Riechers said there are three major reasons that help explain why resistance to auxin herbicides has not become a big problem yet. First, the auxin family of herbicides has a very complicated mode of action. In theory, a weed would have to develop a very complicated resistance method to overcome it. Riechers said the auxin herbicide family is very unusual because it has multiple target sites, which were only recently discovered.
“In addition, resistance to these compounds is rare because a plant that evolves resistance may have a fitness cost,” he said. “The resistance mechanism that overcomes the herbicide could have a negative consequence to the plant in absence of the herbicide. Basically, for auxin herbicides there may be a ‘penalty’ to having resistance.”
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Which direction are herbicides heading?
