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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #137549
Title: HERBICIDE-RESISTANT CROPS AND WEED MANAGEMENT

Author
item Reddy, Krishna
item Koger Iii, Clifford

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2003
Publication Date: 4/10/2003
Citation: Reddy, K.N., Koger III, C.H. 2003. Herbicide-resistant crops and weed management. H.P. Singh, D.R. Batish, and R.K. Kohli, eds. In: Handbook of Sustainable Weed Management, pp. 549-580, Chapter 19.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Advances in biotechnology have led to development and commercialization of several herbicide-resistant crops (HRCs). Both transgenic (created through the stable integration of a foreign gene using molecular biological techniques) and nontransgenic (developed using traditional plant breeding techniques) HRCs are commercially available to farmers. HRCs as a weed management tool is a mere extension of utility of proven postemergence, previously non-selective, broad-spectrum herbicides. HRCs are readily accepted in North America and are slowly making inroads into parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and South America. The farmers who have chosen HRCs must have seen some economic and weed control benefits, otherwise, the rapid increase in area planted to HRCs in recent years would not have occurred. There are benefits and risks associated with the use of HRCs as a weed management tool. Benefits of HRCs for weed management have outweighed their risks. HRCs should not be relied upon solely to exclude other weed control tactics and should be used within integrated weed management systems.