Changes in the herbicide sensitivity and competitive ability of Abutilon theophrasti over 28 years: Implications for hormesis and weed evolution

BACKGROUND

The potential of weed species to respond to selection forces affecting the evolution of weedy traits such as competitive ability is poorly understood. This research characterized evolutionary growth changes in a single Abutilon theophrasti Medik. population comparing multiple generations collected from 1988 to 2016. A competition study was performed to understand changes in competitive ability, and a herbicide dose–response study was carried out to assess changes in sensitivity to acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides and glyphosate over time.

RESULTS

When grown in monoculture, A. theophrasti biomass production per plant increased steadily across year-lines while leaf number decreased. In replacement experiments, A. theophrasti plants from newer year-lines were more competitive and produced more biomass and leaf area than the oldest year-line. No clear differences in sensitivity to imazamox were observed among year-lines. However, starting in 1995, this A. theophrasti population exhibited a progressive increase in growth in response to a sublethal dose of glyphosate (52 g a.e. ha⁻¹), with the 2009 and 2016 year-lines having more than 50% higher biomass than the nontreated control.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that weeds can rapidly evolve increased competitive ability. Furthermore, the results indicate the possibility of changes in glyphosate hormesis over time. These results highlight the importance of the role that rapid (i.e., subdecadal) evolution of growth traits might have on the sustainability of weed management strategies. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Individual efficiency for the use of feed resources in rabbits

A Bayesian procedure, which allows consideration of the individual variation in the feed resource allocation pattern, is described and implemented in 2 sire lines of rabbit (Caldes and R). The procedure is based on a hierarchical Bayesian scheme, where the first stage of the model consists of a multiple regression model of feed intake on metabolic BW and BW gain. In a second stage, an animal model was assumed including batch, parity order, litter size, and common environmental litter effects. Animals were reared during the fattening period (from weaning at 32 d of age to 60 d of age) in individual cages on an experimental farm, and were fed ad libitum with a commercial diet. Body weight (g) and cumulative feed intake (g) were recorded weekly. Individual BW gain (g) and average BW (ABW, g) were calculated from these data for each 7-d period. Metabolic BW (g(0.75)) was estimated as ABW(0.75). The number of animals actually measured was 444 and 445 in the Caldes and R lines, respectively. Marginal posterior distributions of the genetic parameters were obtained by Gibbs sampling. Posterior means (posterior SD) for heritabilities for partial coefficients of regression of feed intake on metabolic BW and feed intake on BW gain were estimated to be 0.35 (0.17) and 0.40 (0.17), respectively, in the Caldes line and 0.26 (0.19) and 0.27 (0.14), respectively, in line R. The estimated posterior means (posterior SD) for the proportion of the phenotypic variance due to common litter environmental effects of the same coefficients of regression were respectively, 0.39 (0.14) and 0.28 (0.13) in the Caldes line and 0.44 (0.22) and 0.49 (0.14) in line R. These results suggest that efficiency of use of feed resources could be improved by including these coefficients in an index of selection.     

Dispersal of conidia of Fusicladium eriobotryae and spatial patterns of scab in loquat orchards in Spain

Dispersal of conidia of Fusicladium eriobotryae, the causal agent of loquat scab, was investigated in two loquat orchards in Spain from 2010 to 2012. A volumetric spore sampler, horizontally and vertically orientated microscope slides, and rain collectors were placed in loquat fields to trap conidia of F. eriobotryae. No conidia were collected in the volumetric sampler, and highly variable numbers of conidia were collected in the rain gatherers. Large numbers of conidia were collected by microscope slides, particularly by those held in a horizontal orientation compared with those held in a vertical orientation. Approximately 90 % of the F. eriobotryae conidia were collected during rainy periods. Based on ROC and Bayesian analysis, using ≥ 0.2 mm rainfall as a cut-off value resulted in a high probability of correctly predicting actual conidial dispersal, and had a low probability of failing to predict actual conidial dispersal. Based on the index of dispersion and the binary power law, the incidence of loquat scab on fruit was highly aggregated in space between and within trees, and aggregation was influenced by disease incidence. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that F. eriobotryae is dispersed mainly in rain splash. The results will be integrated into a mechanistic, weather-driven, disease prediction model that should help growers to minimize fungicide application for the management of loquat scab.     

Weed Detection Using Canopy Reflection

For site-specific application of herbicides, automatic detection and evaluation of weeds is desirable. Since reflectance of crop, weeds and soil differs in the visual and near infrared wavelengths, there is potential for using reflection measurements at different wavelengths to distinguish between them. Reflectance spectra of crop and weed canopies were used to evaluate the possibilities of weed detection with reflection measurements in laboratory circumstances. Sugarbeet and maize and 7 weed species were included in the measurements. Classification into crop and weeds was possible in laboratory tests, using a limited number of wavelength band ratios. Crop and weed spectra could be separated with more than 97% correct classification. Field measurements of crop and weed reflection were conducted for testing spectral weed detection. Canopy reflection was measured with a line spectrograph in the wavelength range from 480 to 820 nm (visual to near infrared) with ambient light. The discriminant model uses a limited number of narrow wavelength bands. Over 90% of crop and weed spectra can be identified correctly, when the discriminant model is specific to the prevailing light conditions.     

Sediment transport below a small alpine reservoir desilted by controlled flushing: field assessment and one-dimensional numerical simulation

Purpose

Sediment transport and riverbed sedimentation were investigated in an alpine stream below a small hydropower reservoir desilted by a controlled sediment flushing (CSF) operation. The term “controlled” refers to the operational tasks implemented to mitigate the downstream environmental impact of the operation. The experimental dataset acquired before, during, and after the CSF was also used to carry out and calibrate a one-dimensional sediment transport model of the monitored event.

Materials and methods

The investigated reservoir is located in the central Italian Alps, and its original storage was 160,000 m³, about 30% filled by a mixture of sand and silt/clay before the CSF. Downstream sediment concentration was controlled by releasing clear water from upstream reservoirs and regulating the work of earth-moving equipment in the emptied reservoir. A 3.6-km-long reach with average slope of 0.015 was monitored: concentration and grain size of suspended sediment were measured during the CSF and the riverbed alteration was evaluated by volumetric sampling and measurements of the deposits’ thickness. Sedimentation and River Hydraulics—One Dimensional (SRH-1D) was used to simulate sediment transport during the monitored CSF. Model parameters were calibrated by comparing the computed and the observed amount of sediment deposited along the study reach.

Results and discussion

Sediment flushing was carried out in October 2010 for 3 days. Ca. 16,000 m³ of sediment were evacuated, representing approximately 30% silt/clay and 70% sand. 2.4 Mm³ of clear water was released to reduce sediment concentration and increase transport capacity downstream. About 3000 m³ of sand was deposited in the study reach after the CSF, with maximum height up to 0.2 m. Although the riverbed before the CSF was simply set as mono-granular, after calibrating the parameters, good agreement was achieved between the depositional pattern computed by SRH-1D and the one observed, both in terms of deposit thickness and grain size of deposited sediment. The sensitivity analysis revealed a major role of the parameters controlling bed mixing processes in affecting the simulated deposition after the CSF.

Conclusions

Sediment below 0.1 mm in diameter was not detected in river deposits after the flushing: the effects on river biota associated with substrate clogging by very fine sediment were therefore minimized. After proper calibration, 1-D sediment transport modeling can effectively support the planning of CSF operations: to minimize the downstream environmental effects, concurrently achieving acceptable flushing efficiency, the analyzed scenarios as well as the model outputs need to be carefully evaluated from a multidisciplinary perspective.

     

Banker plants and landscape composition influence colonisation precocity of tomato greenhouses by mirid predators

Journal of Pest Science - Conservation biological control involves manipulation of the environment to enhance the effectiveness of natural enemies in controlling crop pests. In this study, we...     

Reproductive performance of crossbred and purebred male rabbits

The effect of buck genetic type and crossbreeding parameters on fertility and prolificacy were estimated using two rabbit sire lines and their reciprocal crosses. The relationship between the reproductive performance of inseminated multiparous does and several semen quality traits was also investigated. The semen characteristics evaluated were: pH (pH), mass and individual motility (MM, IM), percentage of viable spermatozoa (Vi), spermatozoa with normal apical ridge (NAR), normal spermatozoa (NSP), spermatozoa with morphological abnormalities of head (HAP), neck-midpiece (NAP), and tail (TAP), spermatozoa with the presence of proximal (PD) and distal (DD) cytoplasmic droplets.

Fertility was analysed as a continuous trait (kindling rate) or as a binary trait (success or failure of kindling). In the first case, the analysis was performed using GLM procedures of SAS v.8 according to a model that included the fixed factors of buck genetic type, number of ejaculates per pool and week of insemination. In the second case, fertility was analysed using GENMOD procedures of SAS v.8 according to a mixed model including the same fixed factors as before plus the physiological status of the does and the permanent random effect of female. Number of kits born alive and number of stillborn were analysed with MIXED procedures of SAS v.8 with the same model used for the analysis of fertility as a binary trait. Estimates of the estimable functions of crossbreeding genetic parameters of the lines were obtained from the solutions of the corresponding models by generalized least squares using GLM, GENMOD and MIXED procedures. Crossbreeding parameters were estimated according to the model of Dickerson. A linear regression was used to determine the relationship between fertility and litter size and the semen characteristics evaluated.

Significant differences in fertility were observed among buck genetic types, which were favourable to type R. Differences between lines in maternal genetic effects were relevant and favourable to type R for fertility. Individual heterosis was important but unfavourable for fertility.

A slight correlation was obtained between all semen quality traits and fertility and prolificacy. Two multiple models were found for fertility, including NAP, IM, NSP, buck genetic type and Vi in one model or NAR in other model. Individual motility had an important positive effect, while NAP had a small negative effect. When MM, TAP and buck genetic type were included in a multiple model for the number of kits born alive, both MM and TAP had significant small effects. Individual motility and DD appeared to be related to number of kits stillborn, but only DD had a significant although negligible effect.