The costs of human-induced evolution in an agricultural system

Alexa Varah (), Kwadjo Ahodo, Shaun R. Coutts, Helen L. Hicks, David Comont, Laura Crook, Richard Hull, Paul Neve, Dylan Z. Childs, Robert P. Freckleton and Ken Norris
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Alexa Varah: Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park
Kwadjo Ahodo: Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park
Shaun R. Coutts: University of Sheffield, Western Bank
Helen L. Hicks: University of Sheffield, Western Bank
David Comont: Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, West Common
Laura Crook: Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, West Common
Richard Hull: Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, West Common
Paul Neve: Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, West Common
Dylan Z. Childs: University of Sheffield, Western Bank
Robert P. Freckleton: University of Sheffield, Western Bank
Ken Norris: Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park

Nature Sustainability, 2020, vol. 3, issue 1, 63-71

Abstract: Abstract Pesticides have underpinned significant improvements in global food security, albeit with associated environmental costs. Currently, the yield benefits of pesticides are threatened as overuse has led to wide-scale evolution of resistance. Despite this threat, there are no large-scale estimates of crop yield losses or economic costs due to resistance. Here, we combine national-scale density and resistance data for the weed Alopecurus myosuroides (black-grass) with crop yield maps and an economic model to estimate resistance impacts. We estimate that the annual cost of resistance in England is £0.4 billion in lost gross profit (2014 prices) and annual wheat yield loss due to resistance is 0.8 million tonnes. A total loss of herbicide control against black-grass would cost £1 billion and 3.4 million tonnes of lost wheat yield annually. Worldwide, there are 253 herbicide-resistant weeds, so the global impact of resistance could be enormous. Our research supports urgent national-scale planning to combat resistance and an incentive for increasing yields through food-production systems rather than herbicides.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0450-8

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