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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 March 2025
A three-way transgenic sugarbeet cultivar, engineered for resistance to glyphosate, glufosinate, and dicamba (referred to as ‘triple-stacked,’ henceforth), is anticipated to be commercialized by mid-2020s. While offering potential benefits for growers facing glyphosate resistance, two of three herbicides (dicamba and glyphosate) to be utilized with triple-stacked sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) have previously been used on major weeds in western United States cropping systems, raising concerns about pre-existing resistance to these active ingredients. We conducted a field survey in sugarbeet-growing counties of South-East Montana and North-West Wyoming in fall 2021, prior to the sugarbeet harvest. We collected kochia [Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott], redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) populations and screened them for glyphosate, glufosinate, and dicamba resistance in greenhouse conditions. Our results showed two-way resistance (glyphosate and dicamba) in 32% of B. scoparia populations and 78% populations of C. album with reduced susceptibility to glyphosate. Additionally, we conducted a greenhouse experiment to assess the emergence patterns of collected populations. Phylogenetically closely related B. scoparia and C. album showed higher resemblance in emergence pattern than distant relative A. retroflexus. While the majority of B. scoparia and C. album populations emerged in <20 day(s) (d) [time required to reach 90% emergence (E90) < 20 d], A. retroflexus populations required >30 d to reach E90. Widespread glyphosate and dicamba resistance in B. scoparia populations raises concerns about the long-term feasibility of a triple-stacked sugarbeet cultivar. Furthermore, the delayed emergence of A. retroflexus may enable it to evade early-season weed management.