Herbicide Resistance and Weed Management Strategies

Herbicide resistance threatens global crop productivity by enabling weed populations to survive once-effective chemical controls. Resistance arises through target-site mutations that reduce herbicide binding or via non‐target‐site processes such as enhanced metabolism, reduced translocation and sequestration. The evolution of resistance is accelerated by continuous herbicide selection pressure, simplified cropping systems and the wide adoption of single modes of action. Integrated weed management combines chemical, cultural and mechanical controls to delay resistance, including herbicide mixtures and rotations, tillage, cover crops and intercropping systems. Advances in molecular biology and modelling now inform the design of enzymes for herbicide detoxification, the prediction of population dynamics in perennials and the development of resistant crop germplasm. Genomic resources and theoretical frameworks guide strategies that balance effective weed suppression with minimising the risk of resistance adaptation, thereby safeguarding future food security.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent structural studies have resolved the crystal architecture of a sulfonylurea‐detoxifying esterase, revealing a dimeric enzyme with a lid loop that governs substrate binding. Engineering of loop flexibility yielded mutants with markedly enhanced detoxification activity, offering routes to remediate contaminated soils or to develop crop varieties with inherent herbicide tolerance. Complementary theoretical work on a perennial weed has integrated sexual and asexual reproduction, seed‐bank dynamics and agronomic controls into population‐based models. These models demonstrate that seed banks and self‐pollination drive rapid resistance evolution, while combining herbicide classes with strategic tillage significantly reduces weed density and delays resistance emergence.

Herbicide Resistance and Weed Management Strategies publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in herbicide resistance and weed management strategies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Target‐site resistance: Resistance arising from mutations in the protein target of a herbicide, reducing binding affinity and efficacy.

Non‐target‐site resistance: Resistance conferred by processes other than direct target alteration, including enhanced herbicide metabolism, reduced translocation or sequestration.

Seed bank: The reservoir of viable weed seeds present in the soil, capable of germinating over multiple seasons and sustaining populations.

Rhizome: A horizontal underground stem that enables vegetative reproduction and persistence of perennial weeds.

Esterase: An enzyme class that hydrolyses ester bonds, often involved in the metabolic detoxification of herbicide molecules.

References

1. Crystal structures of herbicide-detoxifying esterase reveal a lid loop affecting substrate binding and activity. Nature Communications (2023).
2. Development and Breeding of Herbicide‐Resistant Sorghum for Effective Cereal‐Legume Intercropping. Advanced Science (2025).
3. Current status of community resources and priorities for weed genomics research. Genome Biology (2024).
4. Theoretical assessment of persistence and adaptation in weeds with complex life cycles. Nature Plants (2023).
5. Mechanisms of evolved herbicide resistance. Journal of Biological Chemistry (2020).