Trp574 substitution in the acetolactate synthase of Sinapis arvensis confers cross-resistance to tribenuron and imazamox.

Rate-response experiments with nine putative resistant wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) populations from Greece showed cross-resistance to tribenuron and imazamox. The calculated GR values [herbicide rate (gaiha) required for 50% reduction of fresh weight] of the nine resistant (R) populations ranged from 51.8 to 555.6gaitribenuronha and from 66.3 to 900.4gaiimazamoxha. Regarding the susceptible population, GR value was not estimated for tribenuron as its lower treatment reduced fresh weight by >95%, whereas the respective value for imazamox was 0.5gaiha. Gene sequencing of als revealed that a point mutation at Trp574 position, leading to amino acid substitution by Leu in the ALS enzyme was present and the likely cause of resistance. The in vitro activity of the ALS enzyme indicated I values (herbicide concentration required for 50% reduction of the ALS activity) ranging from 19.11 to 217.45μM for tribenuron, whereas the respective value for the S population was 1.17μM. All populations were susceptible to MCPA at the recommended rate. These results strongly support that cross-resistance of 9 S. arvensis populations was due a point mutation of the als gene, which resulted in a less sensitive ALS enzyme.