Johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.] is one of the most noxious weeds distributed around the world. Due to its rapid growth, wide dissemination, seeds that can germinate after years in the soil, and ability to spread via rhizomes, S. halepense is difficult to control. From a perspective of plant pathology, S. halepense is also a potential reservoir of pathogens that can eventually jump to other crops, especially corn (Zea mays L.) and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. As one of the most problematic weeds, S. halepense and its diseases can provide useful information concerning its role in diseases of agronomically important crops. An alternative consideration is that S. halepense may provide a source of genes for resistance to pathogens. While some studies have verified that pathogens isolated from S. halepense actually cause disease on host crops through cross inoculation, similarity of disease symptoms and pathogen morphology have been used for identity of the disease agent in most studies. Availability of DNA sequence information has greatly altered and improved pathogen identification, leading to significant changes in phylogenetic assignments. Reclassification of pathogens, especially fungi, raises new questions concerning the role of S. halepense as a disease reservoir. Our goals in this review are to pinpoint, where possible, diseases for which S. halepense acts as a significant pathogen reservoir and to point out problem areas where further research is needed.

Knotweed (Fallopia spp.) is an herbaceous perennial from East Asia that was brought to Europe and North America and, despite control efforts, subsequently spread aggressively on both continents. Data are available on knotweed’s modes of sexual and asexual spread, historical spread, preferred habitat, and ploidy levels. Incomplete information is available on knotweed’s current global geographic distribution and genetic diversity. The chemical composition of knotweed leaves and rhizomes has been partially discovered as related to its ability to inhibit growth and germination of neighboring plant communities via phytochemicals. There is still critical information missing. There are currently no studies detailing knotweed male and female fertility. Specifically, information on pollen viability would be important for further understanding sexual reproduction as a vector of spread in knotweed. This information would help managers determine the potential magnitude of knotweed sexual reproduction and the continued spread of diverse hybrid swarms. The potential range of knotweed and its ability to spread into diverse habitats makes studies on knotweed seed and rhizome cold tolerance of utmost importance, yet to date no such studies have been conducted. There is also a lack of genetic information available on knotweed in the upper Midwest. Detailed genetic information, such as ploidy levels and levels of genetic diversity, would answer many questions about knotweed in Minnesota, including understanding its means of spread, what species are present in what densities, and current levels of hybridization. This literature review summarizes current literature on knotweed to better understand its invasiveness and to highlight necessary future research that would benefit and inform knotweed management in the upper Midwest.

Since the commercialization of herbicide-resistant (HR) crops, primarily glyphosate-resistant crops, their adoption has increased rapidly. Multiple herbicide resistance traits in crops such as canola (Brassica napus L.), corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] have become available in recent years, and management of their volunteers needs attention to prevent interference and yield loss in rotational crops. The objectives of this review were to summarize HR crop traits in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), canola, corn, cotton, rice (Oryza sativa L.), soybean, sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); assess their potential for volunteerism; and review existing literature on the interference of HR crop volunteers, yield loss, and their management in rotational crops. HR crop volunteers are problem weeds in agronomic cropping systems, and the impact of volunteerism depends on several factors, such as crop grown in rotation, the density of volunteers, management practices, and microclimate. Interference of imidazolinone-resistant (IR) barley or wheat volunteers can be a problem in rotational crops, particularly when IR crops such as canola or wheat are grown. HR canola volunteers are abundant in the Northern Great Plains due to high fecundity, seed loss before or during harvest, and secondary seed dormancy, and they can interfere in crops grown in rotation such as flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), field peas (Pisum sativum L.), and soybean. HR corn volunteers are competitive in crops grown in rotation such as corn, cotton, soybean, and sugarbeet, with yield loss depending on the density of HR corn volunteers. Volunteers of HR cotton, rice, soybean, and sugarbeet are not major concerns and can be controlled with existing herbicides. Herbicide options would be limited if the crop volunteers are multiple HR; therefore, recording the cultivar planted the previous year and selecting the appropriate herbicide are important. The increasing use of 2,4-D, dicamba, glufosinate, and glyphosate in North American cropping systems requires research on herbicide interactions and alternative herbicides or methods for controlling multiple HR crop volunteers.

There are two species of cultivated rice in the world—Oryza sativa L. from Asia and Oryza glaberrima Steud. from Africa. The former was domesticated from the wild progenitor Oryza rufipogon Griff. and the latter from the African wild rice species Oryza barthii A. Shiv. The first known center of rice cultivation in China generated the O. sativa subspecies japonica. The indica subspecies arose from the second center of domestication in the Ganges River plains of India. Variants of domesticated lines and the continuous hybridization between cultivated varieties and the wild progenitor(s) resulted in weedy rice types. Some weedy types resemble the wild ancestor, but the majority of weedy rices today bear close resemblance to cultivated rice. Weedy rice accompanies rice culture and has increased in occurrence with the global shift in rice establishment from transplanting to direct-seeded or dry-drill-seeded rice. Weedy rice (Oryza spp.) is the most difficult weed to control in rice, causing as much as 90% yield loss or abandonment of severely infested fields. The gene flow continuum between cultivar and weedy rice or wild relative, crop de-domestication, and regionalized adaptation have resulted in a myriad of weedy rice types. The complex lineage of weedy rice has resulted in confusion of weedy rice nomenclature. Two names are generally used for weedy rice—Oryza sativa L. and Oryza sativa f. spontanea. Genomic data show that O. sativa L. applies to weedy rice populations derived from cultivated O. sativa, whereas O. sativa f. spontanea applies only to weedy types that primarily descended from O. rufipogon. Neither of these names applies to African weedy rice, which is of African wild rice or O. glaberrima lineage. Therefore, unless the lineage of the weedy population in question is known, the proper name to use is the generalized name Oryza spp.

Alligatorweed [Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.] is an invasive semiaquatic weed that poses a serious threat to agricultural production and ecological balance worldwide. However, information about genetic factors associated with the adaptation and invasion mechanisms of this species is limited. Screening for appropriate reference genes is important for gene expression and functional analysis research in A. philoxeroides. In this study, 30 candidate genes that showed stable expression in different A. philoxeroides tissues under various treatments in RNA-seq data were chosen to design quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) primers. After the amplification specificity validation, 25 candidates were selected and further evaluated in a diverse set of A. philoxeroides samples, including leaf, stem, and root tissues under drought, salinity, heat, chilling, five herbicides, and corresponding untreated controls using qRT-PCR. The delta-CT method, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder algorithms were used to identify stable reference genes from A. philoxeroides samples. Overall, CoA, RFI2, Tubby, SRP19, and V-ATPase were the top five ideal reference genes in all organs and conditions. Tubby and CoA were the most stable reference genes in the leaf/stem; and RFI2, ERprr, and SPR19 were suitable reference genes for the roots. This work provided a foundation for exploring gene expression profiling of A. philoxeroides, especially those adaptation- and invasion-related genes, which may help in management of this invasive weed.

Weedy rice (Oryza sativa L.) is among the most problematic weeds in rice (Oryza sativa L.) production. The commercialization of herbicide-resistant (HR) rice nearly two decades ago provided an effective tool to manage weedy rice; however, resistance evolution and volunteer HR hybrid rice kept weedy rice at the forefront of rice weed control needs. This research aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of weedy rice infestations, identify production practices that may have contributed to an increase in weedy rice, and determine control strategies that may still be effective on weedy rice across Arkansas and adjacent U.S. Midsouth locales. Two questionnaires, one for rice growers and consultants and one for County Extension agents (CEAs), were distributed through email and physical copies in 2020. Thirty-three respondents returned the rice grower (25) and consultant (8) survey, representing 26 and 7 counties in Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel area, respectively, as well as four parishes in northeast Louisiana. Eighteen respondents returned the CEA survey. Respondents ranked weedy rice the third most problematic weed in rice, behind Echinochloa spp. and Cyperus spp. The most common infestation levels reported in 78% of fields was less than 12 m−2. Crop rotation (64% growers/consultants, 50% CEAs) and HR rice technology (27% growers/consultants, 50% CEAs) were the top two most-effective methods for weedy rice management, respectively. Tillage and crop rotation practices significantly influenced weedy rice infestation. Rice–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation had the lowest weedy rice infestation compared with rice monoculture and other crop rotation practices. Crop rotation was not practiced on 26% of reported fields, primarily due to poor drainage. The imidazolinone (IMI)-resistant rice technology was still effective (>70% control) in 60% of fields, but quizalofop-resistant rice is needed to control IMI-resistant weedy rice. Overall, weedy rice remains a challenging weed in rice production.

Weed resistance surveys that monitor the spread of resistant weeds have mainly been conducted through time-consuming, labor-intensive, and destructive greenhouse herbicide screens. As an alternative, we introduce here a nondestructive leaf-disk assay based on chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm values that measure photosynthetic efficiency) that allows the detection of resistance to both systemic and contact herbicides within ∼48 h. The current study validated the assay for detecting resistance to fomesafen, glyphosate, and dicamba in Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson), waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer], kochia [Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J. Scott], and goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.]. Negative correlation between Fv/Fm values and spray injury levels was observed in all herbicide–weed combinations at the discriminating doses, except for glyphosate in Amaranthus. The correlation coefficients were −0.41 for fomesafen (10 µM, P < 0.0001) in Amaranthus, −0.92 for glyphosate in E. indica (250 µM, P < 0.0001), and −0.44 for dicamba in B. scoparia (800 µM, P = 0.0023). At the population level, the assay clearly separated susceptible from highly resistant populations. However, the assay showed lower sensitivity in distinguishing populations of different resistance levels or separating populations with low resistance from susceptible populations. At the individual plant level, results from the leaf-disk assay and whole-plant spray tests were concordant in 85.5%, 92.3%, and 71.7% of the plants tested for fomesafen–Amaranthus, glyphosate–Eleusine, and dicamba–Bassia, respectively. The assay yielded 1% to 15% false-positive and 6% to 13% false-negative results across herbicides. The current study demonstrated that the leaf-disk assay is a useful tool to identify weed resistance. Optimization is needed to improve its sensitivities and expand its usage to more diverse herbicide–weed species combinations.

Since its initial introduction in the late 1950s, chemical control has dominated weed management practices in China. Not surprisingly, the development of herbicide resistance has become the biggest threat to long-term, sustainable weed management in China. Given that China has followed the same laissez-faire approach toward resistance management that has been practiced in developed countries such as the United States, herbicide resistance has evolved rapidly and increased steadily over the years. Previously, we carried out a systematic review to quantitatively assess herbicide-resistance issues in China. In this review, our main objective is to focus on mechanistic studies and management practices to document the (1) history of herbicide application in China; (2) resistance mechanisms governing the eight most resistance-prone herbicide groups, including acetolactate synthase inhibitors, acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitors, synthetic auxin herbicides, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors, photosystem I electron diverters, photosystem II inhibitors, and long-chain fatty-acid inhibitors; and (3) herbicide-resistance management strategies commonly used in China, including chemical, cultural, biological, physical, and integrated approaches. At the end, perspectives and future research are discussed to address the pressing need for the development of integrated herbicide-resistance management in China.

Macronutrient inputs to annual cropping systems can benefit weeds as well as crops, sometimes decreasing or eliminating the benefits of fertilization. This interaction between fertility management and integrated weed management is becoming increasingly important as these fields increase their focus on efficiency and prevention, respectively. The risk of increased weed competition reflects the fact that weed biomass and height may be highly responsive to nitrogen, phosphorus, and/or potassium. This generalization is supported by monoculture studies of species such as redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), and barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.] and by ecological theory. However, field studies indicate variation in the effects of macronutrients on weed–crop competition and crop yield, even within species groups. To address challenges in interpreting, comparing, and extrapolating from these diverse reports, we propose a conceptual framework that summarizes the mechanisms underlying observed variation within and between studies. This framework highlights functional traits and trends that help predict yield outcomes in binary weed–crop interactions. Important factors include timing of emergence, maximum heights of the weed and crop, and relative responsiveness to the added nutrient. We also survey recent work on the effects of nutrient source (e.g., the composition of organic amendments) on weed–crop competition. Because different sources vary in their nutrient release dynamics and supplied nutrient ratios, they may have dramatically different effects on weed–crop competition and crop yield. Finally, we offer a guide to best practices for studies of fertility effects on weed–crop competition. Although this review highlights several topics requiring further research, including fertility effects on multispecies interactions and interactions with other environmental factors, emerging methods offer considerable promise. Ultimately, an improved understanding of nutrient effects on weed–crop competition will contribute to the efficient and effective management of diverse cropping systems.

Additional active ingredients are needed for use in aquatic systems to respond to new threats or treatment scenarios, enhance selectivity, reduce use rates, and mitigate the risk of herbicide resistance. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl is a new synthetic auxin developed for use as an aquatic herbicide. A study was conducted at North Carolina State University in which 10 µg L−1 of 25% radiolabeled florpyrauxifen-benzyl was applied to the isolated shoot tissue of 10 different aquatic plant species to elucidate absorption and translocation patterns in these species. Extremely high levels of shoot absorption were observed for all species, and uptake was rapid. Highest shoot absorptions were observed for crested floatingheart [Nymphoides cristata (Roxb.) Kuntze] (A192 = 20 µg g−1), dioecious hydrilla [Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle] (A192 = 25.3 µg g−1), variable watermilfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michx.) (A192 = 40.1 µg g−1), and Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) (A192 = 25.3 µg g−1). Evidence of translocation was observed in all rooted species tested, with the greatest translocation observed in N. cristata (1.28 µg g−1 at 192 h after treatment). The results of this study add to the growing body of knowledge surrounding the behavior of this newly registered herbicide within aquatic plants.

Three resistant (R) rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin) populations from southern Australia (EP162, 375-14, and 198-15) with cross-resistance to thiocarbamate, chloroacetamide, and sulfonylisoxazoline herbicides displayed reduced sensitivity to the isoxazolidinone herbicides bixlozone and clomazone. Each of these R populations was exposed to two cycles of recurrent selection (RS) in which plants were treated with the field rate of bixlozone, survivors were bulk crossed, and seed was collected. After the first cycle of recurrent selection (RS1), the LD50 to bixlozone in population 198-15 increased to 17.5-fold compared with the S population and increased further to 26.9-fold after a second cycle of recurrent selection (RS2). The recurrent selection process also increased the level of resistance to bixlozone in populations EP162 and 375-14 (7.8- to 18.4-fold) compared with the S population. Phorate antagonized bixlozone and clomazone in SLR4 (34.6- and 28.1-fold increase in LD50) and both herbicides in populations EP162 (36.5- to 46.6-fold), 375-14 (71.4- to 73.9-fold), and 198-15 (86.4- to 91.5-fold) compared with the absence of phorate. The increase in LD50 of all L. rigidum RS populations when treated with phorate suggests a lack of herbicide activation is not the likely resistance mechanism to these herbicides. This research highlights the elevated risk of thiocarbamate-resistant L. rigidum populations to rapidly evolve resistance to the isoxazolidinone herbicides bixlozone and clomazone.

Photosystem II (PS II)-inhibitor herbicide resistance in Ontario waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer] populations is conferred via target-site resistance (TSR) and non–target site resistance (NTSR) mechanisms. Metribuzin-resistant (MR) A. tuberculatus is due to TSR. Conversely, in other populations of PS II–inhibitor resistant A. tuberculatus, plants are resistant to atrazine but metribuzin sensitive (MS). The objective of this study was to determine the biologically effective dose of metribuzin applied preemergence and postemergence for the control of MS and MR A. tuberculatus. Ten field experiments were conducted in 2019 and 2020 to determine the effective doses of metribuzin for 50%, 80%, and 95% control of MS and MR A. tuberculatus. Metribuzin applied preemergence at the calculated doses of 133, 350, and 1,070 g ai ha−1 controlled MS A. tuberculatus 50%, 80%, and 95%, respectively, whereas the calculated doses of 7,868 and 17,533 g ai ha−1 controlled MR A. tuberculatus 50% and 80%, respectively, at 12 wk after application (WAA). Metribuzin applied postemergence at the calculated doses of 245 and 1,480 g ai ha−1 controlled MS A. tuberculatus 50% and 80%, respectively; the calculated dose for 50% MR A. tuberculatus control was greater than the highest dose (17,920 g ai ha−1) included in this study. Metribuzin at 560 and 1,120 g ha−1 and pyroxasulfone/flumioxazin (240 g ai ha−1) applied preemergence controlled MS A. tuberculatus 88%, 95%, and 98%, respectively, at 12 WAA, whereas the same treatments only controlled MR A. tuberculatus 0%, 4%, and 93%, respectively, at 12 WAA. Metribuzin at 560 and 1,120 g ha−1 and fomesafen (240 g ai ha−1) applied postemergence controlled MS A. tuberculatus 65%, 70%, and 78%, and MR A. tuberculatus 0%, 1%, and 49%, respectively, at 12 WAA. Based on these results, PS II–inhibitor resistant A. tuberculatus with NTSR (enhanced metabolism) is controlled with metribuzin applied preemergence and postemergence; in contrast, PS II–inhibitor resistant A. tuberculatus with TSR (glycine-264-serine altered target site) is not controlled with metribuzin.

Horseweed [Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist] is a facultative winter annual weed that can emerge from March to November in Michigan. Fall-emerging C. canadensis overwinters as a rosette, while spring-emerging C. canadensis skips the rosette stage and immediately grows upright upon emergence. In Michigan, primary emergence recently shifted from fall to spring/summer and therefore from a rosette to an upright growth type. Growth chamber experiments were conducted to determine (1) whether both C. canadensis growth types could originate from a single parent and (2) whether common environmental cues can influence growth type. Variations in temperature, photoperiod, competition, shading, and soil moisture only resulted in the rosette growth type in four C. canadensis populations originating from seed collected from a single parent of the upright growth type. However, a vernalization period of 4 wk following water imbibition, but before germination, resulted in the upright growth type. Dose–response experiments were conducted to determine whether glyphosate sensitivity differed between C. canadensis growth types generated from a single parent of the upright growth type. Upright-type C. canadensis from known glyphosate-resistant populations ISB-18 and MSU-18 were 4- and 3-fold less sensitive to glyphosate than their rosette siblings, respectively. Interestingly, differences in glyphosate sensitivity were not observed between growth types from the susceptible population. These results suggest that while C. canadensis populations shift from winter to summer annual life cycles, concurrent increases in glyphosate resistance could occur.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the primary staple crop in Taiwan, and it can be grown twice a year. The prevalent subspecies grown in Taiwan is Japonica, and a transplanting system is used for rice production. Although the transplanting system is known for efficient weed control at the seedling stage, weedy red rice (WRR, O. sativa f. spontanea) infestation is progressively being reported. Fieldwork and previous studies have suggested that WRR infestation in Taiwan is probably related to growers’ operating practices and their perception of WRR. However, no data are available for a detailed investigation. The present study aimed to collect data on rice growers’ backgrounds, farming practices, and perceptions of WRR to quantify and characterize the patterns of farming operations for rice growers in Taiwan and to investigate factors contributing to WRR infestation. We collected 408 questionnaires completed by rice growers from 17 counties covering all rice production regions in Taiwan. The growers’ median age was 51 to 60 yr, and 75% of respondents had paddies from 0.25 to 2.75 ha in size, which corresponded with nationwide data for farmers’ backgrounds. In general, growers applied similar farming practices for both cropping seasons. Most respondents did not notice WRR infestation or consider it to be a problem: only 9.8% noticed a moderate to severe infestation of WRR in their fields. The major perceived causes of WRR infestation was seed impurity (55.1%) or cultivar degeneration (18.6%). Correlation analysis and farming patterns estimated with a nonnegative matrix factorization algorithm showed that WRR contamination rate was due to the use of dry or wet tillage. The present study provides the first quantitative and qualitative evidence of rice production practices and growers’ perceptions of WRR infestation in Taiwan.

Optimum herbicide use is a key factor affecting the success of any integrated weed management strategy. The main objective of the current study was to implement a method based on spectrometer measurements for the in situ evaluation of herbicide efficacy and the detection of potentially herbicide-resistant weeds. Field trials were conducted in Greece between 2018 and 2020 in several durum wheat fields (Triticum durum Desf.). In all trials, the overall effect of herbicide application on the recorded Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values (at 1 and 2 wk after treatment [WAT]) was significant (P ≤ 0.001). For the majority of the surveyed fields, low NDVI values were recorded after 2,4-D application and a mixture of clopyralid + florasulam from 1 WAT, suggesting their increased efficacy. In several cases, the application of pyroxsulam + florasulam resulted in significant NDVI reductions at 2 WAT. As observed at the end of the growing seasons, the herbicides that reduced NDVI resulted in lower weed biomass. Strong correlations were observed between weed aboveground biomass and NDVI (2 WAT). In particular, R2 values were 0.8234 to 0.8649, 0.8453, 0.8595, 0.8149, and 0.8925 for the Aliartos, Thiva, Domokos, Larissa, and Orestiada fields, respectively. The overall effects of herbicide application on wheat grain yield were also significant (P ≤ 0.001). Pot experiments confirmed that the high NDVI values in some cases could be attributed to the presence of herbicide-resistant weeds. For instance, the resistance indices of two accessions of catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine L.) to mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium ranged between 9.7 and 13.2, whereas one sterile oat [Avena sterilis L. ssp. ludoviciana (Durieu) Gillet & Magne] accession was 8.8 times more resistant to fenoxaprop-p-ethyl than a susceptible one. The present study is targeted at making a significant contribution toward establishing cause–effect relationships and presenting a useful tool for developing more effective weed management practices in more arable crops and under different soil and climatic conditions.

Methiozolin is a new herbicide with an unknown mechanism of action (MOA) for control of annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) in several warm- and cool-season turfgrasses. In the literature, methiozolin was proposed to be a pigment inhibitor via inhibition of tyrosine aminotransferases (TATs) or a cellulose biosynthesis inhibitor (CBI). Here, exploratory research was conducted to characterize the herbicide symptomology and MOA of methiozolin. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L.) and P. annua exhibited a similar level of susceptibility to methiozolin, and arrest of meristematic growth was the most characteristic symptomology. For example, methiozolin inhibited A. thaliana root growth (GR50 8 nM) and shoot emergence (GR80 ˜50 nM), and apical meristem growth was completely arrested at rates greater than 500 nM. We concluded that methiozolin was neither a TAT nor a CBI inhibitor. Methiozolin had a minor effect on chlorophyll and alpha-tocopherol content in treated seedlings (<500 nM), and supplements in the proposed TAT pathway could not lessen phytotoxicity. Examination of microscopic images of roots revealed that methiozolin-treated (100 nM) and untreated seedlings had similar root cell lengths. Thus, methiozolin inhibits cell proliferation and not elongation from meristematic tissue. Subsequently, we suspected methiozolin was an inhibitor of the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway, because its herbicidal symptomologies were nearly indistinguishable from those caused by lovastatin. However, methiozolin did not inhibit phytosterol production, and MVA pathway metabolites did not rescue treated seedlings. Further experiments showed that methiozolin produced a physiological profile very similar to cinmethylin across a number of assays, a known inhibitor of fatty-acid synthesis through inhibition of thioesterases (FATs). Experiments with lesser duckweed (Lemna aequinoctialis Welw.; syn. Lemna paucicostata Hegelm.) showed that methiozolin also reduced fatty-acid content in Lemna with a profile similar, but not identical, to cinmethylin. However, there was no difference in fatty-acid content between treated (1 µM) and untreated A. thaliana seedlings. Methiozolin also bound to both A, thaliana and L. aequinoctialis FATs in vitro. Modeling suggested that methiozolin and cinmethylin have comparable and overlapping FAT binding sites. While there was a discrepancy in the effect of methiozolin on fatty-acid content between L. aequinoctialis and A. thaliana, the overall evidence indicates that methiozolin is a FAT inhibitor and acts in a similar manner as cinmethylin.

Populations of rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin) from southern Australia have evolved resistance to the thiocarbamate herbicide prosulfocarb. The inheritance of prosulfocarb resistance was explored by crossing resistant (R) and susceptible (S) individuals. In all families within each cross, except 16.2, the response of the F1 was intermediate between the parents, suggesting that resistance is inherited as a single, partially dominant trait. For 16.2, the response of the F1 was more similar to the S parent, suggesting resistance may be a recessive trait in this population. Segregation at the discriminating dose of 1,200 g ai ha−1 prosulfocarb in population 375-14 fit the ratio (15:1) consistent with two independent dominant alleles; in population 198-15, it fit a ratio (13:3) for two independent alleles, one dominant and one recessive; and in population EP162, it fit a ratio (9:7) for two additive dominant alleles. In contrast, segregation of population 16.2 fit a ratio (7:9) consistent with two independent recessive alleles contributing to prosulfocarb resistance. Four different patterns of resistance to prosulfocarb were identified in different R populations, with inheritance as a dominant allele, dominant and recessive, additive dominant and as an independent recessive allele. This suggests there are several different mechanisms of prosulfocarb resistance present in L. rigidum.

Barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.] is a noxious grass weed that infests rice fields and causes huge crop yield losses. In this study, we collected 12 E. crus-galli populations from rice fields of Ningxia Province in China and investigated the resistance levels to the acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor penoxsulam and the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitor cyhalofop-butyl. The results showed that eight populations exhibited resistance to penoxsulam and four populations evolved resistance to cyhalofop-butyl. Moreover, all four cyhalofop-butyl–resistant populations (NX3, NX4, NX6, and NX7) displayed multiple herbicide resistance to both penoxsulam and cyhalofop-butyl. The alternative herbicides bispyribac-sodium, metamifop, and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl cannot effectively control the multiple herbicide–resistant (MHR) plants. To characterize the molecular mechanisms of resistance, we amplified and sequenced the target site–encoding genes in resistant and susceptible populations. Partial sequences of three ALS genes and six ACCase genes were examined. A Trp-574-Leu mutation was detected in EcALS1 and EcALS3 in two high-level (65.84- and 59.30-fold) penoxsulam-resistant populations, NX2 and NX10, respectively. In addition, one copy (EcACC4) of ACCase genes encodes a truncated aberrant protein due to a frameshift mutation in E. crus-galli populations. None of the amino acid substitutions that are known to confer herbicide resistance were detected in ALS and ACCase genes of MHR populations. Our study reveals the wide spread of MHR E. crus-galli populations in Ningxia Province that exhibit resistance to several ALS and ACCase inhibitors. Non–target site based mechanisms are likely to be involved in E. crus-galli resistance to the herbicides, at least in four MHR populations.