Clean Water. Clean Kill.

In a recent survey of 128 farmers, just 4% knew the hardness of their spray water.

Water hardness varies hugely by source: borehole, mains, and rainwater all differ – and even the same source can shift over time.

Stored water (in tanks or pipes) can pick up additional minerals and contamination.

The problem?

This variation means guesswork isn’t good enough. If you under-dose a water conditioner, glyphosate gets locked up. If you overdose, you waste product and money.

Clean Water. Clean Kill - starts by testing and treating water first

• Know your spray water – test don’t guess.
• Treat the tank – conditioner hard water with a true water conditioner before glyphosate enters the tank
• Protect your glyphosate – apply at the right time with the right time to get clean kill consistently.

Test Water Regularly

The key is to test your spray water before every campaign.

A simple digital meter measuring total dissolved solids (TDS) in ppm, gives a fast and accurate picture of water hardness. TDS is primarily dissolved minerals of calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and iron (Fe3+) which make water hard.

With that number, you can condition water properly using a dedicated product like X‑Change, which sequesters calcium, magnesium and iron ions before they bind with glyphosate.

Beware the Shortcuts AMS & Citric Acid

Some growers use straight ammonium sulphate (AMS) or citric acid to “soften” water – but these aren’t true water conditioners.

• Straight AMS provides ammonium to compete with divalent cations but doesn’t remove them.
• Straight citric acid can bind cations, but it competes with glyphosate for uptake, making it unreliable.

Bottom Line: these shortcuts offer partial conditioning at best – and may reduce uptake further. If you want reliable performance, choose a conditioner built for glyphosate compatibility – and dose it based on test results.

Formulation & Adjuvants Matter too

Not all glyphosate products are created equal. The active ingredient may be the same, but surfactant systems vary widely.

Cheaper products often use basic surfactants that struggle to penetrate waxy leaves or cope with dry, dusty conditions.

This is where adjuvants like Validate make a difference: Improve coverage, reduce evaporation, aid penetration. Counteract the impact of hard water cations.

Protecting Glyphosate for the Long Term

Glyphosate is a cornerstone of modern UK farming — valued for its broad-spectrum weed control, reliability, and role in supporting sustainable practices like reduced tillage and cover cropping. But its future depends on how we use it today.

Glyphosate resistance is no longer a global issue – it’s happening here in the UK – confirmed in Italian ryegrass – other species could follow.

Weakened performance from water quality, poor conditioning, or ineffective formulation can accelerate resistance.

Good stewardship protects glyohosate’s effectiveness, now and into the future.

Glyphosate resistance isn’t inevitable – stewardship prevents it.

Resistance is not just about overuse, its about underperformance. That starts with your water, product choice and timing.

The De Sangosse Glyphosate Stewardship Guide, created with John Cussans, is your practical manual for smarter glyphosate use.

It explains:

• How water hardness effects glyphosate
• Why testing matters, and how to do it
• What makes a good conditioner
• When and why to use adjuvants
• Mixing order and water source considerations
• Resistance management aligned with WRAG best practice

Protect your farm’s future by following WRAG’s six golden rules:

• Always use the right dose
• Treat weeds at the right time
• Use the right water quality
• Minimise the number of applications
• Use alternatives where possible
• Monitor, record, and respond

If you suspect resistance, send samples to ADAS to confirm the cause