Recent approaches for herbicide resistance management in weeds: A review

Abstract

Herbicides are most effective and economic tool among the weed management practices. Use of herbicide is rapidly increasing in the world including India. Along with the advantages there are some disadvantages like herbicide resistance and environmental concern due to repeated use of herbicide. Development of resistance against the herbicides in targeted species is the most prominent among them. Herbicide resistance is the inherited ability of a plant to survive and reproduce following exposure to a dose of herbicide normally lethal to the wild type. Herbicide resistance is a worldwide phenomenon and number of resistant biotypes of weeds is increasing at an alarming rate. There are currently 480 unique cases of herbicide resistance globally in 252 plant species. Herbicide resistance in weeds is a product of evolution in cultivated fields, responding to the selection pressure laid by the use of such herbicides. Continuous use of the same herbicide or herbicides having same mechanism of action in mono culture with minimum tillage has been the major causes of occurrence for herbicide resistance. Altered site of action, enhanced metabolism, over-expression of the target protein and sequestration are the main mechanisms of herbicide resistance in weeds. Herbicide resistance problem can be addressed with integrated weed management approaches, including crop and herbicide rotations, herbicide combinations along with cultural, mechanical and biological methods.