Herbicide Resistances in Amaranthus tuberculatus: A Call for New Options

Amaranthus tuberculatus is a major weed of crop fields in the midwestern United States. Making this weed particularly problematic to manage is its demonstrated ability to evolve resistance to herbicides. Herbicides to which A. tuberculatus has evolved resistance are photosystem II inhibitors, acetolactate synthase inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors, and glyphosate. Many populations of A. tuberculatus contain more than one of these resistances, severely limiting the options for effective herbicide control. A survey of multiple-herbicide resistance in A. tuberculatus revealed that all populations resistant to glyphosate contained resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitors, and 40% contained resistance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors. The occurrences of multiple-herbicide resistances in A. tuberculatus illustrate the need for continued herbicide discovery efforts and/or the development of new strategies for weed management.