Perspective of Herbicide Resistance in Weeds and Their Management

Weeds have been a problem creator in crop production practices since time immemorial. The weeds cause around 37-45% crop yield reduction. Out of all the methods of control of weeds, the most prominently used one is the chemical control of weeds with the help of herbicides. The chemical control with herbicides being an effective and quick option towards weed control has made farmers more stooped towards them. The unavailability of labours and their high wages also aid in the increased usage of herbicides. This increased use of herbicides has led to the development and evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds, shift in weed flora and increased herbicide residues in the food chain and thus created an imbalance in the ecosystem. Herbicide resistance results from the evolution of weeds, resulting from the selection pressure laid by using similar herbicides or different herbicides having similar modes of action. Therefore, their management in crop production is as important as crop production itself. This chapter acknowledges the concept of herbicide resistance and its development, mechanism and types. It brings to light the technological options for the management of herbicide-resistant weeds. The management of herbicide resistance weeds does not rely on a single measure to control weeds but includes an array of techniques and tools to prevent the evolution and spread of these weeds. Thus, an appropriate combination of chemical, nonchemical, biotechnological and genetic methods would be greatly helpful in the management of herbicide resistance in weeds