Many Italian ryegrass populations in Oregon are resistant to more than one
herbicide; therefore, the resistance patterns of these populations must be
determined to identify alternative herbicides for management. Two suspected
resistant Italian ryegrass populations (R2 and R4) survived flufenacet plus
metribuzin applications under typical winter wheat production conditions.
Populations R2 and R4 were resistant to clethodim, pinoxaden, quizalofop,
mesosulfuron-methyl, flufenacet, but not to acetochlor, dimethenamid-p,
metolachlor, pyroxasulfone, imazapyr, sulfometuron, or glyphosate. R4 was
resistant to diuron, but R2 was not. The estimated flufenacet doses required
for 50% growth reduction (GR50) were 438 g ai ha−1
(R2) and 308 g ai ha−1 (R4). Both populations were controlled by
pyroxasulfone at rates greater than 15 g ai ha−1. An Asp-2078-Gly
substitution in the ACCase gene was found in both populations, while an
Ile-2041-Asn was found only in the R4 population. A Ser-264-Gly substitution
in psbA gene was found in the R4 population. These
mutations previously have been reported to provide resistance to ACCase and
photosynthetic inhibitors, respectively. No resistance mutations were
identified in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene of either population. The
addition of the P450 inhibitor, chlorpyrifos, increased the injury resulting
from mesosulfuron-methyl on both resistant populations providing indirect
evidence that the ALS resistance may be metabolic. Multiple
herbicide-resistant Italian ryegrass populations were identified in this
study with both target site and nontarget site based mechanisms likely
involved. However, several herbicides were identified including
pyroxasulfone, a herbicide in the same group as flufenacet, which could be
used to control these two populations.