Deirdre Lemerle

Genetic improvement and agronomy for enhanced wheat competitiveness with weeds

The rapid development of herbicide resistance in weeds, and environmental imperatives, have forced the consideration of non-chemical tactics such as crop competition for weed management. This review of wheat–weed competition examines the plant traits associated with wheat competitiveness, and the opportunities for plant breeding or manipulating crop agronomy to differentially favour the growth of the crop. Many studies have proven that enhancing crop competitive ability can reduce weed seed production and crop yield loss, although a number of difficulties in conducting this research are identified and suggestions are made for improvement. It remains to be seen whether crop competitiveness will be considered as a priority by farmers and plant breeders. Farmers require precise information on the reliability of agronomic factors such as increased crop seeding rate or choice of variety for enhancing crop competitive ability in different environments. Plant breeders need to know which plant traits to incorporate in varieties to increase competitive ability. A thorough analysis of the benefits and costs of enhancing wheat competitiveness is needed. Competitive wheat crops should be available as part of reliable and economical integrated weed management packages for farmers.

Laboratory screening for allelopathic potential of wheat (Triticum aestivum) accessions against annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum)

A new screening bioassay, the ‘equal-compartment-agar-method (ECAM)’, was developed and employed to evaluate 92 wheat cultivars for their allelopathic activity on the inhibition of root growth of annual ryegrass (L. rigidum). Results showed that the allelopathic activity of wheat was associated with the sowing time of ryegrass seeds, the number of wheat seedlings, agar quantities, and agar concentrations. The addition of activated charcoal into the agar medium significantly alleviated wheat allelopathic inhibition on the root growth of ryegrass, indicating that wheat allelopathic activity is chemically driven. There were significant differences between wheat cultivars in their allelopathic potential at the seedling stage on the inhibition of root elongation of annual ryegrass, varying from 23.98% to 90.91%. Re-screening of 22 selected wheat accessions showed that the allelopathic potential of wheat cultivars is consistent between different years under the same experimental conditions. This newly developed screening bioassay successfully separated the allelopathic effect from the competitive effect between wheat and ryegrass plants, and enabled the constant release and accumulation of allelochemicals from living wheat seedlings into the growth medium to affect the growth of ryegrass. The influence of microorganisms was also avoided because of the sterile conditions. The present study describes this new bioassay suitable for the efficient screening of a large number of wheat cultivars under laboratory conditions.

Evaluation of seedling allelopathy in 453 wheat (Triticum aestivum) accessions against annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) by the equal-compartment-agar method.

Allelopathy has been receiving world-wide attention for its potential in integrated weed management. A newly developed screening bioassay, the ‘equal-compartment-agar method’ (ECAM), was used to evaluate seedling allelopathy against annual ryegrass in a collection of 453 wheat accessions originating from 50 countries. Significant differences in allelopathic potential were found in this worldwide collection, inhibiting root growth of ryegrass from 9.7% to 90.9%. Wheat seedling allelopathy also varied significantly with accessions from different countries. Wheat allelopathic activity was normally distributed within the collection, indicating the involvement of multiple genes conferring the allelopathic trait. Of the 453 wheat accessions screened, 2 distinct groups were identified. Condor-derivatives were more allelopathic than Pavon-derivatives, with an average inhibition of root growth of ryegrass by 76% and 46%, respectively. Research was further extended to investigate the near isogenic lines derived from Hartog (Pavon-derivative) and Janz (Condor-derivative). Hartog and its backcrossed lines were less allelopathic than Janz and its backcrossed lines, inhibiting root length of ryegrass by 45% and 81%, respectively. These results strongly indicate that wheat allelopathic activity might also be controlled by major genes, depending on the particular populations. The present study demonstrates that there is a considerable genetic variation of allelopathic activity in wheat germplasm. It is possible to breed for cultivars with enhanced allelopathic activity for weed suppression.

Allelochemicals in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Variation of Phenolic Acids in Shoot Tissues

Seven known phenolic acids implicated in wheat allelopathy were analyzed in a worldwide collection of 58 wheat accessions by gas chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). Chemical analysis showed that accessions differed significantly in the production of p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic, trans-p-coumaric, cis-p-coumaric, trans-ferulic, and cis-ferulic acids in the shoots of 17-day-old wheat seedlings. The concentrations of p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, cis-p-coumaric, and cis-ferulic acids were normally distributed in the 58 accessions. A binormal distribution was found for syringic and trans-ferulic acids and a skewed normal distribution for trans-p-coumaric acid. The concentration of each compound also varied with phenolic acids. The relative abundance of each phenolic acid was ordered decreasingly as trans-ferulic, vanillic, trans-p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, syringic, cis-ferulic, and cis-p-coumaric acids. The concentration of total identified phenolic acids varied from 93.2 to 453.8 mg/kg in the shoots of 58 accessions. The content of each phenolic acid or group was highly associated with others in the shoots of wheat seedlings. Wheat accessions with high levels of total identified phenolic acids in the shoots are generally strongly allelopathic to the growth of annual ryegrass.

Distribution and exudation of allelochemicals in wheat Triticum aestivum.

Wheat allelopathy has potential for weed suppression. Allelochemicals were identified in wheat seedlings, and they were exuded from seedlings into agar growth medium. p-Hydroxybenzoic, trans-p-coumaric, cis-p-coumaric, syringic, vanillic, trans-ferulic, and cis-ferulic acids and 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA) were identified in both the shoots and roots of 17-day-old wheat seedlings and their associated agar growth medium. Wheat accessions with previously identified allelopathic activity tended to contain higher levels of allelochemicals than poorly allelopathic ones. The allelopathic compounds present in the shoots generally also were identified in the roots and in the agar medium. Allelochemicals were distributed differentially in wheat, with roots normally containing higher levels of allelochemicals than the shoots. When the eight allelochemicals were grouped into benzoic acid and cinnamic acid derivatives, DIMBOA, total coumaric, and total ferulic acids, the amount of each group of allelochemicals was correlated between the roots and the shoots. Most of the allelochemicals identified in the shoots and roots could be exuded by the living roots of wheat seedling into the agar growth medium. However, the amounts of allelochemicals in the agar growth medium were not proportional to those in the roots. Results suggest that wheat plants may retain allelochemicals once synthesized. The presence of allelochemicals in the agar growth medium demonstrated that wheat seedlings were able to synthesize and to exude phytotoxic compounds through their root system that could inhibit the root growth of annual ryegrass.

Reliability of higher seeding rates of wheat for increased competitiveness with weeds in low rainfall environments

SUMMARY Increasing crop competitiveness using higher seeding rates is a possible technique for weed manage- ment in low input and organic farming systems or when herbicide resistance develops in weeds. A range of wheat seeding rates were sown and resulted in crop densities between 50-400 plants/m 2 (current recommendations are 100-150 plants/m 2 ) in the presence and absence of annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.) in three wheat cultivars at nine experiments in southern Australia. Wheat densities of at least 200 plants/m 2

Allelochemicals in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Production and Exudation of 2,4-Dihydroxy-7-Methoxy-1,4-Benzoxazin-3-One

An analytical technique employing gas chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) was employed to systematically screen fifty-eight wheat accessions for their differential production of 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA) from three consecutive sources, i.e., the shoots, roots, and in the associated agar growth medium (collected as root exudates) of 17-day-old wheat seedlings. DIMBOA content differed significantly in the shoots, roots, or in the agar growth medium between accessions. DIMBOA accumulated differentially within the plant, with roots containing more DIMBOA than the shoots. Only 19% of accessions were able to exude DIMBOA from living roots into their growth medium, indicating the exudation of DIMBOA is accession-specific. DIMBOA level in root tissues is expected to be high when a high level of DIMBOA content is detected in the shoots. Wheat seedlings did not release detectable amounts of DIMBOA when the DIMBOA level was low in the root tissues. The valuable genetic material with high levels of DIMBOA in the shoots or roots identified in the present research could be used to breed for wheat cultivars with elevated allelopathic activity.

Autotoxicity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as determined by laboratory bioassays

AbstractsWheat varietal autotoxicity and varietal allelopathy were assessed based on plant extract and root exudate bioassays under laboratory conditions. Aqueous extract of wheat differed in varietal autotoxicity and varietal allelopathy, inhibiting wheat germination by 2–21%, radicle growth by 15–30%, and coleoptile growth by 5–20%, depending on the combination of the receiver and donor. Extracts of cv Triller or cv Currawong were more allelopathic to other wheat varieties than cv Batavia and cv Federation. Triller extract was more autotoxic than Federation. Assessment of root exudates by the equal-compartment-agar-method further identified the significant differences in varietal autotoxicity and varietal allelopathy of root exudates between wheat varieties, with root exudates of Triller or Batavia showing stronger autotoxic or allelopathic effects than Currawong or Federation. The varietal autotoxicity and allelopathy of root exudates also showed a characteristic radial inhibitory pattern in the agar growth medium. These results suggest that careful selection of suitable wheat varieties is necessary in a continuous cropping system in order to minimize the negative impacts of varietal allelopathy and varietal autotoxicity. Factors affecting autotoxicity in the field and strategies in autotoxicity management are discussed.

Continuous cropping systems and weed selection

SummaryChanges in the weed flora of agro-ecosystems can occur as long-term changes or temporary fluctuations in species composition. The rate at which weed population shifts occur depends on the selection pressure imposed, genetic variability among weed populations, plant characteristics and environmental factors. Agronomic practices associated with cropping systems including crop rotation, tillage, herbicide use, soil amendments, and mechanization of harvesting that impart a range of selection pressures on weed populations are discussed in this review. Widespread use of herbicides has had the greatest impact on weed selection in recent years. Evolution of herbicide resistant weeds presents an enormous challenge to farmers. Development of herbicide tolerant crops has provided another tool for farmers however the selection pressure on weeds and potential impact on weed population shifts will require judicious use of this technology. Simulation models provide an excellent opportunity to predict future weed population shifts in response to management practices. Further insight into future management changes on weed selection must proceed towards an investigation of the processes rather than the outcomes. In particular, this must involve an understanding of the ecological factors and processes that are likely to determine the weed responses to particular management regimes.

Simultaneous determination of phenolic acids and 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A procedure using gas chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) has been developed for the identification and quantification of some allelochemicals in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The quantities of allelochemicals in wheat shoots ranged from 2.9 to 110 mg per kilogram of dry shoot residues. Compared with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the GC-MS-MS technique significantly increased instrument selectivity and sensitivity, thereby providing more reliable quantitation results in the determination of the phytotoxic compounds examined during this allelopathy research.