Palmer amaranth is one of the most problematic weeds in the midsouthern United States, and the evolution of resistance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors in biotypes already resistant to glyphosate and acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors is a major cause of concern to soybean and cotton growers in these states. A late-season weed-escape survey was conducted in the major row crop–producing counties (29 counties) to determine the severity of PPO-inhibitor resistance in Arkansas. A total of 227 Palmer amaranth accessions were sprayed with fomesafen at 395 g ha−1 to identify putative resistant plants. A TaqMan qPCR assay was used to confirm the presence of the ΔG210 codon deletion or the R128G/M (homologous to R98 mutation in common ragweed) target-site resistance mechanisms in the PPX2 gene. Out of the 227 accessions screened, 44 were completely controlled with fomesafen, and 16 had only one or two severely injured plants (≥98% mortality) when compared with the 1986 susceptible check (100% mortality). The remaining 167 accessions were genotypically screened, and 82 (49%) accessions were found to harbor the ΔG210 deletion in the PPX2 gene. The R128G was observed in 47 (28%) out of the 167 accessions screened. The mutation R128M, on the other hand was rare, found in only three accessions. About 13% of the accessions were segregating for both the ΔG210 and R128G mutations. Sixteen percent of the tested accessions had mortality ratings <90% and did not test positive for the ΔG210 or the R128G/M resistance mechanisms, indicating that a novel target or non–target site resistance mechanism is likely. Overall, PPO inhibitor–resistant Palmer amaranth is widespread in Arkansas, and the ΔG210 resistance mechanism is especially dominant in the northeast corridor, while the R128G mutation is more prevalent in counties near Memphis, TN.

Previous reports have underscored antagonism that may result from mixing glyphosate and glufosinate across a wide range of application rates and for various broadleaf and grass weed species, but no investigation has been conducted to characterize glyphosate absorption and translocation when combined with glufosinate. The objectives of this study were to evaluate herbicide efficacy and assess herbicide interaction and physiological response with combinations of glyphosate and glufosinate on common lambsquarters, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail. Greenhouse studies to determine interaction resulted in strong and persistent antagonism between glyphosate at 110 and 220 g ae ha−1 and glufosinate at 20 or 40 g ae ha−1 in giant foxtail, whereas only transient and reduced antagonism was noted for velvetleaf and common lambsquarters. Combining glyphosate and glufosinate increased the maximum absorption of glyphosate by 9% and 23% in velvetleaf and giant foxtail, respectively, compared with glyphosate alone. In velvetleaf, averaged over time, only 2.6% of the applied radioactivity translocated out of the treated leaf when glufosinate was mixed with glyphosate compared with 9.9% when glyphosate was applied alone. In giant foxtail, 21.6% of the [14C]glyphosate translocated out of the treated leaf when glufosinate was mixed with glyphosate compared with 52.4% when glyphosate was applied alone. Conversely, no change in the radioactive pattern of translocation was noted for common lambsquarters. These results suggest that reduced translocation of glyphosate is the physiological mechanism responsible for the antagonism observed between glyphosate and glufosinate in giant foxtail and, to a lesser extent, in velvetleaf.

Reduced control of Italian ryegrass in California with herbicides has raised concerns about the evolution of populations with resistance to multiple herbicides. The goal of this study was to investigate variation among populations in plant response and resistance to glyphosate and glufosinate in Italian ryegrass from vineyards and orchards in northwest California. Population resistance screening using field-collected seed revealed up to 56.9% of individuals surviving glyphosate treatment at 1,678 g ae ha−1, and 53.5% of individuals surviving glufosinate treatment at 2,242 g ai ha−1 in the same population. Frequencies of surviving plants within populations varied among screening times, particularly for glufosinate. Treating vegetatively propagated, genetically identical tillers with each herbicide pointed to separate mechanisms of resistance rather than cross-resistance to glyphosate and glufosinate. Dose–response experiments were conducted for each herbicide at two different screening times using a subset of populations, field-collected seed, and 10 herbicide rates. Plant survival and biomass were evaluated for each population at 3 wk after treatment and for plant regrowth 1 wk thereafter. Log-logistic regression models fit to the data were used to estimate LD50, GR50, and RD50 values and calculate resistance indices (R/S ratios). Based on LD50 values, the most highly resistant population was 14.4- to 19.2-fold more resistant to glyphosate than the most susceptible population tested but only 1.6- to 2.0-fold more resistant to glufosinate than the most susceptible population tested. Levels of resistance to both herbicides varied with screening time period and variable measured. Results indicate high frequencies of glyphosate-resistant plants but an early stage in the evolution of glufosinate resistance in some Italian ryegrass populations of northwest California.

Palmer amaranth control has become a major challenge for multiple cropping systems across the southeastern and midwestern United States. Despite extensive research on herbicide-resistance evolution, little research has been done exploring how Palmer amaranth might also be evolving other adaptive traits in response to different selection forces present in agricultural fields and the enrichment of soils with nutrients such as nitrogen. The objective of the present study was to determine whether Palmer amaranth populations have evolved different morphology and growth patterns in response to glyphosate use and fertilization history. Ten Palmer amaranth populations, including glyphosate-resistant (GR) and glyphosate-susceptible (GS) populations, were collected from different cropping systems with histories of high and low nitrogen fertilization in the states of Florida and Georgia. All populations were grown in pots filled with soil fertilized with either 0 or 40 kgNha−1, and their response to nitrogen was compared for morphological, growth, and nutrient-use traits. Populations differed in how they modified their morphology and growth in response to N, with major differences in traits such as foliar area, branch production, leaf shape, and canopy architecture. Populations with high nitrogen-fertilization histories had higher (>43%) nutrient-use efficiency (NUE) than populations with low nitrogen-fertilization histories. Similarly, GR populations have evolved higher NUE (>47%) and changed canopy architecture more than GS populations in response to nitrogen fertilization. The results of the present study highlight the importance of paying more attention to adaptations to cultural practices that might increase weediness and how genetic changes in traits involved in morphology and metabolism might favor compensatory mechanisms increasing the fitness of the population carrying herbicide-resistant traits.

An effective management plan for invasive herb populations must consider the potential for regeneration from the soil seedbank. To test this potential, we examined two species, Japanese stiltgrass and garlic mustard, at deciduous forest sites in southeastern Ohio. Seeds were buried in nylon mesh bags and recovered at regular intervals over 24 mo. Recovered seeds were tested for germination and viability. Burial was replicated on north- and south-facing slopes to test for environmental control of dormancy state. Stiltgrass seeds experienced severe mortality in the soil, rarely surviving the full 24 mo. Stiltgrass showed fractional germination in the lab ranging from 86% to 89% of viable seeds in late spring (the season of natural seedling emergence) to complete nongermination in winter. Most garlic mustard seeds survived through the experimental period (82% and 88% survival across 24 mo) with consistently low mortality (0% to 13%) unrelated to season. Slope aspect had no significant effect on survival or dormancy state in either species. Extrapolation of garlic mustard mortality implies that reproduction would need to be suppressed for a substantial period (perhaps >10 yr) to ensure eradication of a population. In stiltgrass, rapid seed mortality suggests that control can be achieved in 2 to 4 yr.

Biofumigation is practiced to control soilborne pests and weeds in agronomic fields. The objectives of this research were to assess the dose response of weed seeds to Indian mustard biofumigation and associate responses to seed dormancy state, initial dormancy, and seed parameters. A petri dish biofumigation methodology was developed to expose seeds of common lambsquarters, bird vetch, wild carrot, common ragweed, green foxtail, velvetleaf, hairy galinsoga, and red clover to allelochemicals produced after rehydrating 0 (control), 1.94, 2.90, 5.81, 11.61, and 17.41 mg cm−2 of dried mustard powder. Weed species expressed specific dose responses, estimated ED50, LD50, and maximal mortality. Hairy galinsoga and wild carrot were consistently the most affected by biofumigation, with maximal mortality reaching 97% and 95%, ED50 values for germination were 1.91 and 2.68 mg cm−2 , and LD50 values were 3.31 and 3.69 mg cm−2 of dried mustard tissue, respectively. Initial dormancy was assessed by germination and tetrazolium tests. Seed parameters such as testa thickness, relative weight of the testa, and seed size were measured directly by manual dissection, weighing seed structures, and stereomicroscopic imaging software measurements. Linear regression analyses revealed initial dormancy to be positively related to ED50 and LD50 values with a significant interaction with seed surface and seed width, respectively. Exposure to 5.81 mg cm−2 of dried mustard powder increased common ragweed seed mortality for after-ripened seeds by 293% and by 58% for primary dormant seeds compared with untreated seeds. Mortality of common lambsquarters secondary and primary dormant seeds increased by 730% and 106%, respectively, and for wild carrot by 1,193 and 156%, respectively. Results underline the potential to incorporate biofumigation into weed management programs for repression of susceptible weed species.

Quackgrass is a problematic agricultural weed in the temperate zones of the world and is difficult to control without herbicides or intensive tillage. However, it may be possible to control quackgrass with less environmental impact by combining multiple low-intensity control methods. A pot experiment was conducted in July to October 2012 and repeated in June to September 2013 to investigate the effect of rhizome fragmentation, competition from white clover, shoot-cutting frequency, and cutting height on quackgrass. Rhizome fragmentation was expected to result in more, but weaker, quackgrass shoots that would be more vulnerable to shoot cutting and competition. However, by 20 d past planting, rhizome fragmentation did not change the total number of quackgrass shoots per pot, because an increase in main shoots was offset by a decrease in tiller numbers. Rhizome fragmentation did not reduce quackgrass biomass acquisition during the experimental period. Although rhizome fragmentation did reduce total fructan content, it did not enhance the effect of clover competition, shoot-cutting frequency, or shoot-cutting height. Clover competition by itself reduced quackgrass shoot numbers by 72%, rhizome biomass by 81%, and belowground fructan concentration by 10 percentage points, compared with no competition. The more frequently quackgrass shoots were cut, the less biomass quackgrass acquired, and a high shoot-cutting frequency (each time quackgrass reached 2 leaves) resulted in a lower belowground fructan concentration than a low shoot-cutting frequency (at 8 leaves). However, in pots without competition, a higher shoot-cutting frequency resulted in more quackgrass shoots. A lower shoot-cutting height (25 mm) had more impact when shoot cutting was more frequent. In conclusion, rhizome fragmentation did not reduce the number of quackgrass shoots or rhizome biomass, but competition from white clover, a high shoot-cutting frequency, and a low shoot-cutting height strongly suppressed quackgrass biomass and fructan acquisition.

Strawberries are an important horticultural crop in Florida. Black medic is among the most problematic weeds within the production system. To better coordinate control measures, black medic growth and development while in competition with strawberry was studied. Twelve plants were randomly selected at each of four field sites in Hillsborough County, FL, in 2014. Plants were repeatedly measured over the growing season for stem length and number of primary branches, flower buds, flowers, and seed clusters. Growing degree days (GDD) were calculated (Tbase=0 C) starting from the hole-punch application of the plastic mulch (October 8, 2014, to October 10, 2014) from weather station data generated from the Florida Automated Weather Network. Strawberry height and width increased consistently across all sites, but black medic growth and development varied considerably. Strawberry suppressed black medic growth up to 1,805 cumulative GDD at three of four sites where black medic remained beneath the strawberry canopy. After 1,805 GDD, the black medic stems still remained below but experienced exponential growth for total stem length and, in turn, flower buds, inflorescence, and immature seed clusters. Ideal clopyralid spray timing based on susceptible plant size was 890 to 1,152 GDD. Optimal hand-weeding time frames would likely occur as the plant stems expand beyond the strawberry canopy (to improve visibility) and before flower production to prevent seed return to the seedbank. First seed production was observed at 1,200 GDD at the earliest site and between 1,966 to 2,365 GDD across all the other sites. Overall, consistent trends were observed across sites, but between-site variability was observed that could not be accounted for by differences in temperature.

Glyphosate-resistant populations of Conyza canadensis have been spreading at a rapid rate in Ontario, Canada, since first being documented in 2010. Determining the genetic relationship among existing Ontario populations is necessary to understand the spread and selection of the resistant biotypes. The objectives of this study were to: (1) characterize the genetic variation of C. canadensis accessions from the province of Ontario using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and (2) investigate the molecular mechanism (s) conferring resistance in these accessions. Ninety-eight C. canadensis accessions were genotyped using 8 SSR markers. Germinable accessions were challenged with glyphosate to determine their dose response, and the sequences of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase genes 1 and 2 were obtained. Results indicate that a majority of glyphosate-resistant accessions from Ontario possessed a proline to serine substitution at position 106, which has previously been reported to confer glyphosate resistance in other crop and weed species. Accessions possessing this substitution demonstrated notably higher levels of resistance than non–target site resistant (NTSR) accessions from within or outside the growing region and were observed to form a subpopulation genetically distinct from geographically proximate glyphosate-susceptible and NTSR accessions. Although it is unclear whether other non–target site resistance mechanisms are contributing to the levels of resistance observed in target-site resistant accessions, these results indicate that, at a minimum, selection for Pro-106-Ser has occurred in addition to selection for non–target site resistance and has significantly enhanced the levels of resistance to glyphosate in C. canadensis accessions from Ontario.

Populations of rigid ryegrass suspected of resistance to trifluralin due to control failures exhibited varying levels of susceptibility to trifluralin, with 15 out of 17 populations deemed resistant (>20% plant survival). Detailed dose–response studies were conducted on one highly resistant field-evolved population (SLR74), one known multiply resistant population (SLR31), and one susceptible population (VLR1). On the basis of the dose required to kill 50% of treated plants (LD50), SLR74 had 15-fold greater resistance than VLR1, whereas, the multiply resistant SLR31 had 10-fold greater resistance than VLR1. Similarly, on the basis of dose required to reduce shoot biomass by 50% (GR50), SLR74 had 17-fold greater resistance than VLR1, and SLR31 had 8-fold greater resistance than VLR1. Sequencing of the α-tubulin gene from resistant plants of different populations confirmed the presence of a previously known goosegrass mutation causing an amino acid substitution at position 239 from threonine to isoleucine in resistant population SLR74. This mutation was also found in 4 out of 5 individuals in another highly resistant population TR2 and in 3 out of 5 individuals of TR4. An amino acid substitution from valine to phenylalanine at position 202 was also observed in TR4 (3 out of 5 plants) and TR2 (1 out of 5 plants). There was no target-site mutation identified in SLR31. This study documents the first known case of field-evolved target-site resistance to dinitroaniline herbicides in a population of rigid ryegrass.

Fomesafen is a protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PROTOX) inhibitor that has the potential to be used as an alternative mechanism of action for PRE nutsedge and broadleaf weed control in Florida production of small fruit and vegetables. Fumigation in the raised-bed plasticulture system may increase herbicide persistence. Fomesafen persistence could dissuade Florida growers from using the herbicide for fear of injury to subsequent susceptible crops. Field experiments were conducted in Balm, FL, in 2015 and 2016 to investigate the effect of fumigation on fomesafen dissipation, eggplant tolerance, and purple nutsedge control. Treatments included fomesafen at 0.42 kg ai ha−1, S-metolachlor at 1.06 kg ai ha−1, and a nontreated control in either a fumigated bed injected with a combination of 39% 1,3-dichloropropene and 59.6% chloropicrin at 336 kg ha−1 or no fumigant. Fomesafen concentration in the soil decreased by 83% and 96% from application to harvest in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Fumigation did not affect fomesafen dissipation in either year. At 2 wk after transplant (WATr), fomesafen caused 14% eggplant injury. Injury decreased to less than 5% at 6 WATr. Fomesafen and S-metolachlor treatments did not reduce eggplant height or yields compared with the nontreated control. Fumigation and fomesafen did not decrease purple nutsedge density; however, S-metolachlor applications resulted in a 48% reduction. Further research is needed to assess efficacy on broadleaf and grass weeds.

Genetically engineered (GE) herbicide-resistant crops have been widely adopted by farmers in the United States and other countries around the world, and these crops have caused significant changes in herbicide use patterns. GE crops have been blamed for increased problems with herbicide-resistant weeds (colloquially called by the misnomer “superweeds”); however, there has been no rigorous analysis of herbicide use or herbicide-resistant weed evolution to quantify the impact of GE crops on herbicide resistance. Here, I analyze data from the International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds and the USDA and demonstrate that adoption of GE corn varieties did not reduce herbicide diversity, and therefore likely did not increase selection pressure for herbicide-resistant weeds in that crop. Adoption of GE herbicide-resistant varieties substantially reduced herbicide diversity in cotton and soybean. Increased glyphosate use in cotton and soybean largely displaced herbicides that are more likely to select for herbicide-resistant weeds, which at least partially mitigated the impact of reduced herbicide diversity. The overall rate of newly confirmed herbicide-resistant weed species to all herbicide sites of action (SOAs) has slowed in the United States since 2005. Although the number of glyphosate-resistant weeds has increased since 1998, the evolution of new glyphosate-resistant weed species as a function of area sprayed has remained relatively low compared with several other commonly used herbicide SOAs.