Variation in Elymus repens susceptibility to glyphosate

Continuous increase in glyphosate use in Sweden has caused concern about resistance development, not least in connection with the possible introduction of crops resistant to glyphosate. In Sweden, the main weed targeted by glyphosate is Elymus repens (L.) Gould. We sampled 69 clones of E. repens to assess the magnitude and geographical distribution of variation in susceptibility to glyphosate. Clones originated from four habitat types: intensively and extensively used arable lands, field vicinities and other habitats, including natural vegetation. Susceptibility varied greatly among clones with GR50 (50% of untreated growth reduction) spanning over at least one order of magnitude, 17–278 active ingredient ha^?1 in a pot experiment setting. There was a strong covariance between geographic and genetic distance, but there was no evidence of geographic or genetic differentiation in GR50. Nor did GR50 vary consistently between habitat types. We conclude that no indication of past selection was found towards the resistance to glyphosate in E. repens clones in Sweden. The great variability in susceptibility suggests that there might be a potential for such selection.