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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #265632

Title: Herbicide-Resistant: Toward an understanding of resistance development and the impact of herbicide resistant crops

Author
item VENCILL, W.K. - University Of Georgia
item NICHOLS, R.L. - Cotton, Inc
item Webster, Theodore
item SOTERES, J. - Monsanto Corporation
item MALLORY-SMITH, C. - Oregon State University
item BURGOS, N. - University Of Arkansas
item JOHNSON, W.G. - Purdue University

Submitted to: Weed Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2012
Publication Date: 8/1/2012
Citation: Vencill, W., Nichols, R., Webster, T.M., Soteres, J., Mallory-Smith, C., Burgos, N., Johnson, W. 2012. Herbicide-Resistant: Toward an understanding of resistance development and the impact of herbicide resistant crops. Weed Science. Special Issue: 1-30.

Interpretive Summary: For the past half century, herbicides have been the principal means of economic weed management in commercial crops in the US. Although weed resistance to herbicides was anticipated, weeds with resistance to herbicides did not appear until over 20 years after the initiation of herbicide use. Weed communities have changed in response to weed control practices; whether, the practices are chosen for biological, social, or economical reasons. A total of 347 confirmed occurrences of weed resistance have been compiled. These reports represent 119 species, with certain families (e.g. Poaceae) and certain genera (e.g. Amaranthus) more frequently found than are others. Weeds with resistance to herbicides are found on every continent, chiefly in developed countries where herbicides have been commonly used for several years. Although selection for resistance is a predictable consequence of all pest management, introduction of transgenic, herbicide-resistant crop cultivars substantially changed virtually all aspects of weed management including the propensity for weed management programs to generate resistance. Transgenic, herbicide-resistant crop cultivars, chiefly those resistant to the herbicide, glyphosate, now dominate corn (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), and canola (Brassica napus) production, comprising ~66, 93, 58, and 90 % of the respective crop hectares in 2010.

Technical Abstract: For the past half century, herbicides have been the principal means of economic weed management in commercial crops in the US. Although weed resistance to herbicides was anticipated, weeds with resistance to herbicides did not appear until over 20 years after the initiation of herbicide use. Weed communities have changed in response to weed control practices; whether, the practices are chosen for biological, social, or economical reasons. A total of 347 confirmed occurrences of weed resistance have been compiled. These reports represent 119 species, with certain families (e.g. Poaceae) and certain genera (e.g. Amaranthus) more frequently found than are others. Weeds with resistance to herbicides are found on every continent, chiefly in developed countries where herbicides have been commonly used for several years. Although selection for resistance is a predictable consequence of all pest management, introduction of transgenic, herbicide-resistant crop cultivars substantially changed virtually all aspects of weed management including the propensity for weed management programs to generate resistance. Transgenic, herbicide-resistant crop cultivars, chiefly those resistant to the herbicide, glyphosate, now dominate corn (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), and canola (Brassica napus) production, comprising ~66, 93, 58, and 90 % of the respective crop hectares in 2010.