Physiological Approach to the Use of the Natural Compound Quinate in the Control of Sensitive and Resistant Papaver rhoeas

Abstract

Quinate (1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxycyclohexanecarboxylate) is a compound synthesized in plants through a side-branch of the shikimate biosynthesis pathway, which is accumulated after glyphosate and acetolactate synthase inhibiting herbicides (ALS-inhibitors) and has phytotoxic potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phytotoxicity of quinate on several weed species. Among the species evaluated, Cynodon dactylon, Bromus diandrus, Lolium rigidum, Sinapis alba, and Papaver rhoeas, P. rhoeas was the most sensitive, and its growth was controlled with quinate concentrations above 100 mM at the phenological stage of 6–8 true leaves. A physiological study, including the shikimate pathway and the physiological markers of ALS-inhibitors (carbohydrates and amino acids), was performed in the sensitive and resistant plants treated with sulfonylureas or quinate. The typical physiological effects of ALS-inhibitors were detected in the sensitive population (free amino acid and carbohydrate accumulation) and not detected in the resistant population. The mode of action of quinate appeared to be related to general perturbations in their carbon/nitrogen metabolism rather than to specific changes in the shikimate pathway. These results suggest the possibility of using quinate in the weed control management of P. rhoeas.

The Future of Weed Science: Novel Approaches to Weed Management

“…It has to be noted that various compounds of natural origin have been assessed in terms of their efficacy and suggested as alternatives of herbicides [13][14][15]. In our Special Issue, Antony and Karuppasamy studied phytotoxins from plants and microorganisms as novel herbicides and identified sinigrin as a promising compound against the ACCase enzyme, as other researchers have concluded in the past [16,17].…”

Comparative Analyses of Glyphosate Alternative Weed Management Strategies on Plant Coverage, Soil and Soil Biota

“…Many weeds, including Lolium rigidum (annual Ryegrass) have evolved glyphosate resistance mechanisms. For example, some weeds have alterations in the chloroplast enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, enabling continued phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan production [18,19]. Less reliance on glyphosate through the adoption of new weed management strategies will remove the selective pressure of glyphosate resistance in weeds, slowing the emergence of new glyphosate resistant weeds [18,19].…”