December 18, 2020
Despite the challenges 2020 presented, there continued to be excellent research which was published throughout the year. In this post we have collated our top five most read AHRI insights and our top five most listened to podcasts for 2020.
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December 1, 2020
AHRI researcher, Dr Roberto Busi is no philosopher, but he has recently published some significant research that shows that Aristotle knew a thing or two about herbicide resistance despite being born over 2000 years before the first herbicide. Amazing! The message from this research – never assume that a herbicide mixture will fail even if there is resistance to both components of the mix.
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November 3, 2020
Some recent research by a former AHRI researcher Jingbo Li and others shows that glyphosate resistance changes this. They studied two populations of barnyard grass with relatively low-level glyphosate resistance and found that when 2,4-D Amine or Ester was added to the tank with glyphosate, barnyard grass control was greatly reduced. They went on to discover that this is due to an effect on uptake and translocation.
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September 7, 2020
They said it couldn’t be done – climbing Everest, flying to the moon and even deep-frying Mars bars. We were also told that we couldn’t reverse herbicide resistance. In the majority of cases, the experts are right – herbicide resistance is permanent, and we thought that was the case for all resistant weeds.
Until now…
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August 4, 2020
This AHRI insight is not for the faint-hearted. This recent AHRI research by Chinese postdoc Hongju Ma and others documents the first case of metabolic resistance to metribuzin in ryegrass in Australia. The ryegrass in this population was only about 3 fold resistant to Atrazine and Metribuzin. The researchers used a P450 inhibitor, PBO, and radiolabelled metribuzin to help determine that the resistance is metabolism-based, likely due to P450 enzyme activity.
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July 13, 2020
Welcome to the highlight reel of AHRI’s recently released blockbuster – ‘Don’t stick to it!’. Set in the labs, glasshouses and fields of this world-leading research powerhouse, and featuring renown giants of the herbicide resistance world – Powles, Busi, Yu and Owen, this latest exposé will have you seriously impressed!
‘Don’t stick to it!’ delves into five years of ground-breaking scientific discovery and its value to Australian farmers in their epic battle against profit-sucking weeds.
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June 30, 2020
This AHRI insight is not for the faint-hearted. It is the work of AHRI researcher, Dr Danica Goggin who has dedicated many years to working out how auxin herbicides such as 2,4-D and Dicamba work, and how plants evolve resistance to them.
Danica’s research found that plants with fewer receptors on their cell membranes were resistant to 2,4-D due to reduced perception of the 2,4-D.
Putting this molecular biology research into words is challenging, so we have created some videos that explain it.
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June 15, 2020
It’s a quaint tradition that many brides follow – ‘Something old; represents continuity with the past and ‘Something new’ offers optimism for the future. ‘Something borrowed’ passes on another’s secrets for success and ‘Something blue’ represent key features of a solid relationship. Finally, ‘A sixpence in your shoe’ for prosperity. With the release of several new modes of action and chemical formulations, it’s helpful to first consider how these ‘new’ chemicals might revive some ‘old’ chemistry.
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May 29, 2020
Every parent knows that we simply can’t have favourites. We must love each of our children equally.
We at AHRI shouldn’t have favourites. We love all weeds research papers equally, but this paper is perhaps a little more equal!
It is the work of Martin Harries from DPIRD involving a six-year focus paddock survey with data from 184 paddocks spanning 14 million hectares of cropping land in Western Australia, made possible with GRDC investment.
Martin has recently published the weeds aspect of this research as part of his PhD and reported that we’re having a win with weed control in WA.
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May 18, 2020
How many hours did you spend out in the paddock with a chipping hoe when you were a kid? Do you still carry one in every ute? Chances are you know how effective they are; but wouldn’t mind if you never had to use one again!
Australia has an unfortunate habit of claiming world-firsts in new species for the herbicide resistance lists. Fortunately, we have also been leaders in the development of new tools to help combat the problem.
Enter: the revolutionary new chipping hoe!
The latest of these developments is the world’s first site-specific mechanical weeder.
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