II. Technology Timeline
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The first widely used herbicide was 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in the 1940s. It was believed to be efficient while killing all weeds alike and even left grass unaffected. However at exponential amounts, 2, 4-D damaged the crops. The continual low-cost of this herbicide was the reason why it was used for such a long period of time, until Monsanto produced Roundup in 1974.
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Beginning in the 1950s, we came into contact with herbicides in the triazine family, which includes atrazine, which continues to be the most dangerous herbicide because it caused groundwater contamination. Farmers have discontinued to use this herbicide.
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In 1974, the manufacturer Monsanto produced a herbicide called Glyphosate and introduced it to the market; it is known as Roundup. It is now the farmer's go-to herbicide to kill pesky weeds. However, through the continued use of the herbicide, there has been a resistance in selective types of weeds. Most weeds are not resistant, however it's only a matter of time. The pairing of the herbicide with the resistant seed contributed to the consolidation of the seed and chemistry industry in the late 1990s (Wikipedia.org).
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Around 1989, the herbicide Dicamba was created which is put into the ground prior to the crop's development. This method isn't as widely used by farmers as the traditional "Roundup" (Johnson).
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Beginning in 1996, resistance to Glyphosate was visible to farmers and scientists. Steps have been taking after that point to somehow lower the weed's resistance to Roundup.
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