Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Natural Products Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #293476
Title: Biochemical markers and enzyme assays for herbicide mode of action and resistance studies

Author
item Dayan, Franck
item Owens, Daniel
item CORNIANI, NATALIA - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)
item SILVA, FERDINANDO MARC - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)
item Watson, Susan
item Howell, J Lynn
item Shaner, Dale

Submitted to: Weed Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2013
Publication Date: 1/13/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62339
Citation: Dayan, F.E., Owens, D.K., Corniani, N., Silva, F.L., Watson, S.B., Howell, J., Shaner, D.L. 2015. Biochemical markers and enzyme assays for herbicide mode of action and resistance studies. Weed Science. 63:(sp1):23-63.

Interpretive Summary: The last book on testing the mode of action of herbicide was published in 1993. This review is a long-needed compilation of assays to measure the activity of most of the target sites affected by commercial herbicides. Several new assays are described for target sites that were not know 20 years ago. The methods described herein are meant to assist anyone interested in measuring the activity of an number of key target enzymes in the biosynthesis of plant macromolecules (e.g., proteins, cell walls and membranes) and the synthesis of their building blocks (e.g., amino acids, sugars and fatty acids) as well physiological processes involving photosynthesis directly (e.g., photosystem I and II) and indirectly (e.g., synthesis of carotenoid, porphyrins, and plastoquinone).

Technical Abstract: This review is an up-to-date compilation of assays to measure the activity of most of the target sites affected by commercial herbicides. The methods described herein are meant to assist anyone interested in measuring the activity of an number of key target enzymes in the biosynthesis of plant macromolecules (e.g., proteins, cell walls and membranes) and the synthesis of their building blocks (e.g., amino acids, sugars and fatty acids) as well physiological processes involving photosynthesis directly (e.g., photosystem I and II) and indirectly (e.g., synthesis of carotenoid, porphyrins, and plastoquinone). Our aim has been to provide practical information to help performs these assays based on our personal experience. These protocols will also be useful for anyone interested in herbicide resistance mechanisms that either involve point mutations, deletions or overexpression that affect the behavior of these proteins and enzymes. We also recommend that HRAC makes the following changes to their classification of herbicides. F3 should be limited to clomazone and its target site deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate synthase. Aclonifen should be moved to E since it is a PPO inhibitor. Amitrole inhibits phytyl synthesis and should be classified in a new category F4. Many of the compounds in N are known inhibitors of VLCFA elongases and should be moved to K3. We also propose that endothall be moved to a new classification Q for its inhibition of serine/threonine protein phosphatase.