herbicide resistance
Surviving chemical sprays
Herbicide resistance is the ability of plants—usually weeds—to survive exposure to chemicals designed to kill them.
Resistance develops when herbicides are used repeatedly, selecting for genetic variants that can tolerate the poison.
A major agricultural problem, as resistant weeds spread and force farmers toward different chemicals or mechanical control: Glyphosate-resistant weeds have become widespread in American corn and soybean fields.
- glyphosateBroad-spectrum systemic herbicide
- superweedsHerbicide-tolerant wild plants
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
- sprayDispersed liquid droplets
- evolvedChanged through successive generations
invasive species · pigweed · paraquat · selection pressure · gene flow · refugia · 2,4-D · seed dispersal · survive · GMO · monoculture · crop rotation · genetic drift · corn · tolerance · drift · chemical · agriculture
herbicide resistancechemical sensitivity
Reactions to environmental substances