iMAR: An Interactive Web-Based Application for Mapping Herbicide Resistant Weeds

PLoS One. 2015 Aug 12;10(8):e0135328. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135328. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Herbicides are the major weed control tool in most cropping systems worldwide. However, the high reliance on herbicides has led to environmental issues as well as to the evolution of herbicide-resistant biotypes. Resistance is a major concern in modern agriculture and early detection of resistant biotypes is therefore crucial for its management and prevention. In this context, a timely update of resistance biotypes distribution is fundamental to devise and implement efficient resistance management strategies. Here we present an innovative web-based application called iMAR (interactive MApping of Resistance) for the mapping of herbicide resistant biotypes. It is based on open source software tools and translates into maps the data reported in the GIRE (Italian herbicide resistance working group) database of herbicide resistance at national level. iMAR allows an automatic, easy and cost-effective updating of the maps a nd provides two different systems, "static" and "dynamic". In the first one, the user choices are guided by a hierarchical tree menu, whereas the latter is more flexible and includes a multiple choice criteria (type of resistance, weed species, region, cropping systems) that permits customized maps to be created. The generated information can be useful to various stakeholders who are involved in weed resistance management: farmers, advisors, national and local decision makers as well as the agrochemical industry. iMAR is freely available, and the system has the potential to handle large datasets and to be used for other purposes with geographical implications, such as the mapping of invasive plants or pests.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Geographic Mapping*
  • Herbicide Resistance*
  • Plant Weeds / drug effects*
  • Plant Weeds / physiology
  • Software*

Grants and funding

This work was jointly supported by the Italian herbicide resistance working group (GIRE) and the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.