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12 Jan 2026·Source: The Indian Express
3 min
EconomyPolity & GovernanceEXPLAINED

Mustard Crop Under Threat: Tackling Herbicide-Resistant Weeds for Sustainable Agriculture

Herbicide-resistant weeds pose a significant threat to mustard crops, demanding innovative solutions.

Mustard Crop Under Threat: Tackling Herbicide-Resistant Weeds for Sustainable Agriculture

Photo by Pedro Durigan

Background Context

The overuse of herbicides has led to the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds, posing a significant challenge to agriculture worldwide. This phenomenon reduces crop yields and increases the cost of weed control.

Why It Matters Now

The increasing prevalence of herbicide-resistant weeds threatens food security and requires innovative solutions, such as integrated weed management and the development of new herbicides.

Key Takeaways

  • •Herbicide resistance: Weeds survive herbicide exposure
  • •Orobanche: Parasitic weed affecting mustard crops
  • •Yield losses: Up to 50% due to Orobanche
  • •Integrated weed management: Essential for control
  • •Crop rotation: Helps reduce weed infestations
  • •Biological control: Uses natural enemies to control weeds

Related Concepts

Integrated Weed ManagementCrop RotationBiological ControlSustainable Agriculture
India's largest oilseed crop, mustard, faces a serious menace from parasitic weeds in several states. Crop breeders are exploring herbicide resistance to help. The weed Orobanche, or broomrape, is a root parasite that attaches itself to the host plant and deprives it of water and nutrients. It can cause yield losses of up to 50%. The problem is exacerbated by the increasing resistance of weeds to commonly used herbicides. Integrated weed management strategies, including crop rotation, biological control, and the use of new herbicides, are essential to combat this threat and ensure sustainable mustard production.

Key Facts

1.

Mustard: India's largest oilseed crop

2.

Orobanche: Parasitic weed causing yield losses

3.

Yield losses: Up to 50% due to Orobanche

4.

Herbicide resistance: Increasing weed control challenges

UPSC Exam Angles

1.

GS Paper 3 (Economy): Agriculture, Food Security, Technology Missions

2.

Link to Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Degradation

3.

Potential questions on crop breeding, weed management, and government policies

Visual Insights

Mustard Crop Affected Areas in India

This map highlights the states in India where mustard crops are significantly affected by herbicide-resistant weeds like Orobanche (broomrape).

Loading interactive map...

📍Rajasthan📍Uttar Pradesh📍Haryana📍Madhya Pradesh

Practice Questions (MCQs)

1. Consider the following statements regarding Orobanche (broomrape): 1. It is a holoparasitic plant that lacks chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on its host for nutrients. 2. It primarily affects leguminous crops and has minimal impact on oilseed crops like mustard. 3. Its seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years, making eradication difficult. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  • A.1 and 3 only
  • B.2 only
  • C.1 and 2 only
  • D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer

Answer: A

Orobanche is a holoparasite (statement 1 is correct) and its seeds are long-lived (statement 3 is correct). However, it significantly impacts mustard, an oilseed crop (statement 2 is incorrect).

2. In the context of herbicide resistance in weeds, which of the following mechanisms is NOT commonly observed?

  • A.Altered target site of the herbicide
  • B.Increased herbicide metabolism by the weed
  • C.Reduced herbicide absorption by the weed
  • D.Increased nitrogen fixation in the weed
Show Answer

Answer: D

Herbicide resistance mechanisms include altered target sites, increased metabolism, and reduced absorption. Increased nitrogen fixation is not a mechanism of herbicide resistance.

3. Which of the following integrated weed management strategies is most likely to be effective in controlling herbicide-resistant weeds in mustard crops?

  • A.Solely relying on increased doses of existing herbicides
  • B.Continuous monoculture of mustard with the same herbicide regime
  • C.Crop rotation with non-host crops and the use of multiple herbicides with different modes of action
  • D.Complete removal of weeds by hand weeding only
Show Answer

Answer: C

Crop rotation and using multiple herbicides with different modes of action are key components of integrated weed management to prevent and control herbicide resistance.

4. Assertion (A): The increasing resistance of weeds to herbicides poses a significant threat to mustard production in India. Reason (R): Over-reliance on a single herbicide and lack of crop diversification have contributed to the selection and proliferation of resistant weed biotypes. In the context of the above statements, which of the following is correct?

  • A.Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
  • B.Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  • C.A is true, but R is false
  • D.A is false, but R is true
Show Answer

Answer: A

Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why herbicide resistance is a threat to mustard production.

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