Transcriptome analysis indicates the involvement of herbicide-responsive and plant-pathogen interaction pathways in...

The continuous use of the herbicides contributes to the emergence of the resistant populations of numerous weed species that are tolerant to multiple herbicides with different modes of action (multiple resistance) which is provided by non-target-site resistance mechanisms. In this study, we addressed the question of rapid acquisition of herbicide resistance to pinoxaden (acetyl CoA carboxylase inhibitor) in Apera spica-venti, which endangers winter cereal crops and has high adaptation capabilities to inhabit many rural locations. To this end, de novo transcriptome of Apera spica-venti was assembled and RNA-sequencing analysis of plants resistant and susceptible to pinoxaden treated with this herbicide was performed.

The obtained data showed that the prime candidate genes responsible for herbicide resistance were those encoding 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase 12-like, UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGT) including UGT75K6, UGT75E2, UGT83A1-like, and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) such as GSTU1 and GSTU6. Also, such highly accelerated herbicide resistance emergence may result from the enhanced constitutive expression of a wide range of genes involved in detoxification already before herbicide treatment and may also influence response to biotic stresses, which was assumed by the detection of expression changes in genes encoding defence-related proteins, including receptor kinase-like Xa21. Moreover, alterations in the expression of genes associated with methylation in non-treated herbicide-resistant populations were identified.

The obtained results indicated genes that may be involved in herbicide resistance. Moreover, they provide valuable insight into the possible effect of resistance on the weed interaction with the other stresses by indicating pathways associated with both abiotic and biotic stresses. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.