Cross-resistance refers to what phenomenon?

Cross-resistance is a phenomenon where a pest organism, such as a weed, develops resistance to multiple herbicides, but this resistance results from a single resistance mechanism. The significance of cross-resistance lies in how it can complicate the management of pest populations. When a resistance mechanism is effective against more than one herbicide, it can limit treatment options available to control the pest.

For instance, if a particular weed has evolved a biochemical pathway that allows it to detoxify a specific herbicide, that same pathway might also render the plant resistant to other herbicides with a similar mode of action. As a result, using those herbicides would be ineffective against the resistant weed population. This reinforces the importance of using an integrated pest management approach that incorporates a variety of control methods to mitigate the risk of developing such resistance.