Molecular basis of multiple resistance to ACCase- and ALS-inhibiting herbicides in Alopecurus japonicus from China

•AH-15 had 95.96/39.87-fold resistances to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl and mesosulfuron-methyl.•Ile 1781 Leu mutation found in CT domain of ACCase in AH-15 population•Trp 574 Leu mutation was confirmed in ALS from AH-15 population.•Multiple resistances to ACCase- and ALS-inhibitors in AH-15•Target site mutations caused the multiple resistances to ACCase- and ALS-inhibitors.

Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl-resistant Alopecurus japonicus has become a recurring problem in winter wheat fields in eastern China. Growers have resorted to using mesosulfuron-methyl, an acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicide, to control this weed. A single A. japonicus population (AH-15) resistant to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl and mesosulfuron-methyl was found in Anhui Province, China. The results of whole-plant dose–response experiments showed that AH-15 has evolved high-level resistance to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (95.96-fold) and mesosulfuron-methyl (39.87-fold). It was shown via molecular analysis that resistance to both fenoxaprop-P-ethyl and mesosulfuron-methyl was due to an amino acid substitution of Ile1781 to Leu in acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) and a substitution of Trp 574 to Leu in ALS, respectively. Whole-plant bioassays indicated that the AH-15 population was resistant to the ACCase herbicides clodinafop-propargyl, clethodim, sethoxydim and pinoxaden as well as the ALS herbicides pyroxsulam, flucarbazone-Na and imazethapyr, but susceptible to the ACCase herbicide haloxyfop-R-methyl. This work reports for the first time that A. japonicus has developed resistance to ACCase- and ALS-inhibiting herbicides due to target site mutations in the ACCase and ALS genes.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide