Palmer amaranth remains among the most detrimental weeds in
North American agriculture, and its resistance to several herbicide
groups makes its control a serious challenge. Recently published
research in the journal Weed Science shows that a sterilization
technique commonly used to control insect pests can be modified to
control weeds that require pollination to reproduce. More
specifically, the researchers determined that employing a sterile
pollen technique (SPT) could effectively disrupt Palmer amaranth
(Amaranthus palmeri S.) reproduction.
WESTMINSTER, Colo., May 22, 2024
/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Recently published research in the journal
Weed Science shows that a sterilization technique commonly used to
control insect pests can be modified to control weeds that require
pollination to reproduce. More specifically, the researchers
determined that employing a sterile pollen technique (SPT) could
effectively disrupt Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S.)
reproduction.
"Our results indicate that SPT, using irradiated pollen,
can be a valuable approach for reducing weed-seed production," says
Mohsen B. Mesgaran, Ph.D., a plant sciences assistant professor at
the University of California Davis, and
the article's corresponding author.
Palmer amaranth remains among the most detrimental weeds in
North American agriculture, and its resistance to several herbicide
groups makes its control a serious challenge. Yet, researchers in
this study were able to find a promising new control method for
Palmer amaranth and possibly for many other difficult-to-control
weeds.
"Our results indicate that SPT, using irradiated pollen, can be
a valuable approach for reducing weed-seed production," says Mohsen
B. Mesgaran, Ph.D., a plant sciences assistant professor at the
University of California Davis, and the
article's corresponding author. "SPT also holds potential for
broad-spectrum weed control by mixing sterile pollen from multiple
weed species in a single application."
Additionally, the researchers found that SPT shows promise for
managing troublesome herbicide-resistant weeds that have survived
in-season control efforts. "We observed the greatest reduction in
seed set when irradiated pollen was introduced to the stigma
through artificial pollination prior to open pollination," notes
Mesgaran. "It appears that irradiated pollen exerts a preventive
effect on naturally occurring pollen that arrives later."
While the researchers determined that a dose of 300 units of
ionizing radiation (Gy) strikes the optimal balance to achieve both
efficient Palmer amaranth pollination and seed sterility,
challenges still remain. For example, irradiated pollen is
currently less competitive than naturally occurring pollen. Thus,
field managers may need to employ additional measures to
successfully control Palmer amaranth with SPT, such as dispersing
irradiated pollen in the field before male anthesis and releasing
it multiple times.
More information about SPT and Palmer amaranth control can be
found in the article, "Exploring sterile pollen technique as a
novel tool for management of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri)."
The research is featured in Volume 72, Issue 3 of Weed Science, a
Weed Science Society of America journal, published online by
Cambridge University Press.
About Weed Science
Weed Science is a journal of the Weed Science Society of America, a
nonprofit scientific society focused on weeds and their impact on
the environment. The publication presents peer-reviewed original
research related to all aspects of weed science, including the
biology, ecology, physiology, management and control of weeds. To
learn more, visit http://www.wssa.net.
Media Contact
William Vencill, PhD, Editor -
Weed Science, 706-247-9890, wvencill@uga.edu,
https://www.wssa.net/
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SOURCE Weed Science