Assessment of daily heat pulse regimes on the germination of six Amaranthus species

In Mediterranean environments, thermal requirements for seed germination of Amaranthus species are met in spring. Nonetheless, seedlings of these species start emerging in the field from late winter, although the theoretical heat sum thresholds required for germination are not likely to be reached under field conditions. We hypothesised that soil thermal fluctuations can reduce the heat requirements of these species. Cardinal temperatures and thermal times of six Amaranthus species (A. albus, A. cruentus, A. deflexus, A. graecizans, A. retroflexus and A. viridis) were determined on non‐dormant seeds at constant temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C. Subsequently, germination response to heat pulses was studied by imposing a thermal fluctuation regime of 32/8°C with two different thermoperiods of 3/21 and 6/18 h. In the two thermoperiods, exposure to 32°C was imposed for a different number of days: from 1 to 12 and from 1 to 6 heat pulses cycles in the 3/21 and 6/18 h thermoperiods respectively. Cumulative germination, germination rate and mean germination time were evaluated. Heat sum requirements and final germination percentage were affected by thermoperiod and number of thermal cycles. Amaranthus spp. germination was higher and faster when seeds were submitted to 6 h compared with 3 + 3 h of heat pulses. Our data showed that heat sum requirements for germination may change depending on the way in which varying temperatures are imposed on germinating seeds.     

Effectiveness of Amaranthus retroflexus L. aqueous extract in preventing iron chlorosis of pear trees (Pyrus communis L.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of soil-applied aqueous extract of Amaranthus retroflexus L. in preventing lime-induced iron (Fe) chlorosis of pear trees (Pyrus communis L.). Tree growth, nutritional status, yield and fruit quality were also assessed. The aqueous extract was obtained by soaking dried and ground canopy (epigeal part) of spontaneous A. retroflexus plants in tap water. A. retroflexus extract was chosen because of its ability to solubilize Fe from calcareous soil, which was found to be 100-fold higher than deionized water alone. Two experiments were carried out (controlled environment and commercial field conditions) where soil-applied aqueous extract of A. retroflexus alone or mixed with iron sulfate (FeSO₄) was compared with synthetic Fe-chelate and an untreated control. Soil-applied aqueous extract of A. retroflexus increased shoot length, leaf SPAD and total plant biomass in controlled environment. In the commercial orchard control trees showed severe leaf Fe-chlorosis symptoms effectively prevented by Fe-chelate. The supply of A. retroflexus aqueous extract improved Fe nutrition of trees, particularly when enriched with FeSO₄. Fe-chelate increased tree yield but decreased fruit weight, leaf potassium (K) and manganese (Mn) concentration. At harvest, all strategies raised fruit soluble solid concentration compared to the untreated control. Results showed that soil-applied A. retroflexus aqueous extract improved Fe nutritional status of pear trees, probably because of the natural Fe chelating capacity of the compounds released by its tissues.     

Broadening weed control with imazamethabenz combinations

Broad-spectrum weed control by use of imazamethabenz (AC 222 293) in herbicide combinations was investigated in the greenhouse. Imazamethabenz at rates ranging from 0·1 to 0·4 kg a.i./ha effectively controlled wild oats (Avena fatua L.). Additional control of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) was achieved when imazamethabenz, plus octoxynol surfactant, was applied in combination with MCPA (amine or ester) or commercial MCPA mixtures (bromoxynil/MCPA and cyanazine/MCPA). Only inclusion of propanil/MCPA in the combination reduced wild-oat control by imazamethabenz at the lower rate (0·1 kg/ha). Control of green foxtail (Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.) was also obtained by use of fenoxaprop-ethyl in combination with imazamethabenz (plus octoxynol). Three-way mixtures of imazamethabenz (or plus octoxynol), MCPA alone or mixture, and fenoxaprop-ethyl may provide practical control of grass and broad-leaved weeds in the field.     

Management of Sinapis alba subsp. mairei winter cover crop residues for summer weed control in southern Spain

Sinapis alba subsp. mairei (H. Lindb. fil.) Maire, a wild subspecies of S. alba L., which is distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin, has been recently introduced in southern Spain as a winter cover crop in olive groves. The reason behind using this cover crop is for the reduction of Verticillium dahliae inoculum. The effectiveness of this cover crop for weed control has not been assessed to date, despite weed flora in olive groves being highly diverse and competitive, especially in spring and summer, when rainfall is low, temperature is high and crop water needs are at their maximum. The objective of this work is to assess the ability and optimum management of S. alba subsp. mairei cover crop residues for controlling summer weeds. This work offers a more detailed study of the influence of this cover crop on the seedling emergence of Amaranthus blitoides (prostrate pigweed) and Chenopodium album (common lambsquarters) in rainfed field conditions. A factorial design was conducted during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. The studied factors were the following: (1) S. alba subsp. mairei cover crops versus bare soil; (2) two different S. alba residue management techniques after mowing and chopping (incorporation into the soil with shallow tillage versus leaving the residues as a mulch); and (3) the effect on two artificially sown-out summer weeds (prostrate pigweed versus common lambsquarters). The S. alba subsp. mairei cover crop residues reduced the weed infestation by 50 and 60%, and it delayed weed appearance by 3 and 4 weeks the first and second years, respectively, compared with bare soil. The optimum cover crop residue management for weed control was to leave mulch. This management was especially efficient for controlling prostrate pigweed, whether no differences were found for common lambsquarters control when the residues were incorporated into the soil with tillage. These results indicate the great ability of S. alba subsp. mairei cover crop residues to provide summer weed control in rainfed field conditions. Its use, therefore, can contribute to the reduction of the number of herbicide treatments in olive groves.     

The use of fomesafen for pre-emergence weed control in cotton

The herbicide fomesafen was found to be selective in preplanting and pre-emergence treatments in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). It was effective due to residual soil activity in controlling some of the most troublesome weeds in cotton fields,i.e., pigweed (Amaranthus spp.), black nightshade (Solarium nigrum L.), velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik.) and cocklebur (Xanthium spp.). The best soil activity of fomesafen was achieved from pre-emergence or preplanting applications which were activated when the soil was wetted by rain or sprinkler irrigation, but the herbicide caused damage to the crop’s foliage if rain fell just after the cotton emergence. The most effective and safest method for applying fomesafen in cotton fields was preplanting followed by mechanical incorporation to a depth of 10 cm. Combinations of fomesafen with trifluralin were effective and completed the spectrum of controlled weeds in cotton, including annual grasses, common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.).     

Characterization and diagnostic tests of resistance to acetohydroxyacid synthase inhibitors due to an Asp376Glu substitution in Amaranthus powellii

A population of Amaranthus powellii that had survived imazethapyr did not have any of the documented AHAS mutations causing resistance in this species in Ontario. The goal of this research was to confirm resistance in this population, determine its molecular basis and develop diagnostic tests. Whole plant dose-response experiments showed the resistant population had greater than 25-fold resistance to the selective agent imazethapyr at the whole plant level. Whole plant resistance to other herbicides ranged between 9-fold to flumetsulam and 85-fold to flucarbazone. This was confirmed at the enzyme level with resistance ranging between 25-fold to imazethapyr and 485-fold to thifensulfuron. AHAS from the resistant population had 16% higher specific activity than that of the susceptible population and it was also less sensitive to feedback inhibition by valine, leucine and isoleucine. Genomic DNA was extracted to PCR amplify and sequence the AHAS gene and to determine the applicability of diagnostic tests. Sequencing of the AHAS gene revealed a single point mutation of thymine₁₁₂₅ to guanine coding for an Asp₃₇₆Glu substitution. Two different diagnostic tests, restriction fragment length polymorphism and PCR amplification of specific allele, were able to correctly identify the resistant population from the susceptible control and from other resistant populations. Although this mutation appears to confer higher resistance to pyrithiobac and flucarbazone, two herbicides not registered in Eastern Canada, it endows plants with enough protection to allow survival to imazethapyr, the main selective agent in Ontario.     

Competitive effects of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) on the growth indices and yield of corn

The mutual effects of redroot pigweed ( Amaranthus retroflexus ) on corn ( Zea mays ) were evaluated in an experiment conducted in 2005 at the Iranian Plant Protection Research Institute at Qazvin, considering the different densities of redroot pigweed against four different corn densities. Redroot pigweed, at 0, 35, 50, 65, and 80 plants m⁻¹ row⁻¹, was arranged factorially with corn at four, five, six, and seven plants m⁻¹ row⁻¹ in a randomized complete block design. Crop–weed competition resulted in a reduction in the total dry matter, Leaf Area Index, and crop growth rate of corn. Furthermore, an increasing weed density ≤65 plants m⁻¹ row⁻¹ reduced the corn grain yield and biological yield. Overall, six corn plants m⁻¹ row⁻¹ was suggested as the optimum density of this crop in competition with redroot pigweed.     

A European biotype of Amaranthus retroflexus cross-resistant to ALS inhibitors and response to alternative herbicides

An acetolactate synthase (ALS)‐resistant Amaranthus retroflexus biotype was collected in a soyabean crop after repeated exposure to imazethapyr and thifensulfuron‐methyl in north‐eastern Italy. Studies were conducted to characterise the resistance status and determine alternative post‐emergence herbicides for controlling this biotype. Whole‐plant bioassay revealed that the GR₅₀ values were 1898‐ and 293‐fold higher than those observed for the biotype susceptible to imazethapyr and imazamox respectively. The biotype also displayed high cross‐resistance to sulfonylureas. Molecular analysis demonstrated that a single nucleotide substitution had occurred in domain B (TGG to TTG at position 574), conferring a change from the amino acid tryptophan to leucine in the resistant biotype. However, herbicides with other modes of action (PSII, 4‐HPPD and PPO inhibitors) provided excellent control. The GR₅₀ ratios for metribuzin, terbuthylazine and mesotrione were close to 1 and treatments with fomesafen gave 100% control of both susceptible and resistant biotypes at the recommended field dose. This study documents the first case of an imidazolinone and ALS‐resistant biotype in European crops and identifies the post‐emergence herbicide options available for managing this troublesome weed in soyabean crops. Alternative management strategies are also discussed.     

Sugar beet yield as affected by seed priming and weed control

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to determine the influence of different priming techniques on the germination characteristics and competition of weeds in sugar beet in 2008–2009. Three priming times and four priming methods were used in a laboratory study, and four priming treatments and four redroot pigweed densities (0, 4, 8 and 12 plants m^?2) were used in a field study. Sugar beet seeds were treated with polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000), NaCl (1.5 N) and HCl (0.1 N) for 2, 4 and 6 h. Seed characteristics were significantly affected by HCl (0.1 N) treatment for 6 h. In this treatment, the germination percentage was 25 and 9% higher than control and NaCl (1.5 N) treatments after a similar time. An intermediate and low effect has been shown with NaCl (1.5 N) and PEG 8000 seed priming, respectively. Sugar beet root yield was reduced by 13, 54 and 89% compared with control treatment (without weed) at redroot pigweed densities of 4, 8 and 12 plants m^?2, respectively. Sugar beet seeds primed with HCl (0.1 N) for 6 h gave a higher root yield than unprimed seeeds and the other primed seeds treatments. Overall, the results showed that weed control can significantly increase sugar beet yield and the seed priming technique can be used for weed control.