ABSTRACT
Herbicide-resistant cultivar (HRC) is now being utilized for weed control in crop production worldwide in developed countries or to a lesser extent in developing countries. Once a selective herbicide was identified, the environmental impact of that herbicide was then assessed. Concern about the use of HRC is common among the general public because genetically engineered organisms or biotechnology developments have received consider able adverse publicity in the popular press. Herbicide-resistant cultivars have been viewed anywhere from creating an environmental time bomb to more rapidly solving specific weed problems in crop production. Herbicide-resistant cultivars could be developed for herbicides that last only hours, or at most days, in soil or water, which would eliminate their accumulation or buildup in the environment. However, in some situations the more persistent herbicides have the advantage of providing weed control over an entire growing season and thus eliminating repeat applications.
