Glyphosate Resistance

Glyphosate Resistance

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
According to an article in farmchemicalsinternational.com, a recent study by a Kansas State University weed scientist finds why the invasive weed kochia also known as fireweed is like a cockroach of the plant world.

According to Kansas State, Mithila Jugulam, assistant professor of agronomy, led a study that looked at how fireweed — invasive weed populations that are taking over crops and non-crop areas in western Kansas and the Great Plains — evolved resistance to glyphosate. Researchers found that fireweed has evolved to have multiple copies of a gene code that targets glyphosate. These copies enable the plants to survive the field rate of glyphosate applications.

"It's a very novel resistance mechanism and is becoming prevalent in a number of glyphosate-resistant weeds, including Palmer amaranth, common waterhemp and fireweed," Jugulam said.

Glyphosate works by stopping an enzyme called EPSPS that is crucial for production of aromatic amino acids in the shikimic acid pathway. If EPSPS is disrupted, the plant eventually dies. Jugulam said this resistance was evolved as the result of continuous use of glyphosate and the lack of herbicide diversity in controlling this weed. This is certainly troubling news for any agricultural producer who uses glyphosate on a regular basis. It's logical to ask if this type of evolution take place in all noxious weeds that farmers are trying to control?

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