Glyphosate, paraquat and ACCase multiple herbicide resistance evolved in a Lolium rigidum biotype

Planta. 2007 Jan;225(2):499-513. doi: 10.1007/s00425-006-0364-3. Epub 2006 Aug 12.

Abstract

Glyphosate is the world's most widely used herbicide. A potential substitute for glyphosate in some use patterns is the herbicide paraquat. Following many years of successful use, neither glyphosate nor paraquat could control a biotype of the widespread annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), and here the world's first case of multiple resistance to glyphosate and paraquat is confirmed. Dose-response experiments established that the glyphosate rate causing 50% mortality (LD(50)) for the resistant (R) biotype is 14 times greater than for the susceptible (S) biotype. Similarly, the paraquat LD(50 )for the R biotype is 32 times greater than for the S biotype. Thus, based on the LD(50 )R/S ratio, this R biotype of L. rigidum is 14-fold resistant to glyphosate and 32-fold resistant to paraquat. This R biotype also has evolved resistance to the acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) inhibiting herbicides. The mechanism of paraquat resistance in this biotype was determined as restricted paraquat translocation. Resistance to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides was determined as due to an insensitive ACCase. Two mechanisms endowing glyphosate resistance were established: firstly, a point mutation in the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene, resulting in an amino acid substitution of proline to alanine at position 106; secondly, reduced glyphosate translocation was found in this R biotype, indicating a co-occurrence of two distinct glyphosate resistance mechanisms within the R population. In total, this R biotype displays at least four co-existing resistance mechanisms, endowing multiple resistance to glyphosate, paraquat and ACCase herbicides. This alarming case in the history of herbicide resistance evolution represents a serious challenge for the sustainable use of the precious agrochemical resources such as glyphosate and paraquat.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3-Phosphoshikimate 1-Carboxyvinyltransferase / chemistry
  • 3-Phosphoshikimate 1-Carboxyvinyltransferase / genetics
  • 3-Phosphoshikimate 1-Carboxyvinyltransferase / metabolism
  • Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Biological Evolution
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Glycine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Glycine / pharmacology
  • Glyphosate
  • Herbicide Resistance*
  • Herbicides / pharmacology
  • Lolium / drug effects*
  • Lolium / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Paraquat / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves / drug effects
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Herbicides
  • Plant Proteins
  • 3-Phosphoshikimate 1-Carboxyvinyltransferase
  • Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase
  • Paraquat
  • Glycine