Glyphosate in Tizimín: agriculture and beekeeping

Abstract

he use of agrochemicals in agriculture can contaminate the environment and generate undesirable effects on humans and wildlife. The case of the herbicide glyphosate (GLY) is emblematic today, as it is the most widely used agrochemical worldwide. This compound has been found in surface and groundwater, air, soil, food, and organisms. In the municipality of Tizimín, Yucatán, residues of GLY and AMPA were found in water from the localities of Kabichén (GLY: 3.9 ± 3.8 µg/L and AMPA: 4.8 ± 2.8 µg/L) and Dzonot Carretero (GLY: 3.5 ± 3.7 µg/L and AMPA: 4.3 ± 3.0 µg/L). Regarding soil concentrations, GLY was found only in the town of Kabichén (GLY: 2.3 ± 2.6 µg/kg and AMPA: 26.5 ± 68.1 µg/kg). In another locality in Tizimín, San Luis Tzuk-Tuk, the presence of GLY was also detected at concentrations of 0.12 to 0.38 µg/L. Corn and soybean farming are very important in Tizimín; however, although beekeeping is a secondary activity, its importance lies in honey production and the pollination process. Thus, agriculture and beekeeping have an indisputable relationship, since both activities have been linked for centuries in food production. However, technological advances have led to increased crop size, primarily due to economic benefits. However, bees and the products they generate have been affected by forest loss and the use of agrochemicals. Pesticides have led to the loss of pollinators such as bees and a decline in beekeeping activity. Specifically, GLY negatively influences the associative learning processes of worker bees, as well as the cognitive and sensory abilities of younger bees in the hive, and delays larval development. It is important to note that bees pollinate 75% of the planet’s food crops, so protecting bees is vital for our food security and biodiversity conservation.

Keywords:  Glyphosate, Tizimín, agriculture, beekeeping.