Fate of glyphosate and degradates in cover crop residues and underlying soil: A laboratory study
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Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Quantification of the Potential Impact of Glyphosate-Based Products on Microbiomes
Published on: January 10, 2022
A Cassigneul1, P Benoit2, V Bergheaud2
1Université de Toulouse - École d'ingénieurs de Purpan, UMR 1248 AGIR - 75, Voie du TOEC BP 57 611, 31 076, Toulouse cedex 3, France; INRA, UMR 1402 ECOSYS, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France.
Abstract:
The increasing use of cover crops (CC) may lead to an increase in glyphosate application for their destruction. Sorption and degradation of (14)C-glyphosate on and within 4 decaying CC-amended soils were compared to its fate in a bare soil. (14)C-Glyphosate and its metabolites distribution between mineralized, water-soluble, NH4OH-soluble and non-extractable fractions was determined at 5 dates during a 20 °C/84-d period. The presence of CC extends (14)C-glyphosate degradation half-life from 7 to 28 days depending on the CC. (14)C-Glyphosate dissipation occurred mainly through mineralization in soils and through mineralization and bound residue formation in decaying CC. Differences in sorption and degradation levels were attributed to differences in composition and availability to microorganisms. CC- and soil-specific dissipation patterns were established with the help of explicit relationships between extractability and microbial activity.
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