Japanese foxtail (Alopecurus japonicus Steud.) is an invasive grass weed that severely threatens the production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) crops in eastern Asia. Mesosulfuron-methyl is a highly efficient acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicide widely used for control of this species in China. However, in recent years, some A. japonicus populations have evolved resistance to mesosulfuron-methyl by different amino acid substitutions (AASs) within the ALS gene. In the current study, 11 populations of A. japonicus were collected from Anhui Province, China, where the wheat fields were severely infested with this weed. Based on single-dose screening, eight of these populations evolved resistance to mesosulfuron-methyl, and gene sequencing revealed three AASs located in codon 197 or 574 of the ALS gene in the different resistant populations. Subsequently, three typical populations, AH-1, AH-4, and AH-10 with Trp-574-Leu, Pro-197-Thr, and Pro-197-Ser mutations, respectively, in ALS genes were selected to characterize their cross-resistance patterns to ALS inhibitors. Compared with the susceptible population AH-S, AH-1 showed broad-spectrum cross-resistance to sulfonylureas (SUs), imidazolinones (IMIs), triazolopyrimidines (TPs), and sulfonyl-aminocarbonyl-triazolinones (SCTs); whereas AH-4 and AH-10 were resistant to SUs, TPs, and SCTs but sensitive to IMIs. Moreover, all three resistant populations were sensitive to both photosystem II inhibitor isoproturon and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibitor QYM201 (1-(2-chloro-3-(3-cyclopropyl-5-hydroxy-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperidin-2-one). Based on the current state of knowledge, this study is the first report of A. japonicus evolving cross-resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides due to a Pro-197-Ser mutation in the ALS gene.

The level of glyphosate resistance in kochia [Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott] was reported to be due to an increase in 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene copy number. A field study was conducted near Manhattan, KS, in 2014 and 2015 to evaluate the relationship between EPSPS gene copy number and growth and fecundity variables of B. scoparia individuals within suspected glyphosate-resistant (GR) populations from western Kansas. Initial assays of EPSPS gene copy and in vivo shikimate accumulation showed that B. scoparia populations from Finney (FN-R), Scott (SC-R), and Thomas (TH-R) counties were segregating for glyphosate resistance, with some individuals still being glyphosate susceptible (GS). A target-neighborhood competition approach was used to evaluate the competitive response of individual target plants with relatively low (classified as GS) and high (classified as GR) EPSPS gene copy number within the populations. There was no relationship observed between EPSPS gene copy number and vegetative or fecundity variables. There was no differential competitive response of target plant biomass to increasing neighbor density between individuals with low and high EPSPS gene copy number within each population. Lack of associated vegetative growth and fecundity cost to the increased EPSPS gene copy in the GR B. scoparia plants suggests that the plants are likely to persist in field populations, except when effective weed management strategies are adopted that would prevent their growth and seed production.

Catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine L.) is a problematic dicot weed that occurs in major winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields in China. Tribenuron-methyl has been widely used to control broadleaf weeds since 1988 in China. However, overuse has led to the resistance evolution of G. aparine to tribenuron-methyl. In this study, 20 G. aparine populations collected from Shandong and Henan provinces were used to determine tribenuron-methyl resistance and target-site resistance mechanisms. In dose–response experiments, 12 G. aparine populations showed different resistance levels (2.92 to 842.41-fold) to tribenuron-methyl compared with the susceptible population. Five different acetolactate synthase (ALS) mutations (Pro-197-Leu, Pro-197-Ser, Pro-197-His, Asp-376-Glu, and Trp-574-Leu) were detected in different resistant populations. Individuals heterozygous for Pro-197-Ser and Trp-574-Leu mutations were also observed in a resistant population (HN6). In addition, pHB4 (Pro-197-Ser), pHB7 (Pro-197-His), pHB8 (Pro-197-Leu), pHB5 (Asp-376-Glu), and pHB3 (Trp-574-Leu) subpopulations individually homozygous for specific ALS mutations were generated to evaluate the cross-resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. The pHB4, pHB7, pHB8, pHB5, and pHB3 subpopulations all were resistant to sulfonylurea, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, triazolopyrimidine, flumetsulam, sulfonylamino-carbonyl-triazolinone, flucarbazone-sodium, pyrimidinyl thiobenzoate, pyribenzoxim, and the imidazolinone imazethapyr. These results indicated the diversity of the resistance-conferring ALS mutations in G. aparine, and all these mutations resulted in broad cross-resistance to five kinds of ALS-inhibiting herbicides.

Zoysia germplasm exhibit different levels of sensitivity to fluazifop-P-butyl, but the genetic factors responsible for such differences are unknown. Segregation patterns of the fluazifop-P-butyl tolerance trait were studied under greenhouse conditions. In total, 244 F1 lines were generated from multiple crosses between the tolerant line 5337-2 (non–target site tolerance) and three more-sensitive lines (123, 252, and 5330-23). Progeny segregation showed that fluazifop-P-butyl tolerance within zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) is expressed as a quantitative trait with a wide range of intermediate phenotypes between parental phenotypes. Transgressive segregation was extensive and largely favored susceptibility in most families, but was especially evident for 5337-2 × 123 and 5337-2 × 5330-23. The segregation patterns for biomass reduction and percent injury were different within reciprocal crosses and among three different family crosses. Reciprocal effects were observed in growth reduction for 5337-2 × 5330-23, in percent injury at 3 wk after the treatment (WAT), and for 5337-2 × 252 at 6 WAT. This indicated that fluazifop-P-butyl tolerance was not completely controlled by nuclear genetic factors in 5337-2 and maternal/cytoplasmic inheritance was also partially responsible. These results suggested that fluazifop-P-butyl tolerance may be attributed to multiple genetic mechanisms, which could present a challenge for future breeding efforts because of the difficulty of fixing multiple traits within a breeding population.

Soluble phosphate availability is a major limiting factor for plant growth, development, and yield. To assure a constant phosphorous supply, plants employ both high- and low-affinity phosphate acquisition mechanisms. Glyphosate is an herbicide widely used throughout the world, and previous studies have suggested that it can be transported across the plasma membrane via phosphate transporters in herbaceous species. The effects of phosphate status on glyphosate uptake were investigated in the tree grand eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex. Maid.). Eucalyptus grandis’s putative phosphate transporters showed differential gene expression in leaves and roots in response to phosphate limitation. Overall, the expression of high-affinity phosphate transporters increased in phosphate-limiting treatments, particularly in roots. More [14C]glyphosate was absorbed and translocated in phosphate-limiting plants compared with control plants grown in phosphate-replete treatments. In leaf mesophyll protoplast assays, rapid uptake of [14C]glyphosate into protoplasts was observed, and addition of phosphate to the assays competed with [14C]glyphosate uptake. These data indicate that phosphate transporters represent one mechanism of glyphosate uptake in E. grandis. These results have implications for best management practices for weed control and glyphosate application under phosphate application regimes.

Annual sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.) is a major weed of mungbean crops in Australia. Resistance in this weed to several herbicide groups is a challenging issue for its management. Hence, cultural weed management strategies, such as increasing the crop competitive ability through increased stand density, should be considered to reduce reliance on herbicides. It was hypothesized that a competitive crop stand may reduce the growth and seed production of S. oleraceus. Two pot studies were conducted, and each study was repeated once. The first study evaluated the effect of different mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek] densities (0, 82, 164, 246, and 328 plants m−2) on S. oleraceus growth and seed production, while the second study focused on glyphosate-resistant and glyphosate-susceptible biotypes of this weed in competition with densities of 0, 82, and 164 mungbean plants m−2. Although increasing mungbean density from 0 to 82 and 164 plants m−2 reduced S. oleraceus seed production by 55% and 78%, respectively, a large number of seeds were produced, even at the mungbean density of 328 plants m−2 (1,185 seeds plant−1). Both glyphosate-resistant and glyphosate-susceptible biotypes of S. oleraceus responded similarly to the increase in mungbean density. The results of the second study showed that height, leaves, number of inflorescence, and seed production per plant of both glyphosate-resistant and glyphosate-susceptible biotypes were reduced but not suppressed adequately. The glyphosate-resistant biotype produced fewer leaves and less biomass and, consequently, its seed production was 24% less compared with the glyphosate-susceptible biotype in the no-competition treatment. Both biotypes of S. oleraceus produced about 4,000 seeds plant−1 in competition with 164 mungbean plants m−2. The results suggest that crop competition alone cannot provide satisfactory control of S. oleraceus; therefore, for effective and adequate weed management, other practices such as PRE herbicides should be integrated with increased crop density.

A waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer] biotype (designated as “NER”) collected from a soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production field in eastern Nebraska survived the POST application of fomesafen at the labeled rate. The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify the level of resistance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors (acifluorfen, fomesafen, and lactofen) applied POST, (2) determine the mechanism of PPO-inhibitor resistance in the NER biotype, (3) determine whether NER possessed multiple resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS)-, and photosystem II (PSII)-inhibiting herbicides, and (4) control NER with POST soybean herbicides. A whole-plant dose–response bioassay revealed that the NER biotype was 4- to 6-fold resistant to PPO-inhibiting herbicides depending on the known susceptible biotype (S1 or S2) used for comparison. A Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP™) assay was developed and performed for rapid and robust detection of the ΔG210 mutation (deletion of a codon) in the PPX2L gene. All samples of the NER biotype tested positive for the ΔG210 mutation. Dose–response bioassays confirmed that the NER biotype was resistant to three additional herbicide sites of action. Chlorimuron and imazethapyr, both ALS inhibitors, applied at 32X the labeled rate resulted in <80% reduction in the aboveground biomass of the NER biotype. The same biotype was 3- and 7-fold resistant to glyphosate (EPSPS inhibitor) and atrazine (PSII inhibitor), respectively. Glufosinate, 2,4-D choline plus glyphosate, and dicamba were the only soybean POST herbicides that controlled NER effectively (≥92% aboveground biomass reduction). Amaranthus tuberculatus is the first confirmed weed species in Nebraska to evolve resistance to four distinct herbicide sites of action, leaving no POST herbicide choice for effective control in glyphosate-resistant and conventional (non-transgenic) soybean.

Host-specific interactions can maintain genetic and phenotypic diversity in parasites that attack multiple host species. Host diversity, in turn, may promote parasite diversity by selection for genetic divergence or plastic responses to host type. The parasitic weed purple witchweed [Striga hermonthica (Delile) Benth.] causes devastating crop losses in sub-Saharan Africa and is capable of infesting a wide range of grass hosts. Despite some evidence for host adaptation and host-by-Striga genotype interactions, little is known about intraspecific Striga genomic diversity. Here we present a study of transcriptomic diversity in populations of S. hermonthica growing on different hosts (maize [Zea mays L.] vs. grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]). We examined gene expression variation and differences in allelic frequency in expressed genes of aboveground tissues from populations in western Nigeria parasitizing each host. Despite low levels of host-based genome-wide differentiation, we identified a set of parasite transcripts specifically associated with each host. Parasite genes in several different functional categories implicated as important in host–parasite interactions differed in expression level and allele on different hosts, including genes involved in nutrient transport, defense and pathogenesis, and plant hormone response. Overall, we provide a set of candidate transcripts that demonstrate host-specific interactions in vegetative tissues of the emerged parasite S. hermonthica. Our study shows how signals of host-specific processes can be detected aboveground, expanding the focus of host–parasite interactions beyond the haustorial connection.

Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) control in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) can be difficult with existing selective herbicides. High phenotypic diversity within populations coupled with suboptimal herbicide application conditions leads to varying degrees of control with herbicide treatments. The following research focused on the consequence of low temperature on imazamox fate in S. cereale. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the number of warm-temperature days required for imazamox to control S. cereale. Absorption, translocation, and metabolism of imazamox was evaluated under warm (22/18C) and cold (4/4C) temperatures to identify changes to the fate of imazamox under different environmental conditions. In greenhouse conditions, more than 5 d of warm temperature following herbicide application was required to achieve 80% S. cereale mortality. Absorption of imazamox was reduced 20% when S. cereale was subjected to cold compared with warm temperatures. Only 10% of applied imazamox was moved from the treated leaf in continuous cool temperatures compared with greater than 60% in warm conditions. In cold conditions, imazamox content increased in all tested plant parts evaluated for the duration of the study, whereas in warm conditions, imazamox concentrations decreased in root and crown tissues after 3 d. Imazamox behavior was affected more by temperature than S. cereale growth stage. Secale cereale metabolism of imazamox was reduced, but not stopped in cold temperatures. After 6 d, only a 10% difference in intact imazamox remained between temperature treatments. In cold temperatures, reduced absorption and translocation, coupled with continued metabolism, allow plants to recover from an otherwise lethal imazamox treatment.

Herbicide resistance within key driver weeds, such as common waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer var. rudis (Sauer) Costea and Tardif ], constrains available management options for crop production. Routine surveillance for herbicide resistance provides a mechanism to monitor the development and spread of resistant populations over time. Furthermore, the identification and quantification of resistance mechanisms at the population level can provide information that helps growers develop effective management plans. Populations of Amaranthus spp., including A. tuberculatus, redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson), were collected from 51 fields in Ohio during the 2016 growing season. Twenty-four A. tuberculatus populations were screened for resistance to the herbicides lactofen, atrazine, and glyphosate. Phenotypically resistant plants were further investigated to determine the frequency of known resistance mechanisms. Resistance to lactofen was infrequently observed throughout the populations, with 8 of 22 populations exhibiting resistant plants. Within those eight resistant populations, the ΔG210 resistance mechanism was observed in 17 of 30 phenotypically resistant plants, and the remainder lacked all known resistance mechanisms. Resistance to atrazine was observed in 12 of 15 populations; however, a target-site resistance mechanism was not observed in these populations. Resistance to glyphosate was observed in all populations. Gene amplification was the predominant glyphosate-resistance mechanism (147 of 322 plants) in the evaluated populations. The Pro-106-Ser mutation was identified in 24 plants, half of which also possessed gene amplification. In this study, molecular screening generally underestimated the phenotypically observed resistance. Continued mechanism discovery and marker development is required for improved detection of herbicide resistance through molecular assays.

Weeds have acquired evolutionary adaptations to the diverse crop and weed management strategies used in cropping systems. Therefore, changes in crop production practices such as conventional to organic systems, tillage-based to no-till systems, and diversity in crop rotations can result in differences in weed community composition that have management implications. A study was carried out to understand the weed community dynamics in a long-term alternative cropping systems study at Scott, SK, Canada. Long-term (18-yr) weed community composition data in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in ORG (organic), RED (reduced-input, no-till), and HIGH (high-input, conventional tillage) systems with three levels of crop rotation diversity, LOW (low diversity), DAG (diversified annual grains), and DAP (diversified annuals and perennials), were used to study the effect of different cropping systems and the effect of environment (random temporal effects) on residual weed community composition using the principal response curve (PRC) technique. The interaction between cropping systems and year-to-year random environmental changes was found to be the predominant factor causing fluctuations in weed community composition. Furthermore, the single most predominant factor influencing the weed composition was year-to-year random changes. Organic systems clearly differed from the two conventional systems in most years and had more diverse weed communities compared with the two conventional systems. The two conventional systems exhibited similar weed composition in most years. In this study, the use of the PRC method allowed capture of the real temporal dynamics reflected in the cropping systems by time interaction. This study further concludes that moving from a tillage-based, high-input conventional system to a no-till, reduced-input system did not cause significant changes in the weed community composition throughout the time period, but diversity in organic systems was high, probably due to increased occurrence of some difficult to control species.

Waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer] and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) are troublesome weeds of row-crop production in the United States. Their dioecious reproductive systems ensure outcrossing, facilitating rapid evolution and distribution of resistances to multiple herbicides. Little is known, however, about the genetic basis of dioecy in Amaranthus species. In this work, we use restriction site–associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) to investigate the genetic basis of sex determination in A. tuberculatus and A. palmeri. For each species, approximately 200 plants of each sex were sampled and used to create RAD-Seq libraries. The resulting libraries were separately bar-coded and then pooled for sequencing with the Illumina platform, yielding millions of 64-bp reads. These reads were analyzed to identify sex-specific and sex-biased sequences. We identified 345 male-specific sequences from the A. palmeri data set and 2,754 male-specific sequences in A. tuberculatus. An unexpected 723 female-specific sequences were identified in a subset of the A. tuberculatus females; subsequent research, however, indicated female specificity of these markers was limited to the population from which they were identified. Primer sets designed to specifically amplify male-specific sequences were tested for accuracy on multiple, geographically distinct populations of A. tuberculatus and A. palmeri, as well as other Amaranthus species. Two primer sets for A. palmeri and four primer sets for A. tuberculatus were each able to distinguish between male and female plants with at least 95% accuracy. In the near term, sex-specific markers will be useful to the A. tuberculatus and A. palmeri research communities (e.g., to predict sex for crossing experiments). In the long-term, this research will provide the foundational tools for detailed investigations into the molecular biology and evolution of dioecy in weedy Amaranthus species.

The first case of evolved protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibitor resistance was observed in 2001 in common waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer var. rudis (Sauer) Costea and Tardif]. This resistance in A. tuberculatus is most commonly conferred by deletion of the amino acid glycine at the 210th position (ΔGly-210) of the PPO enzyme (PPO2) encoded by PPX2. In a field in Kentucky in 2015, inadequate control of Amaranthus plants was observed following application of a PPO inhibitor. Morphological observations indicated that survivors included both A. tuberculatus and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson). Research was conducted to confirm species identities and resistance and then to determine whether resistance evolved independently in the two species or via hybridization. Results from a quantitative PCR assay based on the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer confirmed that both A. tuberculatus and A. palmeri coexisted in the field. The mutation conferring ΔGly-210 in PPO2 was identified in both species; phylogenetic analysis of a region of PPX2, however, indicated that the mutation evolved independently in the two species. Genotyping of greenhouse-grown plants that survived lactofen indicated that all A. tuberculatus survivors, but only a third of A. palmeri survivors, contained the ΔGly-210 mutation. Consequently, A. palmeri plants were evaluated for the presence of an arginine to glycine or methionine substitution at position 128 of PPO2 (Arg-128-Gly and Arg-128-Met). The Arg-128-Gly substitution was found to account for resistance that was not accounted for by the ΔGly-210 mutation in plants from the A. palmeri population. Results from this study provide a modern-day example of both parallel and convergent evolution occurring within a single field.

Field studies were conducted in 2016 and 2017 at Clinton, NC, to quantify the effects of season-long interference of large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.] and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) on ‘AG6536’ soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Weed density treatments consisted of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 plants m−2 for A. palmeri and 0, 1, 2, 4, and 16 plants m−2 for D. sanguinalis with (interspecific interference) and without (intraspecific interference) soybean to determine the impacts on weed biomass, soybean biomass, and seed yield. Biomass per square meter increased with increasing weed density for both weed species with and without soybean present. Biomass per square meter of D. sanguinalis was 617% and 37% greater when grown without soybean than with soybean, for 1 and 16 plants m−2 respectively. Biomass per square meter of A. palmeri was 272% and 115% greater when grown without soybean than with soybean for 1 and 8 plants m−2, respectively. Biomass per plant for D. sanguinalis and A. palmeri grown without soybean was greatest at the 1 plant m−2 density. Biomass per plant of D. sanguinalis plants across measured densities was 33% to 83% greater when grown without soybean compared with biomass per plant when soybean was present for 1 and 16 plants m−2, respectively. Similarly, biomass per plant for A. palmeri was 56% to 74% greater when grown without soybean for 1 and 8 plants m−2, respectively. Biomass per plant of either weed species was not affected by weed density when grown with soybean due to interspecific competition with soybean. Yield loss for soybean grown with A. palmeri ranged from 14% to 37% for densities of 1 to 8 plants m−2, respectively, with a maximum yield loss estimate of 49%. Similarly, predicted loss for soybean grown with D. sanguinalis was 0 % to 37% for densities of 1 to 16 m−2 with a maximum yield loss estimate of 50%. Soybean biomass was not affected by weed species or density. Results from these studies indicate that A. palmeri is more competitive than D. sanguinalis at lower densities, but that similar yield loss can occur when densities greater than 4 plants m−2 of either weed are present.

Poverty brome (Bromus sterilis L.) [sterile or barren brome, syn. Anisantha sterilis (L.) Nevski] is a problematic UK arable weed. There are currently no confirmed cases of glyphosate resistance in any weed species in the United Kingdom or in B. sterilis worldwide. However, there are reports of poor control by glyphosate in this species. Here, we report experiments to confirm the suspected on-farm resistance of B. sterilis populations to glyphosate. Glyphosate screening and dose–response experiments established that glyphosate sensitivity of three UK B. sterilis populations exhibiting poor field control is outside the normal range of sensitivity of 30 sensitive populations and adjacent unexposed populations. Control of sensitive populations ranged from 49% to 82% and for suspected resistant populations from 21% to 30%. Dose–response ED50 values of sensitive populations ranged between 241 and 313 g ai ha−1; corresponding values of suspected resistant populations ranged between 420 and 810 g ha−1, and resistance indices ranged from 1.55 to 4.5. Suspected resistant populations were incompletely controlled at the recommended field rate of glyphosate (540 g ha−1), while adjacent unexposed populations were completely controlled. We conclude that some UK populations of B. sterilis have reduced glyphosate sensitivity and are in the process of evolving resistance. This is the first reported case of reduced glyphosate sensitivity in any UK weed species and in B. sterilis worldwide. This, coupled with increasing glyphosate use, highlights the need for increased vigilance and monitoring for glyphosate resistance in the United Kingdom.

Weedy rice (Oryza spp.) is one of the most competitive weeds in rice (Oryza sativa L.) production. Rapid growth, high tillering, enhanced ability to uptake fertilizers, asynchronous maturation, seed shattering, and high seedbank longevity make Oryza spp. more competitive than cultivated rice and highly persistent. Oryza spp. may be a source of useful traits for crop improvement such as herbicide tolerance. Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate the response of 54 Oryza spp. accessions collected between 2008 and 2009 from Arkansas to glyphosate, glufosinate, and flumioxazin applied at field rates. Rice cultivars ‘CL163’ and ‘REX’ were included for comparison. Accessions B20, B2, and S11 and B49, B51, and S59 showed reduced sensitivity to glyphosate and flumioxazin, respectively. These accessions had less than 40% injury 5 wk after treatment (WAT). Rice cultivars (CL163 and REX) were sensitive to both glyphosate and flumioxazin, with more than 95% plant mortality at 5 WAT. On average, blackhull accessions were more tolerant to glyphosate and flumioxazin than strawhull accessions. Dose–response analysis of B20, B2, and S11 confirmed 3- to 8-fold higher tolerance of these accessions to glyphosate. All Oryza spp. and cultivated rice were not affected by glufosinate applied at 874 g ai ha−1 (1X) and were controlled 100% by 1,311 g ai ha−1 (1.5X). Oryza spp. lines with reduced sensitivity to glyphosate and flumioxazin will be studied further for use in rice crop improvement.

Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted from 2013 to 2015 at the University of Wyoming to evaluate the response of Beta vulgaris (L.) to reflected-light quality. Large-pail field studies included a factorial arrangement of three varieties of B. vulgaris (sugar beet, table beet, and Swiss chard) and reflected-light treatments (using either colored plastic mulch, grass, or bare-soil controls). Greenhouse studies included sugar beet as influenced by either grass or soil surroundings. In all studies, grass was grown in separate containers from B. vulgaris, so there was no root interaction. Grass was clipped regularly to prevent shading and competition for sunlight. Reflected light from different-colored plastic mulches (red, blue, green, black, clear) did not affect B. vulgaris growth. However, reflected light from the grass reduced the number of leaves in all B. vulgaris varieties such that there were 10 to 14 fewer leaves in B. vulgaris surrounded by grass compared with the soil treatment at 90 d after planting in the field study. Shade avoidance cues from surrounding grass reduced B. vulgaris total leaf area by 49% to 66%, leaf biomass by 21% to 30%, and root biomass by 70% to 72%. Similar results were observed in greenhouse experiments, where the grass treatment reduced sugar beet leaf biomass by 48% to 57% and root biomass by 35% to 64%. Shade avoidance cues have the potential to significantly reduce B. vulgaris yield, even in the absence of direct resource competition from weeds.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.] was recently identified in Brazil, but its resistance mechanism was unknown. This study elucidated the resistance mechanism in this species and developed a molecular marker for rapid detection of this target-site resistance trait. The resistance factor for the resistant biotype was 4.4-fold compared with the glyphosate-susceptible (GS) in greenhouse dose–response experiments. This was accompanied by a similar (4-fold) difference in the levels of in vitro and in planta shikimate accumulation in these biotypes. However, there was no difference in uptake, translocation, or metabolism of glyphosate between the GS and GR biotypes. Moreover, both biotypes showed similar values for 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) copy number and transcription. Sequencing of a 330-bp fragment of the EPSPS gene identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism that led to a Pro-106-Ser amino acid substitution in the enzyme from the GR biotype. This mutation imparted a 3.8-fold increase in the amount of glyphosate required to inhibit 50% of EPSPS activity, confirming the role of this amino acid substitution in resistance to glyphosate. A quantitative PCR–based genotyping assay was developed for the rapid detection of resistant plants containing this Pro-106-Ser mutation.

The loss of herbicide options due to resistance and lack of new chemistries have delivered the realization that herbicides are a finite resource and weed control alternatives are desperately needed. In Australian conservation cropping, the only available alternatives suited to routine use are the recently introduced harvest weed seed control (HWSC) and the ever-present but undervalued crop competition. Target-neighbor design pot studies examined wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) competition effects on biomass and seed production of rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin), wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.), ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus Roth), and wild oat (Avena fatua L.). The influence of wheat competition on crop canopy distribution of weed biomass and seed production was also examined. At the current commercially targeted wheat density (120 plants m−2) weed biomass was reduced by 69%, 73%, 72%, and 49% and seed production by 78%, 78%, 77%, and 50% for L. rigidum, R. raphanistrum, B. diandrus, and A. fatua, respectively, when compared with no competition. These results highlighted the importance of uniform wheat crop establishment in minimizing the ongoing impact of weeds. Enhanced what competition (from 120 to 400 plants m−2) resulted in further smaller, but substantial, reductions in biomass (19%, 13%, 20%, and 39%) and seed production (12%, 13%, 17%, and 45%) for L. rigidum, R. raphanistrum, B. diandrus, and A. fatua, respectively. This enhanced competition also increased weed seed retention in the upper crop canopy (>40 cm) by 35% and 31% for L. rigidum and B. diandrus, respectively, but not for A. fatua and R. raphanistrum, for which weed seed retention was already >80% at the wheat density of 120 plants m−2. Enhanced wheat crop competition, then, has the dual effect of restricting the growth and development of L. rigidum, R. raphanistrum, B. diandrus, and A. fatua as well increasing the susceptibility of these weed species to HWSC.

Timely results from whole-plant, herbicide-resistant weed screenings are crucial to heighten grower awareness. However, the high degree of physiological dormancy of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.) seed exacerbates this process. The most effective methods for alleviating dormancy, to date, are either labor-intensive (embryo excision) or require several weeks (soil stratification). This research describes a conditioning process involving clipping and aeration of seed in water that is highly effective at alleviating dormancy and requires less skill and time compared with previous techniques. Ambrosia trifida seeds were collected over 2 yr at two different collection timings (September 25, “early”; October 25, “late”), subjected to various treatments intended to release dormancy, and evaluated for emergence over 18 d in the greenhouse. The use of germination-promoting chemicals (ethephon, gibberellic acid, and thiourea) generally provided no increase in emergence compared with water and occasionally produced seedlings with abnormal growth unsuitable for further experimentation. Conditioning yielded between 30% and 33% emergence for both early and late collections of seeds with no afterripening period compared with 0% emergence for seeds imbibed in water. Following an 8-wk period of dry storage at 4 C, conditioning yielded nearly 80% emergence for both collection timings, while emergence of seeds imbibed in water was 10% and 27% for early and late collections, respectively. Soil stratification in moist soil for 8 wk at 4 C was the second most effective treatment, yielding 46% to 49% emergence across both collections. Parameters of the Weibull function further indicated the conditioning treatment had the fastest rate of emergence and shortest lag phase between planting and first emergence. Methods to germinate A. trifida without an afterripening period have previously been unsuccessful. Therefore, the seed-conditioning method outlined in this work will be useful in expediting the confirmation of herbicide-resistant A. trifida incidences.