Glyphosate has been applied in European countries for over a decade between rows in olive groves and grape vineyards to control Conyza species [hairy fleabane (C. bonariensis), horseweed (C. canadensis) and Sumatran fleabane (C. sumatrensis)], however poor control has been observed in recent years. Glyphosate susceptible (GS) or resistant (GR) populations were assayed in each species. In addition, Conyza spp. control with alternative herbicides (alone or in mixture with glyphosate) over two years was also assessed. The GS populations of the three species were controlled with glyphosate field doses (1080 g ae ha −1). The GR hairy fleabane, horseweed and Sumatran fleabane populations were 15.0, 15.7 and 19.8 times more resistant, respectively, than their respective GS population. The shikimic accumulation of GS populations was 4-6 times higher compared with the GR Conyza populations, confirming the glyphosate resistance of the latter ones. The increase in the glyphosate dose did not control the GR Conyza populations, despite providing a higher dry growth reduction. Glufosinate and flazasulfuron, alone or mixed with glyphosate, were the effective options to control GR and GS populations of hairy fleabane and Sumatran fleabane. However, the GR horseweed population might have evolved multiple resistance to glyphosate and flazasulfuron in Hungary. The other herbicides (PSI, auxinic and PPO) showed an additive effect together with the control provided by glyphosate in the GS and GR populations; however generally, these herbicides could be applied alone at the rosette stage. Effective herbicides with modes of action different from glyphosate, except flazasulfuron for controlling horseweed, should be used to delay the selection of herbicide resistance in perennial crops in Europe. around the world (Heap, 2018). Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)-glycine] is the world's most successful post-emergence and non-selective herbicide (Duke, 2018). In Spain it has been widely used to control weeds in citrus orchards, olive groves, grape vineyards, and others perennial and annual crops (González-Torralva et al., 2010, 2014), as well as in path borders, railway lines, recreation areas and derelict sites (Urbano et al., 2007). This herbicide is absorbed through leaves and other young-green tissues, and translocated via phloem into meristematic tissues (Preston and Wakelin, 2008). Glyphosate is a potent inhibitor of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) by blocking the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine and others aromatic compounds in susceptible plants (Maeda and Dudareva, 2012).

No abstract

Summary Increased metabolism is one of the main causes for evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds, a major challenge for sustainable food production. The molecular drivers of this evolution are poorly understood. We tested here the hypothesis that a suitable context for the emergence of herbicide resistance could be provided by plant enzymes with high innate promiscuity with regard to their natural substrates. A selection of yeast‐expressed plant cytochrome P450 enzymes with well documented narrow to broad promiscuity when metabolizing natural substrates was tested for herbicide metabolism competence. The positive candidate was assayed for capacity to confer herbicide tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our data demonstrate that Arabidopsis thaliana CYP706A3, with the most promiscuous activity on monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes for flower defence, can also oxidize plant microtubule assembly inhibitors, dinitroanilines. Ectopic overexpression of CYP706A3 confers dinitroaniline resistance. We show, in addition, that the capacity to metabolize dinitroanilines is shared by other members of the CYP706 family from plants as diverse as eucalyptus and cedar. Supported by three‐dimensional (3D) modelling of CYP706A3, the properties of enzyme active site and substrate access channel are discussed together with the shared physicochemical properties of the natural and exogenous substrates to explain herbicide metabolism.