Make a Splash in 2026 with South Carolina's Aquatic Herbicides Challenge – Dive In and Conquer Category 5!

Herbicide resistance in aquatic plants often develops through the repeated use of the same herbicide. When an herbicide is applied multiple times, especially if it is a selective herbicide with a specific mode of action, the plants that have naturally occurring resistance mechanisms will survive and reproduce. Over time, these resistant plants can become more prevalent in the population, leading to a situation where the herbicide becomes less effective or ineffective against the target species.

This process is a form of natural selection, where the herbicide creates a selection pressure that favors the survival of resistant individuals. As these individuals reproduce, they pass on their resistance traits, leading to a population that is predominantly resistant to that specific herbicide. It highlights the importance of implementing integrated pest management practices that include rotation of herbicide modes of action and other control methods to mitigate the development of resistance.