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Title: MOLECULAR EVOLUTION OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE TO PHYTOENE DESATURASE INHIBITORS IN HYDRILLA VERTICILLATA AND ITS POTENTIAL USE TO GENERATE HEBICIDE-RESISTANT CROPS

Author
item Arias De Ares, Renee
item NETHERLAND, MICHAEL - USACE, ERDC, ENV. LAB.
item Scheffler, Brian
item PURI, ATUL - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item Dayan, Franck

Submitted to: Pest Management Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/24/2004
Publication Date: 1/25/2005
Citation: Arias, R.S., Netherland, M.D., Scheffler, B.E., Puri, A., Dayan, F.E. 2005. Molecular evolution of herbicide resistance to phytoene desaturase inhibitors in hydrilla verticillata and its potential use to generate hebicide-resistant crops. Pest Management Science. 61:258-268.

Interpretive Summary: Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is one of the most serious invasive aquatic weed problems in the United States. This plant possesses numerous mechanisms of vegetative reproduction that enables it to spread very rapidly. Management of this weed has been achieved by the systemic treatments of water bodies with the herbicide fluridone. At least three fluridone-resistant biotypes of hydrilla with 2-5 fold higher resistance to the herbicide than the wild-type have been identified. Resistance is the result of one of three independent somatic mutations at the arginine 304 codon of the gene encoding phytoene desaturase, the molecular target site of fluridone. The specific activities of the three phytoene desaturase variants are similar to the wild-type enzyme. The appearance of these herbicide resistant biotypes may jeopardize the ability to control the spread of this nonindigenous species to other water bodies in the southern United States. The objective of this manuscript is not to review the vast literature on Hydrilla verticillata, but only provide general information about the biology and physiology of this aquatic weed in relation to its recent development of resistance to the herbicide fluridone.

Technical Abstract: Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is one of the most serious invasive aquatic weed problems in the United States. This plant possesses numerous mechanisms of vegetative reproduction that enables it to spread very rapidly. Management of this weed has been achieved by the systemic treatments of water bodies with the herbicide fluridone. At least three fluridone-resistant biotypes of hydrilla with 2-5 fold higher resistance to the herbicide than the wild-type have been identified. Resistance is the result of one of three independent somatic mutations at the arginine 304 codon of the gene encoding phytoene desaturase, the molecular target site of fluridone. The specific activities of the three phytoene desaturase variants are similar to the wild-type enzyme. The appearance of these herbicide resistant biotypes may jeopardize the ability to control the spread of this nonindigenous species to other water bodies in the southern United States. The objective of this manuscript is not to review the vast literature on Hydrilla verticillata, but only provide general information about the biology and physiology of this aquatic weed in relation to its recent development of resistance to the herbicide fluridone.