Evolution of Glyphosate-Resistant Weeds

Widespread adoption of glyphosate-resistant crops and concomitant reliance on glyphosate for weed control set an unprecedented stage for the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds. There are now 48 weed species that have evolved glyphosate resistance. Diverse glyphosate-resistance mechanisms have evolved, including single, double, and triple amino acid substitutions in the target-site gene, duplication of the gene encoding the target site, and others that are rare or nonexistent for evolved resistance to other herbicides. This review summarizes these resistance mechanisms, discusses what is known about their evolution, and concludes with some of the impacts glyphosate-resistant weeds have had on weed management.