Will glyphosate herbicide harm tree roots?

Theoretically, glyphosate will not cause harm to crop roots. First, glyphosate loses its activity upon contact with soil; if it is poured heavily onto tree roots, the spray solution mainly flows into the soil around the tree roots and immediately has no herbicidal activity; second, glyphosate is generally absorbed through the leaves and translocated to the roots, while the tree roots absorb very little of it, making it difficult to achieve an effect.

Glyphosate is the effective active chemical ingredient in many widely used herbicides, and its use in the European Union is strictly regulated. Glyphosate is not directly related to genetically modified crops; non-GMO crops likewise need to be sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and EU member states have completed a reassessment of the herbicide glyphosate, and they issued a report stating that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a cancer risk to humans, while also proposing some new safety measures to strengthen control of glyphosate residues in food.