What term describes a plant that has recently evolved a mechanism to survive a particular herbicide action?

Herbicide resistance is defined as the ability of a plant to survive and reproduce after exposure to a herbicide that would normally be lethal to the same species. This phenomenon often arises from a genetic change within the plant population, which enables some individuals to withstand the effects of the herbicide.

When plants evolve resistance, it typically occurs through natural selection, where individuals with genetic mutations that confer a survival advantage proliferate under the pressure of herbicide application. Over time, the frequency of these advantageous traits increases in the population, leading to a group of plants that can thrive despite the presence of the herbicide.

Herbicide tolerance, while similar-sounding, refers more broadly to the ability of a plant to tolerate certain levels of a herbicide without necessarily having evolved due to this selective pressure. Pest resistance refers to a different context altogether, where plants evolve mechanisms to withstand pests, and genetic mutation is a broader term denoting changes in the DNA that may or may not relate specifically to herbicide resistance. Thus, the term that most accurately describes a plant that has recently evolved a specific mechanism to survive a particular herbicide action is herbicide resistance.