Biochemical, physiological, and genetic investigations of multiple herbicide resistant Avena fatua L.

Abstract

Intense herbicide usage has led to the evolution of herbicide resistant weeds, which threaten food production and security. The multiple herbicide resistant (MHR) Avena fatua (wild oat) lines investigated here are resistant to all members of selective herbicide families available for A. fatua control. The research in this thesis is designed to help understand some of the ecological, biochemical, and genetic aspects of MHR. First, MHR lines with elevated volatile organic compound (VOC) levels and herbicide susceptible lines were used to compare the feeding behavior of Spodoptera exigua (beet armyworm), and potential role of VOCs to mitigate herbicide injury. Results for feeding behavior were mixed, possibly being influenced by environmental and genetic changes more than VOCs. Exposing VOCs to A. fatua lines found that linalool reduced flucarbazone injury of HS plants, while a combined VOC treatment generally increased herbicide injury. MHR responded differently than HS plants to some treatments, suggesting that MHR has fundamental VOC perception alterations. Other studies compared plant pigments and energy management capabilities and showed that MHR lines had higher beta-carotene and chlorophyll b concentrations, as well as enhanced photosynthetic and excess energy management capabilities in MHR lines. Finally, two populations of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were phenotyped for herbicide resistance and used to discover several quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance. Overall, this work contributes to our understanding of MHR and will lay the groundwork for future studies.