Annual cycles of germinability and differences between primary and secondary dormancy in buried seeds of Echinochloa crus-galli

The seasonal changes in percentage of dormant seeds of Echinochloa crus-galli in the field were recorded for 4 years. The lots of seeds were wrapped in nylon fabric, buried 20 cm under the grass sward and exhumed at monthly intervals. The proportion of seeds germinating under light conditions at a constant temperature of 25 °C fluctuated between 0% and 96%, with maxima in May–July and minima in September–November. Small between-year differences in the course of summer dormancy induction and its winter termination were probably caused by variation of weather conditions.
Attributes of dormancy innate to seeds after maturation (primary dormancy) and dormancy induced in buried seeds during the summer (secondary dormancy) were compared by investigating the rate of dormancy termination during storage of (a) dry seeds at 25 °C, (b) imbibed seeds at 5°C and (c) in seeds buried under field conditions during October–June. Percentage of germination increased faster in secondary than primary dormant seeds at both constant 25 °C and 5 °C. The seeds with primary and secondary dormancy also differed in the response to `germination pre-treatment', a 10-day exposure of imbibed seeds at 25 °C that causes germination of the non-dormant fraction of seed materials. After this treatment the time to resuming germination in primary dormant seeds was substantially increased, whereas the secondary dormant seeds were much less affected. Annual variation in the proportion of germinable seeds explains the low efficiency of autumn soil cultivation for decreasing reserves of E. crus-galli seeds in the soil.     

Effect of δ-aminolevulinic acid on the herbicidal efficacy of foliar-applied MTB-951, a mycoherbicide to control Echinochloa crus-galli L.

The conidia of a plant pathogen ( Drechslera monoceras [Drechsler] Subram. et Jain [=  Exserohilum monoceras [Drechsler] Leonard et Suggs]), MTB-951, which was isolated from native Echinochloa species in Japan, were used as the herbicidal active ingredient. The effects of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) on the efficacy of foliar-applied MTB-951 on Echinochloa crus-galli L. were examined. First, foliar-applied MTB-951 exhibited almost no efficacy when no dew period was provided. However, the efficacy increased depending on the length of the dew period. MTB-951 and ALA exhibited an additive effect on E. crus-galli under 3 day dew conditions, although they exhibited a significant synergistic effect under no-dew conditions. When the leaves of E. crus-galli were immersed in deionized water containing the conidia of MTB-951, cellular electrolyte leakage from the leaves was observed. The ALA increased the electrolyte leakage by MTB-951 synergistically. Also, ALA increased the number of lesions on the leaves of E. crus-galli caused by MTB-951 under light conditions but failed to increase the number under dark conditions. These results suggest that ALA promotes infection with MTB-951 for E. crus-galli through its photodynamic action.     

Strategy of Echinochloa oryzicola Vasing. for survival in flooded rice

Echinochloa oryzicola Vasing. (= Echinochloa phyllopogon Stapf ex Kessenko) is an obligate weed with an elaborated survival strategy in the flooded rice of Japan. In this review various adaptive characters of the weed, which comprise the survival strategy, are discussed through the life cycle. The weed is distributed only in flooded rice. Seeds (spikelets) buried in the soil exhibit annual cycles between dormant and non‐dormant state, and non‐dormant seeds recurrently appear in spring when rice growers start to prepare seedling beds and fields for rice transplanting. The non‐dormant seeds have unique characters metabolically adapted to submerged conditions to germinate and grow by the anaerobic respiration through alcohol fermentation. The weed has seemingly perfect mimicry of the rice plants throughout its development from seedling to heading, by which the weed escapes from manual weeding. In a rice paddy, the weed starts heading coincidentally with the rice plants at the period when the growers are reluctant to walk in the rice paddy to weed. Irrespective of plant height of the rice cultivar, the weed develops a few upper leaves above the rice canopy during the heading period of rice. This phenotypic plasticity of E. oryzicola in plant height is one of the characters conferring its competitive aggressiveness in flooded rice. When weeding is begun again after heading, the dormant weed seeds escape weeding by shattering and join the soil seedbank. The dormant seeds express the gene of an enzyme catalyzing ATP synthesis through the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation more abundantly, and have larger oxygen absorption and enzyme activity of the aerobic respiration than the non‐dormant seeds, suggesting that the dormant seeds maintain viability by the conventional aerobic respiration in the paddy soil drained from rice harvesting in fall to the next early spring. The various adaptive characters comprising the survival strategy of E. oryzicola in flooded rice consist of those inherited from the wild progenitor and those selected by the crop cultivation pressure. It is suggested that both the mimicry of the weed and the heading coincident with the rice plants have been acquired by the large selection pressure of frequent weeding, which has been done over the past hundred years. However, today, the manual weeding is substituted with herbicides, which cannot detect the mimicry and heading photoperiodic sensitivity. As a result, the dominant species of Echinochloa weeds in flooded rice is changing from E. oryzicola to Echinochloa crus‐galli var. crus‐galli that has neither mimicry nor photoperiodic sensitivity synchronizing to that of rice, but is more competitive against rice.     

Molecular identification of Echinochloa oryzicola Vasing. and E. crus-galli (L.) Beauv. using a polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism technique

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques were applied for establishing the reliable practice in identification of Echinochloa oryzicola Vasing. and E. crus-galli (L.) Beauv. (barnyardgrass). Total DNA was extracted from 18 accessions and 86 individuals of E. oryzicola , 33 accessions and 140 individuals of E. crus-galli var. crus-galli , 23 individuals of E. crus-galli var. praticola , and six individuals of E. crus-galli var. formosensis that were collected from Japan. A partial region of intergenetic spacer between trn T and trn L, and an intron of trn L were amplified separately using a trn-a and trn-b1 primer set, and a trn-c and trn-d primer set, respectively. All individuals of E. oryzicola showed the same fragment amplified by the trn-a and trn-b1 primer set. The fragment was 481 bp in length, and was undigested by Eco R I, whereas all individuals of E. crus-galli , including three botanical varieties, showed the same fragment with a 449-bp length. The fragment was digested by Eco R I into two fragments (178 and 271 bp). The fragment amplified by the trn-c and trn-d primer set in all individuals of E. oryzicola was digested by Alu I into two fragments (174 and 452 bp), but undigested by Dra I. In contrast, the fragment amplified by the trn-c and trn-d primer set in all individuals of E. crus-galli was digested by Dra I into two fragments (134 and 487 bp), but undigested by Alu I. There was no intraspecific variation in these regions; thus, these two species are easily identifiable by using our method.     

Effects of lodging of Echinochloa crus-galli L. on the herbicidal efficacy of MTB-951, a mycoherbicide using Drechslera monoceras (Drechsler) Subram. et Jain (= Exserohilum monoceras [Drechsler] Leonard et Suggs)

MTB-951 is a plant pathogen ( Drechslera monoceras ), which was isolated from native Echinochloa spp. in Japan. The conidia of this pathogen were used as the herbicidal active ingredient to control Echinochloa crus-galli L. The herbicidal efficacy of MTB-951 on E. crus-galli was drastically increased with an increasing water depth of between 1 and 10 cm. The efficacy also was increased when shoots were lodged by pushing down on them with a stainless steel net so that all parts of the weed were submerged. These results suggest that the contact area of the leaf surface of E. crus-galli with water is important for infection and that lodging the shoots of E. crus-galli might be effective in increasing the herbicidal efficacy. In order to find other methods to lodge the weed, we investigated several materials, of which diisononyl phthalate (DINP) was found to be the most effective. Using this material as a model, the effect of lodging on the herbicidal efficacy of MTB-951 was examined. The lodging ratio (ratio of the number of the plants lodged on the water surface to that of the total plants) was increased with an increased amount of DINP, between 0.5 and 8 kg ha⁻¹. The herbicidal efficacy of MTB-951 also was increased by DINP and a positive correlation was observed between the lodging ratio and herbicidal efficacy. These results indicate that lodging, which can increase the contact area between the leaf surface and water, enhances the herbicidal efficacy of MTB-951.     

Influence of water management, application timing and temperature on efficacy of MTB-951, a mycoherbicide using Drechslera monoceras to control Echinochloa crus-galli L.

MTB-951 is a potential mycoherbicide using a fungal plant pathogen ( Drechslera monoceras ) isolated from native Echinochloa species in Japan. Conidia of this pathogen were used as the active ingredient and its herbicidal performance was examined in a greenhouse. The efficacy of MTB-951 on Echinochloa crus-galli L. was higher in deep water (7–9 cm) than in relatively shallow water (3–5 cm). In a postemergence application, the efficacy decreased as the leaf stage of E. crus-galli proceeded between the 1 and 2.5 leaf stage. For example, the control ratio (%) of E. crus-galli was 95% when applied at the 1 leaf stage, and 72% at the 2.5 leaf stage in 5 cm water. Generally, mycoherbicidal efficacy was less when applied pre-emergence rather than postemergence. Efficacy was also influenced by the duration of submergence in deep water. For example, when water depth was kept at 5 cm for more than 7 days after application and then decreased down to 3 cm, the efficacy was high. However, when the water depth was kept at 5 cm for less than 7 days, the efficacy was low. Efficacy was lower under high temperatures (35°C/25°C, day/night) than under low temperatures (25°C/15°C, day/night). Water management, application timing and temperature are important factors on herbicidal efficacy of MTB-951 to control E. crus-galli .     

Herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in global rice production

Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.), an annual species of the family Poaceae, is a major weed problem in rice-producing countries throughout the globe. Synthetic herbicides can effectively control this grass in rice paddies, but the development of resistant biotypes after the continuous use of the same active ingredients has led to low herbicide efficacy and yield losses. In this review, a summary of resistant-barnyardgrass cases in global rice production is reported based on data from the International Herbicide-Resistant Weed Database. The first case of resistant barnyardgrass in rice paddies was to the photosystem-II inhibitor propanil in the late 1980s. Eighty-five (85) out of 116 cases in the period from 1986 to 2022 refer to resistant barnyardgrass (E. crus-galli var. crus-galli, E. crus-galli var. formosensis and E. crus-galli var. zelayensis) in 16 countries. Barnyardgrass has been found resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors (34 cases), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors (23 cases), photosystem-II inhibitors (11 cases), auxin mimics/cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors (9 cases), very long chain fatty acid inhibitors (6 cases), and microtubule assembly inhibitors (1 case). The majority of all resistance cases reported to the active ingredients penoxsulam, bispyribac-sodium, and imazamox (ALS inhibitors), cyhalofop-butyl and fenoxaprop-ethyl (ACCase inhibitors), propanil (photosystem-II inhibitors), and quinclorac (auxin mimics/cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors). Although target-site resistance with specific mutations has been identified, non-target site resistance mainly through herbicide detoxification is also of great concern increasing the chance of multiple herbicide resistance evolution. Rotation of herbicides should be adopted concerning the modes of action used as well as the application methods to mitigate resistance evolution of this weed in rice paddies.     

Weed-suppressing rice cultivars – does allelopathy play a role?

A range of 111 rice cultivars was studied for weed-suppressing ability in field experiments with a sown infestation of Echinochloa crus-galli. Cultivars differed significantly in their ability to suppress the growth of E. crus-galli , and the differences were reasonably reproducible over three seasons. The same rice cultivars were tested in a laboratory screening for allelopathic potential, which showed significant differences in the ability to reduce root growth of E. crus-galli . Correlation between the laboratory screening and the field experiments showed that field performance could be described to some extent by E. crus-galli root length reduction in the laboratory. Plant height in the field experiment was correlated with weed biomass 8 weeks after seeding. Even among the most weed-suppressing rice cultivars, however, all heights were represented. None of the measured growth parameters from greenhouse studies could explain the distribution of weed-suppressing rice cultivars. This indicates that allelopathy in combination with competitive ability determines the weed interference outcome of a given rice cultivar.     

Physiochemical factors affecting the salt tolerance of Echinochloa crus-galli Beauv. var. formosensis Ohwi

The effects of NaCl-induced stress on physiochemical factors such as inorganic cations, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) and polyamines were investigated in the gramineous weed, Echinochloa crus-galli Beauv. var. formosensis Ohwi ( E. crus-galli ) and rice ( Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare). Growth inhibition at the 2nd leaf stage under salt stress was more severe in rice than in E. crus-galli . Water content in the 2nd leaves was also more severely decreased in rice, indicating that E. crus-galli was more salt-tolerant. After NaCl treatment, Na⁺ accumulated in the 2nd leaves of both plant species but not in their roots. Proline accumulation in the 2nd leaves was significantly higher in salt stressed E. crus-galli than in rice, suggesting the significance of proline production in the salt tolerance of this weed. Content of MDA of the rice increased more greatly with NaCl treatment than that in E. crus-galli . NaCl treatment affected polyamine metabolism of both plant species, but the response of each plant to salt stress was somewhat different, especially in the leaves. Leaf putrescine and spermidine contents were high in non-stressed plants in salt-sensitive rice, although rather lower in E. crus-galli in response to NaCl concentrations. These results indicate that an increase in proline and changes in polyamines relates to the salt tolerance of E. crus-galli .     

Differential gene expression of the α-chain of mitochondrial H+-transporting ATP synthase between dormant and non-dormant seeds of paddy Echinochloa weeds

Gene expression was compared under favorable germination conditions between dormant and non-dormant seeds of rice paddy Echinochloa weeds and a domesticated Echinochloa species lacking dormancy. Two dormancy-specific cDNAs, Ecd1 and Ecd2 , were identified by differential display. Northern blot analysis revealed that these genes were more strongly expressed in dormant seeds than in non-dormant seeds. A database search for the Ecd1 sequence revealed no significant homology with any known proteins, but the Ecd2 sequence was highly homologous with the α-chain of mitochondrial H⁺-transporting adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase in rice ( Oryza sativa L.). These findings indicate that the gene encoding the enzyme associated with conventional aerobic respiration is more abundantly transcribed in dormant seeds. The results reported in the present study suggest that dormant seeds of paddy Echinochloa weeds, which appear during the period when paddy soil becomes aerobic by drainage, may maintain viability primarily by efficient conventional aerobic respiration, including ATP synthesis catalyzed by the mitochondrial H⁺-transporting ATP synthase.     

宁波沿海地区水稻田稗草发生量及对丙草胺、丁草胺的抗药性检测—以6个样点为例

为研究宁波沿海地区水稻田稗草发生量及对丙草胺和丁草胺的抗药性,本研究以宁波沿海地区土壤盐碱化、碱化和非盐碱化稻田的稗草及土壤中稗草种子库密度为研究对象,通过连续3年的大田试验及室内抗药性分析,研究稗草草相及土壤中稗草种子库密度变化,并对稗草的抗药性进行了分析。结果表明,在调查周期内,宁波沿海的盐碱化稻田稗草发生密度为16.23株/m2,显著高于土壤碱化和非盐碱化稻田中的11.70株/m2和10.10株/m2。盐碱化稻田稗草种子库密度为19 169.17粒/m2,高于土壤碱化稻田的17 224.83粒/m2,并显著高于非盐碱稻田的15 411.33粒/m2。在庵东镇和大徐镇的盐碱稻田中,稗草对丙草胺和丁草胺的相对抗药性指数(RI)分别从调查初始期的4.51和2.88上升至调查末期的5.52和6.14,达到中抗水平;而在土壤碱化稻田和非盐碱稻田中,稗草对丙草胺和丁草胺的RI均维持在相对较低的水平,调查周期内介于1.00~2.33之间,处于低抗水平。因此,在该地区的水稻生产过程中,应尽量改善土质,以控制稗草种群规模、延缓抗药性的产生。     

Effects of oxadiargyl on direct-seeded rice and Echinochloa crus-galli under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Dose–response experiments were conducted in glasshouse pot experiments to investigate the selectivity of oxadiargyl, a recently introduced herbicide, in direct‐seeded rice under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Crop sensitivity to oxadiargyl was comparatively greater for wet‐seeded (anaerobic) than for dry‐seeded rice (aerobic). Likewise, greater efficacy against Echinochloa crus‐galli (L.) was also observed under anaerobic conditions. These results indicate greater activity of oxadiargyl under anaerobic conditions, but that application pre‐sowing with subsequent flooding would reduce selectivity in wet‐seeded rice. The results are discussed in relation to rice production in Mediterranean agriculture.     

Effect of temperature on herbicidal properties of MTB-951, a mycoherbicide to control Echinochloa crus-galli L.

MTB-951 is a potential mycoherbicide using a fungal plant pathogen ( Drechslera monoceras ) isolated from native Echinochloa species in Japan. Conidia of this pathogen were used as the active ingredient and the effect of temperature on its properties was examined in a laboratory. The optimum temperature for conidium germination was broad between 15 and 35°C and no difference in the germination ratio existed within this temperature range. Mycelial growth was the fastest at 25°C but was slower outside of the range 15–35°C. When leaves of Echinochloa crus-galli L. were immersed in deionized water containing the conidia, cellular electrolyte leakage from the leaves was observed. However, no electrolyte leakage occurred from leaves of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) under the same conditions. The occurrence of electrolyte leakage from E. crus-galli was dependent on the temperature and was the highest at 25°C. Herbicidal activity of MTB-951 against E. crus-galli was high between 25°C and 30°C, but decreased at 35°C in a glass vessel. In the present study, it was revealed that the physiological and herbicidal properties of MTB-951 depended on the temperature.     

牡丹皮提取物除草活性初步研究

为明确牡丹皮(Cortex Moutan Radicis)的除草活性并初步探索其活性成分分离条件,采用平皿法、土壤喷雾法及茎叶喷雾法测定了牡丹皮不同极性溶剂萃取物对反枝苋Amaranthus retroflexus和稗Echinochloa crus-galli的除草活性。平皿法测定结果显示,在1 mg/mL浓度下,牡丹皮正丁醇萃取物的除草活性最强,对反枝苋幼根和幼茎的抑制率分别为67.88%和65.71%,对稗草幼根和幼茎的抑制率分别为68.72%和71.32%;毒力测定结果表明,牡丹皮正丁醇萃取物对反枝苋幼根和幼茎的IC₅₀分别为12.28 mg/L和19.67 mg/L,对稗草幼根和幼茎的IC₅₀分别为43.35 mg/L和72.79 mg/L。土壤喷雾法和茎叶喷雾法测定结果显示,在5 mg/mL浓度下,牡丹皮正丁醇萃取物对反枝苋和稗草的鲜重抑制率最高,其中土壤喷雾法对反枝苋和稗草的鲜重抑制率分别为81.43%和83.18%;茎叶喷雾法对两种杂草的鲜重抑制率分别为80.83%和83.65%。由此可见,牡丹皮的除草活性成分主要集中在正丁醇...     

Herbage mass, nutritive value and palatability of five grass weeds for cattle in the northern Tohoku region in Japan

The objective of this grazing study was to determine the herbage mass, nutritive value and palatability of five grass weed species ( Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn, Paspalum thunbergii Kunth, Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koeler, Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv. and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. var. crus-galli ) as feeds compared with six forage cultivars ( Lolium perenne L., two Lolium multiflorum cultivars and three Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. cultivars). The herbage mass of weed species, with the exception of S. glauca , was most prevalent in August. The total amounts of herbage mass of weed species (except E. indica ) were close to those of the Lolium cultivars, but lower than those of the E. crus-galli cultivars. During the summer, weed species (except E. crus-galli var. crus-galli ) contained favorable levels of total digestible nutrients (TDN), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and mineral contents, and exhibited adequate calcium (Ca):phosphorus (P) ratios of 1:2. All weed species had the recommended ratios of potassium (K):(Ca + [magnesium] Mg) < 2.2:1. By autumn, the summertime levels of nutritive values (TDN, CP, ADF and NDF) in the weed species had severely deteriorated, in contrast with those of the forage cultivars. However, they maintained satisfactory mineral content levels and Ca:P and K:(Ca + Mg) ratios (with the exception of E. indica with poor Ca:P ratios and E. crus-galli var. crus-galli with poor P content and Ca:P ratios). All weed species were acceptable to cattle, although there were some differences in palatability among the species.     

A molecular phylogeny of wild and cultivated Echinochloa in East Asia inferred from non-coding region sequences of trnT-L-F

The phylogenetic relationship among 30 accessions belonging to nine species of the genus Echinochloa Beauv. was studied on the basis of the sequence of three non-coding regions ( trn T-L, trn L-F intergenic spacers, and trn L intron) of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA). A strict consensus parsimonious tree of the three most parsimonious trees derived from 25 polymorphic sites (six indels and 19 substitutions) in the total sequences, ranging from 1715–1760 bp, represented five groups: (i) Echinochloa oryzicola Vasing. and Echinochloa stagnina Beauv. from Thailand; (ii) Echinochloa crus-galli Beauv. complex; (iii) Echinochloa crus-pavonis Schult; (iv) Echinochloa colonum Link. and Echinochloa frumentacea Link.; and (v) the African species, Echinochloa obtusiflora Stapf and Echinochloa stagnina . Japanese barnyard millet ( Echinochloa esculenta H. Scholz) and various weedy varieties of E. crus-galli and Echinochloa oryzoides Fritsch had quite similar sequences and formed the E. crus-galli complex, which was characterized by six substitutions. A cultivated form of E. oryzicola (Mosuo barnyard millet) and various morphological and agronomical forms of E. oryzicola were characterized by two indels. Indian barnyard millet ( E. frumentacea ) and its wild counterpart ( E. colonum ) were characterized by five substitutions. Domestication as millets and adaptation to paddy environments as mimic weeds might occur after the divergence of species in the Asian Echinochloa .     

稗草生防菌新月弯孢菌Culvularia lunata菌株J15(2)的安全性和致病力

为了确定生防菌新月弯孢菌Culvularia lunata菌株J15(2)的安全性及防除稗草的潜力,研究了该菌株的寄主范围,接种孢子时稗草叶龄、接种后保湿时间、接种浓度对该菌株致病力的影响,土壤带菌对稗草出苗的影响,以及与化学除草剂的相互作用.结果显示,菌株J15(2)只能在稗草上侵染并扩展;接种孢子后保湿24 h,对2叶期稗草抑制率可达55.6%,对1.5叶期稗草抑制率可达100%;保&48h,对2叶期稗草防效提高至91.6%;接种孢子量需达1012孢子/hm2才能较好地抑制稗草生长;土壤带菌亦可抑制稗草生长.该菌与化学除草剂精噁唑禾草灵或二氯喹啉酸混用能显著提高除稗效果,菌株J15(2) 3.3 × 1012孢子//hm2分别与精噁唑禾草灵有效剂量3.83g/hm2二氯喹啉酸有效剂量250.00g/hm2混用,对稗草防效分别为99.5%和88.6%,远高于这两个除草剂单用时的药效.该试验结果表明,菌株J15(2)具有作为微生物除草剂的开发潜力.     

Effects of crop management practices on Echinochloa crus-galli and Chenopodium album seed production in a maize/soyabean rotation

Seed production of residual weed populations needs to be taken into account when estimating the long-term impact of low-input agronomic practices. The objective of this study was to measure the effects and interactions of crop, weed control, tillage practice and nutrient source on the seed production of the dominant residual weed species in a maize/soyabean rotation at two sites: Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. on a Sainte-Rosalie clay and Chenopodium album L. on a Duravin clay loam. Seed production per unit area was estimated in each experimental unit. Weed seed production was greater under mechanical weed control compared with chemical weed control. In 1997, E. crus-galli seed production reached over 326 000 seeds m^–2 in mechanical weed control treatments, but averaged less than 500 seeds m^–2 in the chemical weed control treatments. Chenopodium album produced in the range of 766 000 and 73 000 seeds m^–2 in mechanical and chemical weed control treatments respectively. Very few or no weed seeds were produced in soyabean under chemical control. Tillage intensity and nutrient source did not affect seed production of either weed species, with the exception that E. crus-galli produced more seeds in chisel than in mouldboard plough tillage in soyabean. Weed control method had more impact on seed production than tillage intensity and nutrient source in a maize/soyabean rotation.     

Role of underground parts of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. var. formosensis Ohwi) in its sensitivity to thenylchlor in soil

In the present study, the phytotoxic activity of top-soil applied with thenylchlor [2-chloro- N -(3-methoxy-2-thieny)-2',6'-dimethylacetanilide] on the growth of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) was dependent on the emergence depth in soil but its activity on barnyardgrass ( Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. var. formosensis Ohwi) was only slightly affected by the emergence depth. However, the phytotoxic activity on barnyardgrass and rice was similar irrespective of the different emergence depths in its treatment to all soil layers. Thenylchlor treatment to the mesocotyl of barnyardgrass induced significant inhibition of shoot elongation, whereas the treatment to the coronal root only inhibited the coronal elongation without inhibiting shoot elongation. Absorption and translocation of ¹⁴C-thenylchlor in barnyardgrass were determined in water culture. The different amounts of radioactivity per plant among the treatments to the underground parts were due to the plant part that came in contact with ¹⁴C-thenylchlor. The radioactivity per dry weight was found to be higher in the basal part of the shoot than in its upper part in all treatments to the underground parts. It was suggested that the phytotoxic activity of thenylchlor on the growth of barnyardgrass in soil is induced by its accumulation in the basal part of the shoot through translocation. This primarily occurs after the absorption substantially by the mesocotyl from the herbicide-treated layer and additionally by other underground parts.     

Can rice genetic diversity reduce Echinochloa crus‐galli infestation?

Pot and field experiments were conducted to test whether rice genetic diversity can reduce Echinochloa crus-galli infestation through rice variety mixed-plantings. Two weed-suppressive rice ( Oryza sativa ) varieties, Guodao No. 1 (GD) and PI312777 (PI), and three non-suppressive varieties, Xiushui No. 63 (XS), Zhongjian No. 2 (ZJ) and Chunjiang No. 016 (CJ) were used. Monocultures (GD, PI, XS, ZJ and CJ), two-variety mixtures (GD + XS, GD + ZJ, GD + CJ, PI + XS, PI + ZJ, PI + CJ) and three-variety mixtures (GD + PI + XS, GD + PI + ZJ and GD + PI + CJ) were tested. Effects of herbicide on rice grain yield of non-suppressive varieties were compared between monocultures and mixtures. Pot experiment showed that E. crus-galli germination rate in all mixed-planting except CJ + PI, and E. crus-galli biomass in mixed-planting with GD decreased compared with monocultures. In a field experiment, E. crus-galli density decreased in all mixed-planting models of XS and CJ and ZJ + GD. Echinochloa crus-galli biomass reduction was found in XS + GD, XS + GD + PI, ZJ + GD and CJ + GD. Rice grain yield increased in XS + GD, ZJ + GD, CJ + GD, CJ + PI and CJ + GD + PI. Rice grain yields of non-suppressive varieties under mixtures without herbicides were lower than that in monoculture with full herbicide, but were not significantly different from monocultures with half rate herbicide. Moreover, rice yields of ZJ and CJ under mixtures with half rate herbicides did not decrease compared with monocultures with full rates. The results suggested that rice genetic diversity could reduce E. crus-galli infestation and herbicide utilisation through rice variety mixed-planting.