Multiple herbicide-resistant Lolium rigidum (annual ryegrass) now dominates across the Western Australian grain belt

Lolium rigidum (annual or rigid ryegrass) is a widespread annual weed in cropping systems of southern Australia, and herbicide resistance in L.rigidum is a common problem in this region. In 2010, a random survey was conducted across the grain belt of Western Australia to determine the frequency of herbicide-resistant L.rigidum populations and to compare this with the results of previous surveys in 1998 and 2003. During the survey, 466 cropping fields were visited, with a total of 362 L.rigidum populations collected. Screening of these populations with the herbicides commonly used for control of L.rigidum revealed that resistance to the ACCase- and ALS-inhibiting herbicides was common, with 96% of populations having plants resistant to the ACCase herbicide diclofop-methyl and 98% having plants resistant to the ALS herbicide sulfometuron. Resistance to another ACCase herbicide, clethodim, is increasing, with 65% of populations now containing resistant plants. Resistance to other herbicide modes of action was significantly lower, with 27% of populations containing plants with resistance to the pre-emergent herbicide trifluralin, and glyphosate, atrazine and paraquat providing good control of most of the populations screened in this survey. Ninety five per cent of L.rigidum populations contained plants with resistance to at least two herbicide modes of action. These results demonstrate that resistance levels have increased dramatically for the ACCase- and ALS-inhibiting herbicides since the last survey in 2003 (>95% vs. 70-90%); therefore, the use of a wide range of integrated weed management options are required to sustain these cropping systems in the future.