Germination characteristics associated with nicosulfuron resistance in Amaranthus retroflexus L

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 19; no. 8; p. e0308024
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yingying, Xu, Xian, Zhao, Bochui, Li, Binghua, Qi, Zhizun, Wang, Yu, Wang, Guiqi, Li, Yaofa, Huang, Zhaofeng, Liu, Xiaomin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 12-08-2024; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Acid resistance; Adaptability; Alkali resistance tests; Amaranthus; Amaranthus - drug effects; Amaranthus - growth & development; Amaranthus - physiology; Amaranthus retroflexus; Biology and Life Sciences; Botanical research; Competition; Control; Crops; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Environmental factors; Germination; Herbicide Resistance; Herbicides; Herbicides - pharmacology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Light; Osmotic potential; Physiological aspects; Planting; Polyethylene glycol; Population studies; Pyridines; Resistance factors; Salt; Salts; Seed germination; Seeds; Seeds - drug effects; Seeds - growth & development; Seeds - physiology; Software; Soil resistance; Soil surfaces; Soil temperature; Sulfonylurea Compounds - pharmacology; Temperature; Water potential; Weed control; China; United States > US; Chicago Illinois
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308024

Nicosulfuron-resistant biotype (R) and -sensitive biotype (S) Amaranthus retroflexus L. seeds were subjected to different temperature, light, salt, osmotic potential, pH value and burial depth treatments. The difference in germination response of two populations to the above abiotic environmental factors was used to study the fitness cost of nicosulfuron-resistance evolution in A. retroflexus. The aim is to find a powerful tool for weed control in the presence of evolutionary resistance selection. The results of this experiment showed that the germination rate and germination index in S population were generally higher than that in R population. When the salt stress was 80 mM, the water potential was -0.1 Mpa ~ -0.4 Mpa, and under strong acid and alkali conditions, the germination index in S population was prominently higher than that in R population (p<0.05). The delayed seed germination in R population indicated that its nicosulfuron resistance may be linked to seed biochemical compositions that altered seed germination dynamics. The resistant and sensitive biotype of A. retroflexus had differently favourable adaptability in diverse environments. Salt, osmotic potential and pH value are not the major constraints for A. retroflexus germination, however, A. retroflexus are strongly responsive to temperature, light and burial depth. Considering that seeds of A. retroflexus are unable to reach the soil surface beyond the depth of 6 cm, deep inversion tillage before sowing may be an effective and economical weed management tool for the control of nicosulfuron resistant A. retroflexus.