Molecular cytogenetics to characterize mechanisms of gene duplication in pesticide resistance

Recent advances in molecular cytogenetics empower construction of physical maps to illustrate the precise position of genetic loci on the chromosomes. Such maps provide visible information about the position of DNA sequences, including the distribution of repetitive sequences on the chromosomes. This is an important step toward unraveling the genetic mechanisms implicated in chromosomal aberrations (e.g., gene duplication). In response to stress, such as pesticide selection, duplicated genes provide an immediate adaptive advantage to organisms that overcome unfavorable conditions. Although the significance of gene duplication as one of the important events driving genetic diversity has been reported, the precise mechanisms of gene duplication that contribute to pesticide resistance, especially to herbicides, are elusive. With particular reference to pesticide resistance, we discuss the prospects of application of molecular cytogenetic tools to uncover mechanism(s) of gene duplication, and illustrate hypothetical models that predict the evolutionary basis of gene duplication. The cytogenetic basis of duplicated genes, their stability, as well as the magnitude of selection pressure, can determine the dynamics of the genetic locus (loci) conferring pesticide resistance not only at the population level, but also at the individual level. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

高粱田除草剂种类及施药方法筛选试验初报

为了筛选高效的高粱除草剂和适合的施药方式, 我们进行了高粱田间杂草化学防除药剂及施药方法筛选试验, 通过除草效果、产量和收益分析, 初步认为:施药方法上土壤封闭明显优于茎叶处理。土壤封闭剂中, 42%丁·异·莠去津SC、42%异丙草·莠SC除草剂对阔叶杂草和禾本科杂草防除作用优良, 鲜重防效均超过90%, 高粱产量虽低于人工除草, 但差异不显著, 减产幅度在1%以下; 使用这类药剂高粱生产的利润高于人工除草。茎叶处理剂中, 25%辛酰溴苯腈EC等除草剂对高粱生长影响较小, 对藜、反枝苋等阔叶杂草防效高, 高粱产量低于人工除草, 但高粱生产的利润高于人工除草。建议在高粱生产中使用这些除草剂。     

psbA Mutation (valine219 to isoleucine) in Poa annua resistant to metribuzin and diuron

The herbicide‐binding region of the chloroplast psbA gene from a total of 20 biotypes of Poa annua L resistant and susceptible to metribuzin and diuron was selectively amplified using PCR. Sequence analysis of the fragment from six herbicide‐resistant biotypes of P annua exhibited a substitution from valine to isoleucine at position 219 of the D1 protein encoded by the psbA gene. This is the same mutation as reported for Chlamydomonas and Synechococcus through site‐directed mutagenesis and in cell cultures of Chenopodium rubrum L. To our knowledge this is the first report of a higher plant exhibiting resistance in the field to photosystem II inhibitors due to a psbA mutation other than at position 264. The existence of additional biotypes of P annua resistant to diuron or metribuzin but lacking mutation in the herbicide‐binding region indicates that resistance to these herbicides can also be attained by other mechanisms. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cytochrome P450‐mediated herbicide metabolism in plants: current understanding and prospects

Cytochrome P450s (P450s) have been at the center of herbicide metabolism research as a result of their ability to endow selectivity in crops and resistance in weeds. In the last 20 years, ≈30 P450s from diverse plant species have been revealed to possess herbicide‐metabolizing function, some of which were demonstrated to play a key role in plant herbicide sensitivity. Recent research even demonstrated that some P450s from crops and weeds metabolize numerous herbicides from various chemical backbones, which highlights the importance of P450s in the current agricultural systems. However, due to the enormous number of plant P450s and the complexity of their function, expression and regulation, it remains a challenge to fully explore the potential of P450‐mediated herbicide metabolism in crop improvement and herbicide resistance mitigation. Differences in the substrate specificity of each herbicide‐metabolizing P450 are now evident. Comparisons of the substrate specificity and protein structures of P450s will be beneficial for the discovery of selective herbicides and may lead to the development of crops with higher herbicide tolerance by transgenics or genome‐editing technologies. Furthermore, the knowledge will help design sound management strategies for weed resistance including the prediction of cross‐resistance patterns. Overcoming the ambiguity of P450 function in plant xenobiotic pathways will unlock the full potential of this enzyme family in advancing global agriculture and food security. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

Interpopulation variability and adaptive potential for reduced glyphosate sensitivity in Alopecurus myosuroides

Glyphosate use in the United Kingdom has more than doubled in the last 20 years. Much of this increase is driven by efforts to control herbicide resistant weeds, particularly Alopecurus myosuroides, prior to crop drilling. There is precedent for evolution of glyphosate resistance in similar situations, raising concerns over the sustainability of glyphosate use in the UK. We used dose–response experiments to examine variation in glyphosate sensitivity amongst 40 field‐collected A. myosuroides populations. No populations were resistant to glyphosate, but ED₉₀ values ranged between 354 and 610 g a.i. ha^?1. Five populations had ED₉₀ values significantly higher than the unexposed control population collected from a site at Rothamsted Research with no previous glyphosate exposure. Recurrent selection experiments were performed to determine whether variation in glyphosate sensitivity had a heritable basis. Following two rounds of selection, five of six field populations evolved significantly reduced sensitivity to glyphosate, with R/S ratios, based on estimated ED₅₀ values, ranging from 1.2 to 1.5. These results confirm that there is a heritable basis to variation in glyphosate sensitivity. The response to selection was modest. Evolved populations were not highly resistant to glyphosate, although some twice‐selected individuals survived recommended field rates. These results do not represent definitive proof of the potential of A. myosuroides to evolve glyphosate resistance, although they do indicate caution is needed when considering the sustainability of increased glyphosate use to control this herbicide resistance‐prone species.     

Sorption of atrazine and dicamba in Delaware coastal plain soils: a comparison of soil thin layer and batch equilibrium results

The mobility and retention of atrazine and dicamba in six Atlantic Coastal Plain soils were estimated by soil thin-layer chromatography (soil-TLC). The soils studied were representative of the major agricultural regions in Delaware and were sampled, by horizon, to the water table. Four horizons from each profile were leached simultaneously with distilled water on one soil-TLC plate. Two values were obtained from each plate: the ratio of the distance traveled by the herbicide center of mass over that traveled by the solvent front (R_m), and a sorption distribution coefficient (K_d). The R_m values ranged from 0·06 to 0·94 for atrazine and from 0·80 to 0·94 for dicamba. Herbicide mobility was found to be greatest in coarse-textured soil horizons that contained low levels of organic matter, clay, and Fe and Al oxides. Correlation analysis indicated that effective cation exchange capacity, exchangeable acidity, exchangeable aluminum, and clay were useful predictive variables or both atrazine mobility and sorption. Organic matter was not useful for predicting soil-TLC derived sorption estimates; however, it was correlated to K_d-batch estimates. Distribution coefficients calculated from soil-TLC data were found to be in general agreement with K_d values obtained for the same soils by batch equilibrium techniques. The average K_d-soil-TLC values for atrazine and dicamba were 2·09(±2·24) and 0·03(±0·02), respectively. The ratio of the batch K_d to the soil-TLC K_d ranged from 0·1 to 19 (x̄=1·6, SD=3·8) for atrazine and from 2·9 to 38 (x̄=12·6, SD=8·7) for dicamba. Thus, although for some horizons agreement between the two methods was good, for other horizons significant discrepancies existed. It is suggested that the soil-TLC gives results under non-equilibrium conditions, whereas the batch procedure is, by definition, at quasi-equilibrium. These fundamental differences may account for the observed differences between the two methods. It is also suggested that, due to this difference, the soil-TLC procedure can provide additional information relevant to herbicide partitioning in the field environment that is not provided by traditional batch equilibrium techniques. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry     

Herbicide safeners: a review

Herbicide safeners selectively protect crop plants from herbicide damage without reducing activity in target weed species. This paper provides an outline of the discovery and uses of these compounds, before reviewing literature devoted to defining the biochemical and physiological mechanisms involved in safener activity. Emphasis is placed on the effects of safeners on herbicide metabolism and their interactions with enzyme systems, such as cytochrome P₄₅₀ mono-oxygenases and glutathione-S-transferases. Attention is drawn to the potential wide-ranging applications of safeners and, in particular, their use as powerful research tools with which to identify and manipulate those mechanisms which contribute to herbicide selectivity and resistance. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

除草剂安全剂作用机制研究进展

除草剂安全剂在不影响除草剂对靶标杂草活性的前提下可选择性地保护作物免受除草剂的伤害。本文通过讨论安全剂对植物体内除草剂各种生理生化过程的影响,阐述了安全剂作用机制的研究。     

磺酰脲类除草剂开发的新进展

本文对近期开发的磺酰脲类除草剂按用途分类进行了简要的介绍。文中涉及磺酰脲类除草剂的化学结构、生物活性等。     

Spread of glyphosate‐resistant sourgrass (Digitaria insularis): Independent selections or merely propagule dissemination?

The first reports of glyphosate‐resistant (GR) sourgrass (Digitaria insularis) came from Paraguay (2005) and from South and Southeast Brazil, in Paraná (2008), and São Paulo state (2009). The hypothesis of this research is that the evolution of these resistant populations might have occurred independently. To test this hypothesis, a dose–response experiment was conducted in order to confirm resistance and inter simple sequence repeat markers subsequently were evaluated in five sourgrass populations from Paraguay (PY‐R), Paraná (PR‐S and PR‐R), and São Paulo (SP‐S and SP‐R). Resistant populations were confirmed in PY‐R, PR‐R and SP‐R. The resistant populations presented lower polymorphism than susceptible populations, possibly related to the selection pressure exerted by the herbicide. Both similarity matrix and dendrogram provided evidences that the origin of resistance in the populations from Paraguay and Paraná could be the same, which also is explained by their geographical proximity. In contrast, the evolution of GR populations in São Paulo was suggested to occur independently from other locations because resistance evolved in genetically divergent populations. This study’s data provide evidences that GR sourgrass populations from Paraguay and Paraná share a similar genetic background; therefore, it is possible that resistance from Paraguay spread to Paraná through gene flow. The population from São Paulo probably was selected independently because the high values of its genetic structure and low level of gene flow. Independent selections and seed dispersion of GR sourgrass have contributed to the rapid spread of resistance across South America.     

Relationship between weed dormancy and herbicide rotations: implications in resistance evolution

It is suggested that selection for late germinating seed cohorts is significantly associated with herbicide resistance in some cropping systems. In turn, it is conceivable that rotating herbicide modes of action selects for populations with mutations for increased secondary dormancy, thus partially overcoming the delaying effect of rotation on resistance evolution. Modified seed dormancy could affect management strategies – like herbicide rotation – that are used to prevent or control herbicide resistance. Here, we review the literature for data on seed dormancy and germination dynamics of herbicide‐resistant versus susceptible plants. Few studies use plant material with similar genetic backgrounds, so there are few really comparative data. Increased dormancy and delayed germination may co‐occur with resistance to ACCase inhibitors, but there is no clear‐cut link with resistance to other herbicide classes. Population shifts are due in part to pleiotropic effects of the resistance genes, but interaction with the cropping system is also possible. We provide an example of a model simulation that accounts for genetic diversity in the dormancy trait, and subsequent consequences for various cropping systems. We strongly recommend adding more accurate and detailed mechanistic modelling to the current tools used today to predict the efficiency of prevention and management of herbicide resistance. These models should be validated through long‐term experimental designs including mono‐herbicide versus chemical rotation in the field. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

吡啶甲酸类除草剂应用研究进展

吡啶甲酸类除草剂属合成激素类, 目前登记使用的有效成分包括氨氯吡啶酸、二氯吡啶酸和氯氨吡啶酸, 分别于1963年、1977年和2005年上市, 主要用于阔叶杂草和灌木的茎叶处理防控, 其中氯氨吡啶酸具有土壤封闭活性。吡啶甲酸类除草剂的作用靶标仍未明确, 有可能来自生长素结合蛋白家族。全世界报道的抗吡啶甲酸类除草剂杂草共涉及7种8个生物型。目前, 我国登记的除草剂品种中共有13个复配剂含氨氯吡啶酸和二氯吡啶酸, 1个含氨氯吡啶酸、氯氨吡啶酸和二氯吡啶酸;国外登记的吡啶甲酸类除草剂复配剂主要为与其他激素型除草剂、ALS(乙酰乳酸合酶)抑制剂、ACCase(乙酰辅酶A羧化酶)抑制剂的组合。该类除草剂仍然具有较好的应用前景, 在主要应用场景下常见杂草对氨氯吡啶酸、二氯吡啶酸、氯氨吡啶酸的敏感性仍需系统研究, 该类除草剂主要靶标杂草种群的抗药性水平也亟须检测。     

Modelling binary mixtures of herbicides in populations resistant to one of the components: evaluation for resistance management

BACKGROUND: Herbicide mixtures are commonly proposed to delay the selection of herbicide resistance in susceptible populations (called the SM strategy). However, in practice, herbicide mixtures are often used when resistance to one of the two active ingredients has already been detected in the targeted population (called the RM strategy). It is doubtful whether such a practice can select against resistance, as the corresponding selection pressure is still exerted. As a consequence, the effect of mixtures on the evolution of an already detected resistance to one of the herbicides in the combination remains largely unexplored. In the present work, a simple model was developed to explore further the necessary and sufficient conditions under which a binary RM strategy might stabilise or even reduce resistance frequency. RESULTS: Covering the hypothetical largest range of parameters, 39% of 9000 random simulations attest that the RM strategy might theoretically reduce resistance frequency. When strong enough, high genetic cost of resistance, negative cross‐resistance between the herbicides associated in the mixture and reduced selection differential between resistant and susceptible plants can counterbalance the resistance advantage to one of the two applied herbicides. However, the required conditions for an RM strategy to ensure resistance containment in natural conditions seldom overlap with experimental parameter estimates given in the literature. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the sufficient conditions for an RM strategy to be effective would rarely be encountered. As a consequence, the strategy of formulating mixtures with herbicides for which resistance has already been detected should be avoided. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Differentially expressed genes in dicamba‐resistant and dicamba‐susceptible biotypes

In an ongoing effort to investigate the mechanism of auxinic herbicide resistance in Kochia scoparia (kochia), polymerase chain reaction‐based cDNA suppression subtractive hybridization was used to identify genes that are differentially expressed between dicamba‐resistant (HRd) and dicamba‐susceptible (S1) kochia biotypes in response to herbicide treatment. Both the HRd and S1 adaptor‐ligated cDNAs were used in separate hybridizations in order to generate biotype‐specific clones. A total of 710 cDNAs, representing putative differentially expressed mRNAs, were isolated and subjected to further screening. The false‐positive cDNAs were removed by conducting two colony hybridizations and at least one Northern hybridization. Differential or biotype‐specific expression was confirmed for six clones each from the HRd and S1 plants. The S1‐related genes were constitutively expressed at higher levels than in the HRd plants, but none had significant sequence similarity to known genes. Among the HRd‐related genes, HRd‐88 had 42% amino acid sequence identity to a conserved domain within thiol peptidases, which might be involved in auxin‐regulated gene expression. The constitutively expressed and inducible (by the dicamba treatment) HRd‐39 had 40% identity and 60% similarity to a domain from the Fe(II)/α‐ketoglutarate‐dependent hydroxylase superfamily. The HRd‐39 gene product had the characteristics of an enzyme that is able to detoxify dicamba via oxidative hydroxylation and thus its overexpression might confer the dicamba resistance phenotype.