated varieties of Roundup Ready canola had higher gross margins than both Clearfield and Triazine in five out of six trials with an average gross margin of $545. Roundup Ready hybrid outperformed Clearfield and Triazine systems in all six trials with a mean gross margin of $665.
When examining the effectiveness of Roundup Ready canola in relation to weed control, both the Hybrid and open pollinated varieties had considerably less Ryegrass in the trial plots than the other canola systems.
