Publications

Plants can rapidly evolve resistance to herbicide in response to repeated selection. This study focuses on cross-resistance patterns observed in Lolium rigidum following pyroxasulfone recurrent selection.

An understanding of weed species incidence and patterns of change in incidence is vital in developing weed management strategies and directing future research endeavours. Weed incidence in fields in the south-west of Western Australia was surveyed in 1997 and repeated in 2008 to determine any changes.

Avena spp. are world weeds with many cases of evolved herbicide resistance. In Australia, Avena spp. (wild oat and sterile oat) are a major problem, especially in grain crops. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase)–inhibiting herbicides have been used extensively since the late 1970s for Avena spp. control.

The widespread evolution of resistance in rigid ryegrass populations to the highly effective, in-crop, selective herbicides used within southern Australian grain-crop production systems has severely diminished the available herbicide resource.

In a large cropping area of northern Argentina, Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) has evolved towards glyphosate resistance. This study aimed to determine the molecular and biochemical basis conferring glyphosate resistance in this species. Experiments were conducted to assess target EPSPS gene sequences and 14C-glyphosate leaf absorption and translocation to meristematic tissues.

Evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds is a growing problem across the world, and it has been suggested that low herbicide rates may be contributing to this problem.