Changes in the herbicide sensitivity and competitive ability of Abutilon theophrasti over 28 years: Implications for hormesis and weed evolution

BACKGROUND

The potential of weed species to respond to selection forces affecting the evolution of weedy traits such as competitive ability is poorly understood. This research characterized evolutionary growth changes in a single Abutilon theophrasti Medik. population comparing multiple generations collected from 1988 to 2016. A competition study was performed to understand changes in competitive ability, and a herbicide dose–response study was carried out to assess changes in sensitivity to acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides and glyphosate over time.

RESULTS

When grown in monoculture, A. theophrasti biomass production per plant increased steadily across year-lines while leaf number decreased. In replacement experiments, A. theophrasti plants from newer year-lines were more competitive and produced more biomass and leaf area than the oldest year-line. No clear differences in sensitivity to imazamox were observed among year-lines. However, starting in 1995, this A. theophrasti population exhibited a progressive increase in growth in response to a sublethal dose of glyphosate (52 g a.e. ha⁻¹), with the 2009 and 2016 year-lines having more than 50% higher biomass than the nontreated control.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that weeds can rapidly evolve increased competitive ability. Furthermore, the results indicate the possibility of changes in glyphosate hormesis over time. These results highlight the importance of the role that rapid (i.e., subdecadal) evolution of growth traits might have on the sustainability of weed management strategies. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Hormetic UV-C seed treatments for the control of tomato diseases

Hormesis is a dose response phenomenon in which low, non-damaging doses of a stressor bring about a positive response in the organism undergoing treatment. Evidence is provided here that hormetic UV-C treatments of tomato seed can control disease caused by Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) and f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL) on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Treating seeds with a 4 kJ m⁻² dose of UV-C significantly reduced both the disease incidence and progression of B. cinerea, with approximately 10% reductions in both on cv. Shirley. Disease severity assays for FOL and FORL on cv. Moneymaker showed dose-dependent responses: UV-C treatments of 4 and 6 kJ m⁻² significantly reduced the disease severity scores of FOL, whilst only the 6 kJ m⁻² showed significant reductions for FORL. To determine the effects of treatment on germination and seedling growth, UV-C doses of 4, 8 and 12 kJ m⁻² were performed on cv. Shirley. No negative impacts on germination or seedling growth were observed for any of the treatments. However, the 8 kJ m⁻² treatment showed significant biostimulation, with increases in seedling, root and hypocotyl dry weight of 11.4%, 23.1% and 12.0%, respectively, when compared to the control. Furthermore, significant increases in the root-mass fraction (10.6%) and root:shoot ratio (13.1%) along with a decrease in shoot-mass fraction (2.0%) indicates that the 8 kJ m⁻² treatment stimulated root growth to the greatest extent. There was no effect on hypocotyl and primary root length or the number of lateral roots, indicating no adverse effects to basic root architecture or seedling growth.     

Physiological responses of Quercus oleoides (Schltdl & Cham) to soils contaminated by diesel

ABSTRACT

Oil pollution is a worldwide threat to the environment that affects the development of plants. The effect of soil contaminated by diesel on the physiological responses of seedlings of Quercus oleoides was investigated in two independent experiments. We proposed that physiological performance will decrease when seedlings are exposed to higher concentration of contamination. At the first experiment, levels of pollution with diesel were of 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%, and 0%, 2% and 3.5% in the second one. In the first experiment, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration and total chlorophyll of Q. oleoides were higher in the control seedling, and lower in treatments of pollution with 5%, 10% and 15% of diesel during 3 days of treatment. Only, seedlings in soil polluted with 5% of diesel survived up to 16 days; they showed a photosynthetic rate of 5 μmol m^?2 s^?1, which was lower than control seedlings (9 μmol m^?2 s^?1). This pattern was observed in stomatal conductance, transpiration and relative water content. Surprisingly, in the second experiment, seedlings showed a higher photosynthetic rate and growth at 2% of diesel-contaminated soil than control seedlings, a phenomenon known as hormesis. In both experiments, soil respiration was proportional to soils contaminated. We concluded that Q. oleoides is highly vulnerable in soils contaminated with above 5% of diesel, but it maintains its physiological activities in soils contaminated below 2%, suggesting that seedlings can grow under low concentration of diesel contaminant, and may be used in phytoremediation of soils with low concentrations of diesel contamination.     

Acute and sublethal toxicity of novaluron, a novel chitin synthesis inhibitor, to Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The acute and sublethal toxicities of novaluron, a novel chitin synthesis inhibitor, to a laboratory-reared insecticide-susceptible strain of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), were determined. Novaluron exhibited excellent residual (120 h LC(50) = 0.42 mg litre(-1)) and good direct contact (120 h LC(50) = 27 mg litre(-1)) activity against second-instar larvae (L2). Hatch of eggs exposed by direct contact to novaluron solutions > or =100 mg litre(-1) was significantly reduced, as was the ability of emerged first-instar larvae to moult. L2 from eggs exposed to > or =100 mg litre(-1) novaluron weighed significantly less (P < 0.0001) than those from untreated eggs. However, L2 from eggs treated with 1 mg litre(-1) novaluron weighed significantly more (P < or = 0.05) than those from untreated eggs, suggesting novaluron can have a hormetic effect on L decemlineata larval development. Leptinotarsa decemlineata mating pairs fed foliage treated with novaluron at 25 or 75 g AI ha(-1) produced approximately 25% fewer egg masses and eggs per mass. Hatch of eggs on treated foliage was almost completely suppressed, and longevity of male beetles was reduced by approximately 50% when fed foliage treated with novaluron at 75 g AI ha(-1).     

镉对柠条种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响

为探讨重金属镉(Cd)对柠条种子萌发的毒物刺激效应,采用培养皿滤纸萌发法,研究了不同Cd2+浓度(0,2,5,10,15,50mg/L)对柠条种子萌发、幼苗生长和酶活性的影响。结果表明:在5mg/L的Cd2+浓度下柠条种子的发芽率、胚芽和胚根的长度达最大,分别比对照提高3.8%,13.4%和11.2%,根和芽的POD活性分别比对照增加19.2%、1.8%,CAT活性比对照增加6.3%、10.4%;Cd2+浓度为50mg/L时,柠条种子的发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数分别比对照显著降低46.9%,26.1%和27.8%;高浓度Cd2+(10,15和50mg/L)对柠条种子萌发及酶活性表现为抑制作用,低浓度Cd2+(2、5mg/L)表现为促进作用。镉对柠条种子萌发具有"低促高抑"的毒物刺激效应,5mg/L的Cd2+浓度为柠条种子萌发刺激效应的临界浓度。     

运用超声波标志法分析水槽养殖条件下大黄鱼行为特性

为探讨低盐驯化对低盐胁迫下大黄鱼氧化损伤和转录组的影响,本实验将体重为(52.46±1.47) g的大黄鱼暴露在盐度为25或20的水体中7 d,再暴露在盐度为10的水体中24 h。结果显示,低盐胁迫显著增加了活性氧(ROS)和脂质过氧化物(LPO)含量。尽管低盐驯化对ROS和LPO不产生影响,但低盐驯化显著降低了低盐胁迫下大黄鱼ROS和LPO含量,表明低盐驯化缓解了低盐胁迫对大黄鱼的氧化损伤。从低盐驯化vs.对照组、低盐胁迫vs.对照组和低盐驯化+低盐胁迫vs.低盐胁迫实验中,分别筛选到356、478和484个差异基因。GO和KEGG分析发现,差异基因显著富集在GnRH信号通路、PPAR信号通路、凋亡、Toll样受体通路和MAPK信号通路等,表明低盐驯化可以通过调节离子和物质运输、脂类代谢、细胞凋亡和非特异性免疫等来提高大黄鱼的低盐胁迫耐受性。研究表明,低盐驯化可以通过调节离子和物质运输、脂类代谢、细胞凋亡和非特异性免疫等来提高大黄鱼的低盐胁迫耐受性。研究结果揭示了低盐驯化改善大黄鱼低盐胁迫耐受性的分子机制,可为今后工厂化和内陆采用淡水或半咸水养殖大黄鱼提供科学依据。     

Spiders (Araneae) in the pesticide world: an ecotoxicological review

Being one of the most abundant and species‐rich groups of natural enemies occurring in all agroecosystems, spiders are variably affected by pesticide applications. Here, a review is given of research on spider ecotoxicology. More than 40 species of spiders and almost 130 pesticides (acaricides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) have been tested so far in the field or under laboratory conditions. Field studies show that the degree of population reduction following pesticide application is a function of a number of factors inherent to pesticides, crops and spider species (guilds). These studies also revealed indirect effects via habitat and prey disruption. Among laboratory studies, a number of papers have investigated only the direct lethal effect. A meta‐analysis of these data reveals that spiders are mainly affected by acaricides and insecticides, particularly neurotoxic substances. Currently, ecotoxicological research on spiders is focused more on direct sublethal effects on a variety of behavioural traits (locomotion, predation, web‐building, reproduction, development) and physiology. Yet a standardised approach to the evaluation of sublethal effects is lacking. A few studies have provided some evidence for hormesis in spiders. Future research should be more concentrated on sublethal effects and the estimation of long‐term changes in spider populations as a result of pesticide treatment. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry