Factors influencing the selection of herbicide-resistant biotypes of weeds

Abstract

Despite their prolonged use, only a few cases of acquired genetic resistance to herbicides have been reported. This is probably due to a combination of low selection pressure with most herbicides, lower fitness of resistant weeds, the ability of thinned stands of susceptible weeds to produce relatively more seeds, and the large soil reservoir of susceptible weed seeds. Regular use of high selection pressure, highly persistent herbicides could, however, rapidly produce such resistance.