Weed management is a significant challenge that must be addressed both globally and in Australia, where traditional methods of control have become limited. The avoidance of mechanical practices has resulted in reduced erosion but has also led to an increased reliance on chemicals and a subsequent increase in rates of herbicide resistance. To address this challenge, alternative forms of weed management, such as electric weed control (electro-weeding), need to be considered. Electric weed control functions by transferring electrical current through the target plant following electrode contact, causing the plant’s cells to burst and either killing the plant or suppressing its growth. However, a multitude of variables, such as electrical power and speed of application, weed morphology, and site-specific environmental conditions, can impact the use of electric weed control and its efficacy. While electric weed control holds promise, and despite its recent global popularity with numerous companies producing machinery, the applicability, efficacy, and risks of using electric weed control internationally and in Australia have yet to be thoroughly analyzed. Given the existing knowledge gaps, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the theory and recent advances in electric weed control. Additionally, the review discusses the potential for resistance development and safety risks associated with electric weed control and presents an overview of modern machines and their application in various settings. It also highlights the need for further research to determine the applicability and efficacy of implementing this new weed control method before widespread adoption and integration into pest management strategies.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides remain an important and useful chemistry 60 yr after their first introduction. In this review, based on topics introduced at the Weed Science Society of America 2021 symposium titled “A History, Overview, and Plan of Action on PPO Inhibiting Herbicides,” we discuss the current state of PPO-inhibiting herbicides. Renewed interest in the PPO-inhibiting herbicides in recent years, due to increased use and increased cases of resistance, has led to refinements in knowledge regarding the mechanism of action of PPO inhibitors. Herein we discuss the importance of the two isoforms of PPO in plants, compile a current knowledge of target-site resistance mechanisms, examine non–target site resistance cases, and review crop selectivity mechanisms. Consistent and reproducible greenhouse screening and target-site mutation assays are necessary to effectively study and compare PPO-inhibitor resistance cases. To this end, we cover best practices in screening to accurately identify resistance ratios and properly interpret common screens for point mutations. The future of effective and sustainable PPO-inhibitor use relies on development of new chemistries that maintain activity on resistant biotypes and the promotion of responsible stewardship of PPO inhibitors both new and old. We present the biorational design of the new PPO inhibitor trifludimoxazin to highlight the future of PPO-inhibitor development and discuss the elements of sustainable weed control programs using PPO inhibitors, as well as how responsible stewardship can be incentivized. The sustained use of PPO inhibitors in future agriculture relies on the effective and timely communication from mode of action and resistance research to agronomists, Extension workers, and farmers.

Herbicide options for selective control of monocot weeds in rice (Oryza sativa L.) have historically been limited to a few modes of action such as inhibitors of acetolactate synthase (e.g., penoxsulam, imazamox), photosystem II (e.g., propanil), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (e.g., cyhalofop). Florpyrauxifen-benzyl (Rinskor™) is a synthetic auxin molecule introduced to the U.S. rice herbicide market in 2018, providing broad-spectrum weed control (monocots and dicots), including hard-to-control species such as barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.], along with postemergence rice selectivity at very low use rates. Within the year of commercialization, field agronomists and academics identified E. crus-galli escapes in some areas where florpyrauxifen-benzyl had been sprayed. Further evaluation under controlled environments confirmed that those plants were able to survive florpyrauxifen-benzyl application at the label rate. Here, we identify the mechanism of resistance to florpyrauxifen-benzyl and penoxsulam in two E. crus-galli populations from Arkansas (AR-27) and Missouri (MO-18). Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, we compared the two resistant biotypes with known susceptible plants regarding their ability to metabolize florpyrauxifen-benzyl, florpyrauxifen-acid, and penoxsulam in planta. We discovered that the resistant plants share a common resistance mechanism to florpyrauxifen-benzyl and penoxsulam, involving hydrolysis of a methoxy group (likely mediated by a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase) followed by glucose conjugation. Given that penoxsulam has been widely used in rice fields for the past decade, these data suggest that some populations of E. crus-galli may have evolved resistance before the commercialization of florpyrauxifen-benzyl.

This study was developed based on a goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.] population from Primavera do Leste, MT, Brazil, with resistance to multiple herbicide modes of action (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase [EPSPS] inhibition: glyphosate; acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase [ACCase] inhibition: aryloxyphenoxypropionate chemical group). The objective was to identify possible mechanisms of resistance associated or not with herbicide sites of action. Several experiments and analyses were carried out with the contribution of different laboratories and institutions. The results obtained allowed us to conclude that: (1) the Asp-2078-Gly mutation conferred resistance to ACCase inhibitors, without overexpression of ACCase or changes in herbicide absorption and translocation; (2) overexpression of EPSPS, Thr-102 and Pro-106 mutations, and changes in absorption and translocation are not involved in E. indica resistance to glyphosate; (3) the metabolism of glyphosate in resistant E. indica plants requires further studies to elucidate the final destination of this herbicide in these plants. The mechanism of resistance of E. indica biotypes to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides was elucidated: it involves a change in the action site. However, the mechanism of resistance to EPSPS inhibitors was not conclusive, indicating that some hypotheses, mainly those regarding the metabolism of glyphosate in resistant plants, require further testing.

Weed interference is a major factor that reduces peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) yield in the United States. Peanut growers rely heavily on herbicides for weed control. Although effective, herbicides are not a complete solution to the complex challenge that weeds present. Therefore, the use of nonchemical weed management options is essential. The literature on weed research in peanut in the past 53 yr in the United States was reviewed to assess the achievements and identify current research gaps and prospects for nonchemical weed management for future research. More than half (79%) of the published studies were from the southeastern United States. Most studies (88%) focused on weed management, while fewer studies (12%) addressed weed distribution, ecology, and competitive mechanisms. Broadleaf weeds were the most frequently studied weed species (60%), whereas only 23% and 19% of the published studies were relevant to grasses and Cyperus spp., respectively. Seventy-two percent of the published studies focused on curative measures using herbicides. Nonchemical methods using mechanical (5%) and preventive (13%) measures that influence crop competition and reduce the buildup of the weed seedbank, seedling recruitment, and weed seed production have received less attention. In most studies, the preventive weed management measures provided weed suppression and reduced weed competition but were not effective enough to reduce the need for herbicides to protect peanut yield. Therefore, future research should focus on developing integrated weed management strategies based on multiple preventive measures rather than one preventive measure combined with one or more curative measures. We recommend that research on mechanical weed management should focus on the role of cultivation when integrated with currently available herbicides. For successful weed management with lasting outcomes, the dominant weed communities of specific target locations should be addressed within the context of climate change and emerging constraints rather than focusing on single problematic species.

Rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin) is the most problematic weed in Australia, with evolved resistance to multiple herbicide sites of action. Selection pressure by cinmethylin (Group 30, a fatty-acid thioesterase inhibitor) has been limited, because few populations have been exposed to the herbicide since its introduction in 2019. In this study, we examined the sensitivity of L. rigidum populations to this new herbicide. From a screening of almost 500 field populations in 2020, 28 potentially resistant populations were further investigated in a dose–response experiment. Seedlings from five populations surviving treatments of 250 or 375 g ai ha−1 cinmethylin were grown to maturity and seeds were harvested. The level of resistance found among the five putative-resistant parental populations of L. rigidum was negligible. In one population, one round of selection with cinmethylin resulted in a 2-fold increase in the lethal dose causing 50% mortality in the progeny population, although this dose was still only one-sixth of the recommended field rate of cinmethylin. Having a unique site of action, cinmethylin is a viable preemergence herbicide option to control existing multiple-resistance populations of L. rigidum. Comprehensive field monitoring and recurrent selection studies under controlled environmental conditions are needed to better ascertain the risk of L. rigidum evolving a high level of resistance to cinmethylin, although current data suggest that this risk is relatively low.

Narrow row spacing (<76 cm) could improve crop competitiveness, suppress weeds and might provide yield advantage. Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of narrow row spacing; however, no quantitative synthesis of these studies exists. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to (1) quantify the overall effect of narrow row spacing (<76 cm) on weed density, biomass, control, weed seed production, and yield in corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] compared with 76-cm row spacing, and (2) assess the influence of agronomic management decisions (tillage type, weed management, herbicide application frequency and time) on effect of narrow row spacing on weed suppression and corn and soybean yield. We compiled 1,904 pair-wise observations from 35 studies conducted in 12 states in the United States during 1961 to 2018. Averaged across individual observations, narrow row spacing suppressed weed density by 34%, weed biomass by 55%, and weed seed production by 45%, while it improved weed control by 32% and crop yield by 11% compared with 76-cm row spacing. Narrow row spacing in soybean suppressed weed density by 42%, weed biomass by 71%, and increased crop yield by 12% compared with 76-cm row spacing. Although narrow row spacing had a nonsignificant effect on response variables in corn, the number of studies (n = 1 to 6) and observations (n = 1 to 59) addressing each response variable were limited. Tillage type (conventional and reduced) did not influence the response of weed density, control, and seed production in narrow row spacing; however, weed biomass and weed seed production were more greatly reduced with the sequential application of herbicides compared with a single application. Thus, narrow row spacing in soybean can be integrated with other options for management of herbicide-resistant weeds.

Complaints of control failures with acetolactate synthase (ALS)- and protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides on redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) were reported in conventional soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] fields in North Carolina. Greenhouse dose–response assays confirmed that the Camden County and Pasquotank County populations were less sensitive to ALS- and PPO-inhibiting herbicides compared with susceptible A. retroflexus populations, suggesting the evolution of resistance to these herbicides. Sanger sequencing of target genes determined the Camden County population carried a Trp-574-Leu mutation in the ALS gene and an Arg-98-Gly mutation in the PPX2 gene, while the Pasquotank County population carried a His-197-Pro mutation in the ALS gene (first documentation of the mutation in the Amaranthus genus), but no mutation was detected in the PPX2 gene. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assays were developed to enable efficient screening of future control failures in order to limit the spread of these herbicide-resistant populations. In addition, preliminary testing of these assays revealed the three mutations were ubiquitous in the respective populations. These two populations represent the first confirmed cases of PPO-inhibiting herbicide-resistant A. retroflexus in the United States, as well as the first confirmed cases of this particular herbicide-resistance profile in A. retroflexus inhabiting North America. While no mutation was found in the PPX2 gene of the Pasquotank County population, we suggest that this population has evolved resistance to PPO-inhibiting herbicides, but the mechanism of resistance is to be determined.

This review summarizes what is currently known about herbicide resistance in Bromus spp. worldwide. Additional information on the biology and genetics of Bromus spp. is provided to further the understanding of resistance evolution and dispersal of the different species. Cases of herbicide resistance have been confirmed in Bromus catharticus Vahl., Bromus commutatus Schrad. (syn.: Bromus racemosus L.), Bromus diandrus Roth, Bromus japonicus Thunb. (syn.: Bromus arvensis L.), Bromus madritensis L., Bromus rigidus Roth (syn.: Bromus diandrus Roth ssp. diandrus), Bromus rubens L., Bromus secalinus L., Bromus sterilis L., and Bromus tectorum L. in 11 countries. Bromus spp. populations have evolved cross- and multiple resistance to six herbicide sites of action: acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, acetolactate synthase, photosystem II, very-long-chain fatty-acid, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibitors. Resistance mechanisms varied from target-site to non–target site or a combination of both. Bromus spp. are generally highly self-pollinated, but outcrossing can occur at low levels in some species. Bromus spp. have different ploidy levels, ranging from diploid (2n = 2x = 14) to duodecaploid (2n = 12x = 84). Herbicide resistance in Bromus spp. is a global issue, and the spread of herbicide-resistance alleles primarily occurs via seed-mediated gene flow. However, the transfer of herbicide-resistance alleles via pollen-mediated gene flow is possible.

Glyphosate resistance is spreading in Spain and Portugal due to excessive herbicide use, in both annual and perennial crops. Compact brome (Bromus madritensis L.) is increasing in frequency in these different cropping systems when under conservation agriculture, particularly when glyphosate fails to control it. Fourteen populations from different areas in the Iberian Peninsula were confirmed as being B. madritensis using simple sequence repeat markers and clearly separated from the closely related species red brome (Bromus rubens L.) and ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus Roth). Six B. madritensis populations were classified as resistant, according to both their shikimic acid accumulation levels and their resistance factors based on LD50 or GR50 (values between 4 and 8). Populations with higher resistance factors also showed lower shikimic acid concentrations. Moreover, these resistant populations were able to survive the minimum registered dose for glyphosate in Spain in perennial crops (1,080 g ae ha−1, five populations) or in arable crops before seeding for annual weeds (540 g ae ha−1, one population), under both greenhouse and field conditions. The trials carried out in a glyphosate-resistant field during 2 consecutive years showed that acceptable control (≥90%) was only consistently achieved 90 d after application for preemergence treatment with flazasulfuron in a tank mix with glyphosate, while control with postemergence treatments, such as propaquizafop plus glyphosate, was below 80%. This research describes the first herbicide-resistance report for the weed species B. madritensis, confirming the presence of glyphosate-resistant populations mainly in perennial cropping systems but also in winter cereals from Spain. Due to the limited chemical tools to manage these populations, there is an urgent need for farmers to implement integrated weed management strategies.

Glufosinate is an effective postemergence herbicide, and overreliance on this herbicide for weed control is likely to increase and select for glufosinate-resistant weeds. Common assays to confirm herbicide resistance are dose–response and molecular sequencing techniques; both can require significant time, labor, unique technical equipment, and a specialized skillset to perform. As an alternative, we propose an image-based approach that uses a relatively inexpensive multispectral sensor designed for unmanned aerial vehicles to measure and quantify surface reflectance from glufosinate-treated leaf disks. Leaf disks were excised from a glufosinate-resistant and glufosinate-susceptible corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] varieties and placed into a 24-well plate containing eight different concentrations (0 to 10 mM) of glufosinate for 48 h. Multispectral images were collected after the 48-h incubation period across five discrete wave bands: blue (475 to 507 nm), green (560 to 587 nm), red (668to 682 nm), red edge (717 to 729 nm), and near infrared (842 to 899 nm). The green leaf index (GLI; a metric to measure chlorophyll content) was utilized to determine relationships between measured reflectance from the tested wave bands from the treated leaf disks and the glufosinate concentration. Clear differences of spectral reflectance were observed between the corn, cotton, and soybean leaf disks of the glufosinate-resistant and glufosinate-susceptible varieties at the 10 mM concentration for select wave bands and GLI. Leaf disks from two additional glufosinate-resistant and glufosinate-susceptible varieties of each crop were subjected to a similar assay with two concentrations: 0 and 10 mM. No differences of spectral reflectance were observed from the corn and soybean varieties in all wave bands and the GLI. The leaf disks of the glufosinate-resistant and glufosinate-susceptible cotton varieties were spectrally distinct in the green, blue, and red-edge wave bands. The results provide a basis for rapidly detecting glufosinate-resistant plants via spectral reflectance. Future research will need to determine the glufosinate concentrations, useful wave bands, and susceptible/resistant thresholds for weeds that evolve resistance.

The current assays to confirm herbicide resistance can be time- and labor-intensive (dose–response) or require a skill set/technical equipment (genetic sequencing). Stakeholders could benefit from a rapid assay to confirm herbicide-resistant weeds to ensure sustainable crop production. Because protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides rapidly interfere with chlorophyll production/integrity; we propose a new, rapid assay utilizing spectral reflectance to confirm resistance. Leaf disks were excised from two PPO-inhibiting herbicide-resistant (target-site [TSR] and non–target site [NTSR]) and herbicide-susceptible redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) populations and placed into a 24-well plate containing different concentrations (0 to 10 mM) of fomesafen for 48 h. A multispectral sensor captured images from the red (668 nm), green (560 nm), blue (475 nm), and red edge (717 nm) wavebands after a 48-h incubation period. The green leaf index (GLI) was utilized to determine spectral reflectance ratios of the treated leaf disks. Clear differences of spectral reflectance were observed in the red edge waveband for all populations treated with the 10 mM concentration in the dose–response assays. Differences of spectral reflectance were observed for the NTSR population compared with the TSR and susceptible populations treated with the 10 mM concentration in the green waveband and the GLI in the dose–response assay. Leaf disks from the aforementioned A. retroflexus populations and two additional susceptible populations were subjected to a similar assay with the discriminating concentration (10 mM). Spectral reflectance was different between the PPO-inhibiting herbicide-resistant and herbicide-susceptible populations in the red, blue, and green wavebands. Spectral reflectance was not distinctive between the populations in the red edge waveband and the GLI. The results provide a basis for rapidly (∼48 h) detecting PPO-inhibiting herbicide-resistant A. retroflexus via spectral reflectance. Discrimination between TSR and NTSR populations was possible only in the dose–response assay, but the assay still has utility in distinguishing herbicide-resistant plants from herbicide-susceptible plants.

In modern agriculture, weed problems are predicted to worsen and become more complicated as a result of increasing invasiveness, herbicide resistance, and emphasis on high-input methods. Weeds cause huge economic yield losses that range from US$100 million to US$26 billion globally. The knowledge of weed science has offered success in the past through effective, reasonably priced, and secure technologies; specifically, synthetic herbicides to effectively control weeds in agroecosystems. Weed science is accepted and adopted by many universities with teaching, research, and/or extension programs in agriculture. Globally, approximately 7% of all the universities offering agricultural education have dedicated weed science departments focusing on weed biology, ecology, and management. Some universities also offer weed science degree programs or at least certain courses in their degrees related to associated disciplines, such as plant protection, agronomy, and ecology. Although substantial advances have been made in weed science, such as a separate weed science discipline, specialized journals, and specific weed science societies and conferences worldwide, many constraints (e.g., lack of trained weed scientists) and barriers to adoption of new weed science technologies remain. Slow modernization in weed science research and low funding has slowed the progress of this discipline. New curricula in the weed science discipline should focus on the role of biochemistry, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, and genetics in weed science research.

Mitotic-inhibiting herbicides, like prodiamine and dithiopyr, are used to control annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) preemergence in managed turfgrass; however, resistance to mitotic-inhibiting herbicides has evolved due to repeated applications of herbicide from a single mechanism of action. Three suspected resistant populations (R1, R2, and R3) were collected in Alabama and Florida and screened for resistance to prodiamine. Part of the α-tubulin gene was sequenced for known target-site mutations. Target-site mutations were reported in all three R populations, with each containing an amino acid substitution at position 239 from threonine to isoleucine (Thr-239-Ile). Previous research has indicated that the Thr-239-Ile mutation confers resistance to dinitroaniline herbicides in other species. Dose–response screens using prodiamine and dithiopyr were conducted and I50 values were calculated for R1, R2, and R3 using regression models based on seedling emergence. For prodiamine, I50 values for R1, R2, and R3 were 35.3, 502.7, and 91.5 g ai ha−1, respectively, resulting in 2.9-, 41.9-, and 7.6-fold resistance, respectively, when compared with a susceptible (S) population. For dithiopyr, I50 values for R1, R2, and R3 were 154.0, 114.2, and 190.1 g ai ha−1, respectively, resulting in 3.6-, 2.7-, and 4.5-fold resistance, respectively, when compared with an S population. When comparing I90 values with the highest labeled use rates, R2 had a 2.9-fold level of resistance to prodiamine, and R1, R2, and R3 had a 2.4-, 2.0-, and 3.2-fold levels of resistance to dithiopyr, respectively. This is the first report of a variable response in P. annua to prodiamine despite each R population possessing the same mutation.

Weeds are a fundamental component of agroecosystems and, if not appropriately managed, can cause severe crop yield losses. New perspectives on weed management are required, because current approaches, such as herbicide application or soil tillage, have significant environmental and agronomic drawbacks. We propose the concept of “neutral weed communities,” which are weed communities that coexist with crops and do not negatively affect crop yield and quality compared with weed-free conditions. Management practices that promote neutral weed communities can enable reduced use of herbicides and soil tillage while enhancing ecosystem services and biodiversity. We report scientific evidence of neutral weed communities and survey ecological explanations for why different weed communities have different effects on crop production. We also propose two weed management approaches for attaining neutral weed communities. The first approach aims to maximize weed biodiversity using traditional approaches such as cropping system diversification and integrated weed management. Higher weed biodiversity is associated with lower dominance of competitive weed species that reduce crop yield. The second approach relies on modern tools such as robots and biotechnology to manipulate the density of specific weed species. This approach can remove highly problematic species and minimize niche overlap between the weeds and crops. Given the complexity of interactions among crops, weeds, and other components of the agroecosystem, we highlight the need for multidisciplinary research to illuminate mechanisms that determine the neutrality of weed communities.

Horseweed [Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist] grows in one of two distinct growth phenotypes, “rosette” and “upright” growth types, and they have recently been observed co-occurring in Michigan fields. Previous research found that upright plants from two glyphosate-resistant populations were 3- and 4-fold less sensitive to glyphosate than their rosette siblings. Further experiments were conducted to investigate whether differential glyphosate sensitivity of the growth types was due to glyphosate retention, absorption, or translocation. The total amount of glyphosate retained on the C. canadensis leaf surface was similar for both growth types; however, on a per-weight and per-area bases, the upright growth type retained 21% and 18% less glyphosate, respectively. Glyphosate absorption was up to 85% at 168 h after treatment (HAT), and was not different between the rosette and upright growth types or between the susceptible (S) and resistant (R) biotypes. Additionally, there was no difference in translocation between the two growth types within each biotype at any time point. Interestingly, at 168 HAT, [14C]glyphosate translocation was higher in the S rosette compared with the two growth types from the R biotype; however, the S upright type was similar to both R growth types. Thus, glyphosate resistance in the R biotype may be due to an alternative mechanism rather than impaired translocation, which has been cited as the primary mechanism of glyphosate resistance in C. canadensis. These results suggest that reduced glyphosate retention on a per-weight and per-area bases of the upright growth type may contribute to increased glyphosate tolerance due to a diluted concentration of glyphosate in the plant. However, another factor is likely related to the mechanism of resistance within the R biotype, which is contributing to a 3-fold difference in glyphosate sensitivity between the two growth types, such as alterations in EPSPS gene expression or changes in undescribed metabolism genes.

Site-specific weed management (on the scale of a few meters or less) has the potential to greatly reduce pesticide use and its associated environmental and economic costs. A prerequisite for site-specific weed management is the availability of accurate maps of the weed population that can be generated quickly and cheaply. Improvements and cost reductions in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and camera technology mean these tools are now readily available for agricultural use. We used UAVs to collect aerial images captured in both RGB and multispectral formats of 12 cereal fields (wheat [Triticum aestivum L.] and barley [Hordeum vulgare L.]) across eastern England. These data were used to train machine learning models to generate prediction maps of locations of black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.), a prolific weed in UK cereal fields. We tested machine learning and data set resampling methods to obtain the most accurate system for predicting the presence and absence of weeds in new out-of-sample fields. The accuracy of the system in predicting the absence of A. myosuroides is 69% and its presence above 5 g in weight with 77% accuracy in new out-of-sample fields. This system generates prediction maps that can be used by either agricultural machinery or autonomous robotic platforms for precision weed management. Improvements to the accuracy can be made by increasing the number of fields and samples in the data set and the length of time over which data are collected to gather data across the entire growing season.