Study of soil algae

Summary Algal techniques were used to study the soil factors affecting the toxicity of herbicides. It was found that the organic matter adsorbed 18 times more herbicide than clay. The inherent phytotoxicity of different herbicides was tested by these methods and the results obtained compared favourably to those of higher plants. The order of toxicity as tested by algae was: diuron >neburon>monuron>atrazine>simazine>atratone. The prediction of application rates of diuron and simazine by algal methods was tested in the field with wheat as cereal crop. The data obtained testified that the predictions were correct and better than the commercial recommendation. Good chemical control of weeds was achieved by herbicide at the early stage of crop growth. At later stages of crop development the toxicity of the chemical was reduced to insignificance and the crop plants were then capable to compete successfully against the emerging weeds. Thus a biological weed control was obtained. Such combined chemical-biological weed control technique should be regarded as the most desirable practice in agriculture.     

The effects of herbicides, applied atone and in sequence, on the control of wild-oats (Avena fatua) and broad-leaved weeds, and on yield of winter wheat

Experiments were done to examine the effects of controlling wild-oats and autumn-germinating broad-leaved weeds in winter wheat, early in winter or late in spring. The herbicides used were barban (winter), chlortoluron or isoproturon (winter), and benzoylprop-ethyl, at the recommended doses and at half doses. Sequential treatments of two herbicides at half doses were also examined. All treatments were given a routine broad-leaved herbicide treatment in spring. Yields of wheat were influenced more by the time of weed removal than by the degree of control achieved. Grain yields at three sites with dense autumn broad-leaved weed populations were greatest following the use of chlortoluron or isoproturon. At three other sites with moderate to dense wild-oat populations (60 to 240 plants/m¹), the use of barban at the crop three-leaf stage gave larger yields than benzoylprop-ethyl in late spring at the early stem elongation stage of the crop. Seed formation from surviving A. fatua was similar with both wild-oat herbicides. The treatment which reduced seed production of A. fatua and maintained crop yield most consistently was barban followed by benzoylprop-ethyl, each at half the normal recommended dose.     

Outdoor evaluation of herbicide resistant strains of Anabaena variabilis as biofertilizer for rice plants

Application of diazotrophic cyanobacteria, Anabaena variabilis, as biofertilizer for rice cultivation has a beneficial effect on crop productivity and maintenance of soil fertility. However, periodic applications of herbicides used to obtain high crop productivity are not only detrimental to weeds but to biofertilizer strains of cyanobacteria also. Therefore, research was undertaken to isolate four herbicide resistant strains (Arozin-R, Alachlor-R, Butachlor-R and 2,4-D-R) and a multiple herbicide resistant strain (MHR) of natural isolates of A. variabilis exhibiting resistance against these common rice field herbicides. The outdoor survivability of mutant strains and the productivity of rice crop (IR-36) were evaluated by inoculating the wild type and herbicide resistant mutant strains of A. variabilis in the presence and absence of recommended field dosages of test herbicides. No difference in survival and biofertilizer potentials of the herbicide resistant strains was observed in herbicide treated or in untreated conditions. Highest survivability (87%) was exhibited by MHR relative to other mutants. Highest growth and grain yield (76%) were recorded in plants treated with MHR as compared to uninoculated control rice plants. In conclusion, the mutant strains of A. variabilis had stable resistance to herbicides under outdoor conditions in flooded soils. Not only did the herbicide resistance strains increase growth of rice relative to the uninoculated pots, they were more beneficial for rice growth than the wild type strain. Responsible Editor: Richard W. Bell.     

The identification of growth stages in winter wheat with reference to the application of growth-regulator herbicides

The development of several varieties of winter wheat {Triticum aestivum) in early spring was studied in order to relate the progress of apical differentiation to easily measured external characters and so provide a guide to the correct timing of herbicide applications. Leaf sheath lengths were more closely related to apical development than were tiller or leaf numbers. Spikelet differentiation occurred when the longest sheaths were c. 5 cm tall. Application of a growth regulator herbicide before this stage of development caused ear deformities in the crop at harvest. A measure of leaf sheath length might, therefore, replace the ambiguous criteria presently used to judge the stages of winter wheat most tolerant of herbicides.     

Commercially formulated glyphosate can kill non‐target pollinator bees under laboratory conditions

The use of glyphosate‐based herbicides in agroecosystems has increased over the past few years because of the advent of genetically modified glyphosate‐resistant crops and resistant weeds. This is alarming because of potential damaging effects on non‐target organisms. In sub‐Saharan Africa, for example Ghana, many rural farmers have not received training in the use of glyphosate‐based herbicides, thus tend to apply higher than recommended concentrations on farms. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of glyphosate‐based herbicides on beneficial insects under laboratory conditions, using Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apini) and Hypotrigona ruspolii (Magretti) (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini) as models. The bees were put in contact for 24 h with the recommended concentration of Sunphosate 360 SL, a glyphosate‐based herbicide, 2× the recommended concentration, or distilled water as control. The effect of the herbicide on the bees was compared to the effect of a lambda‐cyhalothrin insecticide. Generally, more bees died after contact with plants freshly sprayed with the herbicide than on herbicide‐treated filter paper. In both cases, more bees died after contact with the higher concentration of the herbicide. These findings suggest that beneficial insects, specifically A. mellifera and H. ruspolii, may get killed if they are sprayed upon or come into contact with plants that have been freshly sprayed with (more than) the recommended concentration of glyphosate‐based herbicides. Therefore, it is important to restrict access and use of such herbicides to trained personnel who will comply with spraying guidelines, that is, recommended concentrations and timing of spray. Spraying at a time when insects are flying about may be detrimental to beneficial insects such as pollinator bees, parasitoids, and predators.     

Effect of certain herbicide treatments on pasture composition and inoculum of the take-all fungus

The improvement of pastures by the use of a range of herbicides to eliminate grasses, and their effect on populations of the take-all fungus (Gaeumannomyces graminis vartritici=Ggt) were studied in the field (at Esperance Downs, on the south-coast of Western Australia) from 1982 to 1985. Field trials were conducted to evaluate three herbicide treatments (2,4-D amine+propyzamide; 2,4-D amine+paraquat; paraquat/ diquat) and an unsprayed control. A pot trial involving these treatments with two levels of nitrogen was undertaken to confirm treatment effects observed in the field trial. All herbicide treatments resulted in reduced grass composition of pastures, in both the year of spraying and in the second year of pasture, but reduced dry matter production in the year of spraying. In the year of spraying, however, inoculum ofGgt was reduced (P<0.1) only following the 2,4-D amine+propyzamide treatment and was greater (P<0.1) after 2,4-D amine+paraquat treatment than the unsprayed treatment. Despite reduced grass levels in the herbicide-treated plots in the second year of pasture,Ggt inoculum did not differ between treatments, nor did it after a wheat crop which followed a second year pasture. There was high correlation (P<0.001) between disease levels and dry weights of grasses in the pot trial. There was significantly less (P<0.001) grass in pots treated with herbicides compared to the unsprayed control but no difference (P>0.05) was evident between treatments. Inoculum levels were lower (P<0.05) in the treated pots than the unsprayed control with no evidence of differences among treatments (P>0.05). Nitrogen level had no effect on disease (P>0.05). All herbicide treatments tested reduced grass level and total dry matter, both in the field and in pots. Whereas in the pot trial reduced grass levels resulted in reducedGgt inoculum, in the field such a reduction occurred only with the 2,4-D amine+propyzamide treatment and only in the year of spraying. Herbicide treatments had no effect onGgt inoculum in second year of pasture or crop. Unknown soil and environmental factors in the field precluded a simple relationship between grass level in pasture and subsequent level ofGgt inoculum, and where such a relationship did occur (2,4-D amine+propyzamide treatment) it appeared to be shortlived.     

In Vitro Sensitivity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizobium</Emphasis> and Phosphate Solubilising Bacteria to Herbicides

Nitrogen fixing bacteria, rhizobia and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are the commonly applied microbial inoculants in grain legumes (Pulses). It is important to apply herbicides to control weeds in order to augment yield of the crop. The herbicides may however, be incompatible with the microbial inoculants. This study compared the effect of the recommended pre-plant incorporated herbicide, fluchloralin (20.25 × 10⁴ ppm) and pre-emergence herbicide, pendimethalin in two doses (9 × 10⁴ and 15 × 10⁴ ppm) on the growth and survival of mungbean Rhizobium and PSB, under laboratory conditions. These herbicides were also used under field conditions in conjunction with biofertilizers (R, PSB) to improve grain yield of mungbean. It was found that fluchloralin (20.25 × 10⁴ ppm) and the lower dose of pendimethalin (9 × 10⁴ ppm) had no adverse effect on growth of Rhizobium and PSB. The higher dose of pendimethalin (15 × 10⁴ ppm) was safe on PSB but it imposed a retarding effect on the growth of Rhizobium.     

Toxicological Effects of Selective Herbicides on Plant Growth Promoting Activities of Phosphate Solubilizing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Klebsiella</Emphasis> sp<Emphasis Type="Italic">.</Emphasis> Strain PS19

This study examines the effect of four herbicides, quizalafop-p-ethyl, clodinafop, metribuzin and glyphosate, on plant growth promoting activities like phosphate solubilization, siderophores, indole acetic acid, exo-polysaccharides, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia production by herbicide tolerant Klebsiella sp. strain PS19. The strain was isolated from mustard rhizosphere. The selected herbicides were applied two to three times at the recommended rates. Klebsiella sp. strain PS19 tolerated a concentration of 1600 μg/ml each of quizalafop-p-ethyl and clodinafop, and 3200 and 2800 μg/ml of metribuzin and glyphosate, respectively. The activities of Klebsiella sp. strain PS19 observed under in vitro environment were persistent in the presence of all herbicides at lower rates. The plant growth promoting activities even-though decreased regularly, but was not lost completely, as the concentration of each herbicide was increased from the recommended to three times of higher doses. Among all herbicides, quizalafop-p-ethyl, generally, showed maximum toxicity to plant growth promoting activities of Klebsiella sp. strain PS19. As an example, 40, 80 and 120 μg/l of quizalafop-p-ethyl added to liquid culture Pikovskaya medium, decreased phosphate solubilizing activity of strain PS19 by 93, 95 and 97%, respectively over untreated control. The study revealed that the higher rates of herbicides though decreased the plant growth promoting activity but it did not completely inhibit the metabolic activities of strain PS19. The herbicide tolerance together with growth promoting activities observed under herbicide stress suggests that Klebsiella sp. strain PS19 could be used as bacterial preparation for facilitating the growth and yields of crops even in soils polluted with herbicides.     

Fluctuation in amino acids content in Triticum aestivum L. cultivars as an indicator on the impact of post-emergence herbicides in controlling weeds

This study was carried out in a demonstrated field in El-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during the winter of season 2020 to evaluate the leverage of four post-emergence herbicides i.e., tribenuron-methyl, clodinafop- propargyl, pyroxsulam and pinoxaden compared to control on total protein and amino acid contents in three wheat cultivars (Shandwel 1, Giza 171, and Sakha 95). Generally, the use of foliar herbicides led to a significant decrease in essential, non-essential amino acids and protein contents. However, tribenuran-methyl herbicide signifcantly increased the levels of proline, glycine, arginine, and histidine, but cystine and threonine not affected as compared to control. On the other hand, foliar herbicide application was significantly increased physiological , biochemical parameters and yield of Shandweel cultivar as compared to the other varieties. The physiological and biochemical models of dual-herbicide-tolerant wheat cultivars add to our understanding of the crop. In recent agricultural systems, herbicide tolerant plants are important for long-term weed management. Therefore, the study recommended the safely usage of Tribenuran-methyl as foliar herbicide in weed managment.     

Crassula helmsii: attempts at elimination using herbicides

The high resistance to control by herbicides of stands of the aggressively-invasive water plant Crassula helmsii (Australian swamp stone crop or New Zealand Pygmy Weed, also sold as Tillaea recurva) was shown during a series of tank and field trials aimed at:firstly, selecting the most appropriate UK-approved herbicide showed that diquat, either directly or in alginate form was effective on submerged plants particularly at low biomass, whereas for emergent stands, although glyphosate was initially selected as effective, diquat was subsequently recommended;secondly, the efficacy of the herbicides selected under a range of conditions of biomass, season of application and, particularly, field conditions showed that whilst low biomasses could be controlled and the plant could probably be eliminated, elevated or multiple applications would be necessary at the very high biomasses (up to 45 kg fresh weight per m²) achieved by this plant, unless the bulk of the biomass could be physically reduced prior to herbicide application; further trials were considered necessary to meet legal current constraints.     

Chlorsulfuron resistant transgenic tobacco as a tool for broomrape control

Broomrape (Orobanche ramosa L.) is the most important parasitic plant that infests tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Chemical treatment of the soil is not effective and crop rotation is not acceptable to solve this problem because of the long viability period of Orobanche seeds in the soil. Application of systemic herbicides in the field with herbicide resistant tobacco could be a successful tool for broomrape control. Several tobacco cultivars were transformed with a mutant ahas3R gene for resistance to the herbicide chlorsulfuron (Glean^®, DuPont). Transformed plants were selfed and the segregation of resistance was followed in the next generation. The efficiency of the herbicide was demonstrated in greenhouse and field trials. An Orobanche/tobacco growth system was used in order to prove the lethal effect of the herbicide to the attached broomrape plants.     

Gut microbial community response to herbicide exposure in a ground beetle

Gut microbiota plays a key role in physiological processes of insects, including nutritional metabolism, development, immunity and detoxification. Environmental stressors such as herbicides, used to optimize and improve crop yields, may interfere with the mutualistic relationships causing negative consequences for the host health. Dinitroaniline herbicides, for example pendimethalin, are used worldwide in pre-emergence application to control grass and some broadleaf weeds. They target microtubules to arrest cell division and inhibit the development of roots and shoots. Effects of a pendimethalin-based herbicide were assessed on the gut microbial community of Pterostichus melas italicus Dejean, 1828 (Coleoptera, Carabidae). The exposure effect was tested in vivo by using a recommended field rate (4 L per ha, 330 gL⁻¹ of active ingredient) and evaluating the variability of responses in 21 days, corresponding to the half-life of pendimethalin. The 16S rRNA sequencing data showed that the gut lumen was dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Tenericutes and Bacteroidetes. The exposure interfered with the bacterial community richness and diversity associated with the gut from 2 days after the treatment. The differential abundance analyses highlighted a shift involving Lactobacillaceae, Streptomycetaceae, Neisseriaceae, Ruminococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae. An increase in species such as Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp., Pantoea sp and Paracoccus sp. involved in the herbicide degradation was also recorded after 21 days of exposure. Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) analysis indicated that the exposure has effects on the most predicted functional categories of gut microbiota related to metabolic function including carbohydrate, amino acid and lipid metabolism. These results demonstrate that pendimethalin can impact microbial communities associated with generalist predators inhabiting croplands leading to severe implications for the species’ ecological role. Understanding the effects of herbicides such as pendimethalin on ground beetles may help to protect beneficial soil insects that have a crucial role in the ecosystem services.     

Cytochrome P450 CYP81A10v7 in Lolium rigidum confers metabolic resistance to herbicides across at least five modes of action

Rapid and widespread evolution of multiple herbicide resistance in global weed species endowed by increased capacity to metabolize (degrade) herbicides (metabolic resistance) is a great threat to herbicide sustainability and global food production. Metabolic resistance in the economically damaging crop weed species Lolium rigidum is well known but a molecular understanding has been lacking. We purified a metabolic resistant (R) subset from a field evolved R L. rigidum population. The R, the herbicide susceptible (S) and derived F₂ populations were used for candidate herbicide resistance gene discovery by RNA sequencing. A P450 gene CYP81A10v7 was identified with higher expression in R vs. S plants. Transgenic rice overexpressing this Lolium CYP81A10v7 gene became highly resistant to acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase- and acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides (diclofop-methyl, tralkoxydim, chlorsulfuron) and moderately resistant to hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase-inhibiting herbicide (mesotrione), photosystem II-inhibiting herbicides (atrazine and chlorotoluron) and the tubulin-inhibiting herbicide trifluralin. This wide cross-resistance profile to many dissimilar herbicides in CYP81A10v7 transgenic rice generally reflects what is evident in the R L. rigidum. This report clearly showed that a single P450 gene in a cross-pollinated weed species L. rigidum confers resistance to herbicides of at least five modes of action across seven herbicide chemistries.     

Soil activity and persistence of sulcotrione and mesotrione

Greenhouse bioassays were set up using a small pot test method to determine the intrinsic sensitivity of different plant species to sulcotrione and mesotrione applied in a sandy loam soil. Herbicides were applied over an appropriate concentration range. After a 2-3 week test period, foliage fresh weight was determined. Data were subjected to a non-lineair regression analysis. Using the regression equations, ED50-values (herbicide concentrations that cause 50 percent foliage fresh weight reduction) were calculated for each combination of crop species and herbicide. To determine which replacement crops might be grown in case of failure of a crop treated with one of these herbicides, field persistence experiments were conducted over the 1993-2003 period for sulcotrione and the 1998-2003 period for mesotrione at the Experimental Farm, Biocentre Agri-Vet, Ghent University at Melle. Herbicides were applied in spring (about mid-March) on a bare soil; untreated control strips were included. Replacement crops were sown or planted approximately five weeks after herbicide applications. Visual estimations of crop injury were recorded at several intervals from sowing and fresh matter yield of plant parts was determined. Based on these data, crops were ranked according to their degree of sensitivity to either sulcotrione or mesotrione. Maize is very tolerant to both herbicides, although in some years, temporary injury could be seen in the field experiments. Italian rye-grass and fibre flax are tolerant crops; in field experiments a slight, temporary injury could be noticed in some years. Winter wheat displayed a high degree of tolerance to mesotrione (in both experiment types): however this crop was less tolerant to sulcotrione especially in the bioassay experiment. Based on its ED50-value, black salsify is tolerant to sulcotrione but under field conditions, the selectivity of this herbicide is quite variable; tolerance to mesotrione is moderate. Turnip and witloof chicory are clearly sensitive to mesotrione and sulcotrione whereas sugar beet, red clover and lettuce are extremely sensitive to both herbicides in both experiment types. Bioassays and field experiments provide a detailed and complete information about soil activity and persistence of both herbicides.     

Bioherbicidal potential of a strain of Xanthomonas spp. for control of common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)

Several isolates of a previously unreported bacterial pathogen were discovered on common cocklebur seedlings in Chicot County, AR and Washington County, MS. Diseased plants in nature exhibited angular-shaped leaf spotting symptoms on leaf margins and central leaf areas. The isolates were cultured from diseased leaf tissue and tentatively identified as Xanthomonas spp., and their virulence on common cocklebur seedlings compared. The most virulent isolate (LVA987) was used in studies to define disease progression on cocklebur seedlings and to carry out a host range evaluation on various weeds and crop plants. High virulence was found on common cocklebur > marestail (Conyza canadensis) > giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) ≥ and common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisifolia). These results suggest this pathogen may be useful for the biological control of these important species of weeds. This is also highly relevant since all of these weeds have evolved resistance to one or more synthetic herbicides and are thus becoming more difficult to control with conventional herbicides.     

Deleterious effect of herbicides on waterhyacinth biocontrol agents Neochetina bruchi and Alternaria alternata

The integration of biological and herbicidal methods is advocated to manage waterhyacinth, but this can only be achieved when herbicides are nontoxic to the biocontrol agent. Therefore, laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the toxic effect of herbicides on the insect biocontrol agent, the waterhyacinth weevil, Neochetina bruchi Hustache, and phytopathogen, Alternaria alternata, with two commonly used herbicides, glyphosate and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid at three recommended doses. The herbicides were sprayed on the waterhyacinth weevils and added to the nutrient media of A. alternata. 2,4-D caused higher weevil mortality (6.7, 13.3 and 15.6%) as compared to glyphosate (3.3, 5.6 and 11.1%), at three doses over 72 h. There was also a decrease in feeding in the herbicide treated leaves. When the weevils were allowed to move freely between the herbicide treated and untreated plants, higher orientation of the weevils was found on the untreated waterhyacinth than on the treated ones. Neither of the two herbicides actually killed the fungus but both inhibited its growth. Glyphosate though, delayed mycelial growth yet stimulated sporulation while 2,4-D inhibited both growth and sporulation. Glyphosate at low concentration did not affect the virulence of A. alternata, while fungi grown on 2,4-D amended plates lost their virulence.     

The expression of a maize glutathione S-transferase gene in transgenic wheat confers herbicide tolerance,both in planta and in vitro

Maize (Zea mays), in common with a number of other important crop species, has several glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoforms that have been implicated in the detoxification of xenobiotics via glutathione conjugation. A cDNA encoding the maize GST subunit GST-27, under the control of a strong constitutive promoter, was introduced into explants of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines cv. Florida and L88-31 via particle bombardment, using the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (pat) gene as a selectable marker. All six independent transgenic wheat lines recovered expressed the GST-27 gene. T₁ progeny of these wheat lines were germinated on solid medium containing the chloroacetanilide herbicide alachlor, and tolerance to this herbicide was correlated with GST-27 expression levels. In glasshouse sprays, homozygous T₂ plants were resistant not only to alachlor but also to the chloroacetanilide herbicide dimethenamid and the thiocarbamate herbicide EPTC. These additional GST-27 activities, demonstrated via over-expression in a heterologous host, have not been described previously. T₂ plants showed no enhanced tolerance to the herbicides atrazine (an s-triazine) or oxyfluorfen (a diphenyl ether). In further experiments, T₂ wheat plants were recovered from immature transgenic scutella cultured on medium containing 100 mg/l alachlor, a concentration which killed null segregant and wild-type scutella. These data indicate the potential of the maize GST-27 gene as a selectable marker in wheat transformation.     

Weed Management in Rice: Wheat Rotation by Allelopathy

Rice is major crop in India and its cultivation in northwest India started 25 to 30 years ago in assured irrigation areas during the summer rainy season. In this region, rice-wheat rotation became most popular owing to its high yields; however, these crops are highly infested by the weeds, thus farmers use herbicides for their control. Hence, this rotation consumes a maximum quantity of herbicides in this region, which has resulted in several problems (environmental pollution, human health hazards, development of herbicide resistance in weeds). Thus, serious ecological questions about the reliance on herbicides for weed control in this rotation have been raised. One of the alternatives to overcome these problems is with the use of allelopathic strategies, including the use of weed-smothering crops for weed management and for the sustainability of agriculture. The field, pot culture, and laboratory studies have shown that inclusion of weed-smothering crops in rotation considerably reduced the weed population in the current and succeeding crops. Early summer (April-June) fodder crops of sorghum, pearlmillet and maize drastically smothered the weed population and biomass. The residual suppression effect of peralmillet also persisted in the next crop up to 45 days. Thus, it is conceptualized that the inclusion of such summer fodder crops before the rice crop in the rice-wheat rotation may provide satisfactory weed control in the succeeding rice crop and may minimize the use of herbicides. Likewise, the replacement of wheat by winter fodder crops of oat and berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) may also help in the control of winter weeds. Hence, further studies in this direction may provide satisfactory weed management in rice-wheat rotation and may minimize the use of herbicides and thereby help indeveloping sustainable agricultural practices.     

Selective real-time herbicide monitoring by an array chip biosensor employing diverse microalgae

A multiple-strain algal biosensor was constructed for the detection of herbicides inhibiting photosynthesis. Nine different microalgal strains were immobilised on an array biochip using permeable membranes. The biosensor allowed on-line measurements of aqueous solutions passing through a flow cell using chlorophyll fluorescence as the biosensor response signal. The herbicides atrazine, simazine, diuron, isoproturon and paraquat were detectable within minutes at minimal LOEC (Lowest Observed Effect Concentration) ranging from 0.5 to 100μgL⁻¹, depending on the herbicide and algal strain. The most sensitive strains in terms of EC₅₀ values were Tetraselmis cordiformis and Scherffelia dubia. Less sensitive species were Chlorella vulgaris, Chlamydomonas sp. and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, but for most of the strains no general sensitivity or resistance was found. The different responses of algal strains to the five herbicides constituted a complex response pattern (RP), which was analysed for herbicide specificity within the linear dose-response relationship. Comparisons of herbicide-specific RP to reference RPs of the five herbicides always showed the lowest deviation of the herbicide-specific RP tested with the reference RP of the same herbicide for the triazine and phenylurea herbicides. We therefore conclude that, in principle, identification of a specific herbicide is possible employing the algal sensor chip.     

Long distance pollen-mediated flow of herbicide resistance genes in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lolium rigidum</Emphasis>

Gene flow promotes genetic exchange among plant populations mediating evolutionary dynamics; yet, the importance of gene flow at distance via pollen movement is poorly understood. A field experiment at the landscape level was conducted with Lolium rigidum herbicide-susceptible individuals (population VLR1) placed into an otherwise Lolium-free bushland environment at increasing distances from adjacent large commercial crop fields infested with herbicide-resistant L. rigidum. Herbicide resistance was used as a marker to quantify the distance and the rate of pollen-mediated gene flow. About 21,245 seeds were produced on the isolated, susceptible mother plants of which 3,303 seedlings were tested for herbicide resistance and 664 seedlings were found to be resistant. Pollen-mediated gene flow occurred at 3,000 m (maximum tested distance). Both Mendelian and molecular analyses (sequencing and CAPS markers) confirmed the introgression of herbicide resistance genes. This is the first documented case of long-distance gene flow in L. rigidum. The results are important for future modeling simulations of herbicide resistance evolution and subsequent mobility. The adoption of integrated agronomic strategies, the control of potential receptor plants on fields’ margins and conservative use of herbicides can be realistic options to minimize herbicide resistance spread. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.