Cistus species are obligate seeding, early colonizers that follow disturbance, particularly fire, in Mediterranean ecosystems. We studied seed release, seed dispersal and soil seed populations in stands of Cistus ladanifer and C. libanotis. Seed release started in mid‐ to late summer (C. ladanifer) or in early autumn (C. libanotis), and continued for a very extended period: 8–10 months in C. ladanifer, and for a mean of 16 months in C. libanotis. The xerochastic capsules of both species released seeds by successive dehiscence of the locules. All capsules begin to dehisce simultaneously at the start of the seed release period, but in C. libanotis capsule fragmentation replaced dehiscence early in the seed release period. In plants of both species, seed shadows were characterized by a peak of density beneath the plant canopy and a very short tail of much lower densities, indicating that seeds are concentrated beneath mother plants when dispersed. Nevertheless, in late May, at the onset of the fire season, soil seed densities beneath plant canopies were low compared with densities expected from seed shadows, but were apparently high enough to allow recovery of the stands if a disturbance, such as fire, had taken place. Seed‐eating Bruchidae in summer and granivorous ants during the seed release period were apparently the main causes of seed losses. Results suggest that in both Cistus species, the staggered seed release could constitute an efficient risk‐reducing trait. The plant pool of seeds existing throughout most of the year could be a relevant component of Cistus seed banks.

Rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) is one of the most troublesome weeds in different crops in the Mediterranean region. A rigid ryegrass biotype from an olive grove in Jaén province (Andalusía, southern Spain), potentially resistant to glyphosate (RG), was tested for its resistance level through dose-response assays using a susceptible biotype (SG). To test the hypothesis of a non-target-site-based resistance, as point mutations are far less common mechanisms of glyphosate resistance, studies were also conducted to elucidate whether resistance was associated with biochemical, metabolism, molecular and/or physiological mechanisms. Alternative herbicide-based control options, including single-herbicide or herbicide mixtures with glyphosate, applied at seedling, tillering or full heading stages, were tested in field experiments for two years for their efficacy against rigid ryegrass plants and their effects on the soil seed bank. Resistance levels of the RG biotype were 23- (LD50) and 7-fold (GR50) higher compared to the SG biotype. The SG biotype exhibited a significantly greater shikimic acid accumulation than the RG one. At 96 HAT, 58% and 89% of applied 14C-glyphosate was up taken by leaves of RG and SG biotype plants, respectively and, at this time, a significantly higher proportion of the glyphosate taken up by the treated leaf remained in its tissue in RG plants compared to the SG ones. The RG biotype did not reveal any point mutation in the glyphosate target site EPSP synthase. Overall, results confirmed reduced glyphosate uptake and translocation as being the mechanism involved in glyphosate resistance in the RG biotype. RG biotype responses to the alternative treatments tested in situ indicated that herbicide applications at the later growth stage tended to be less effective in terms of immediate effects on population size than earlier applications, and that only in some cases, the removal of at least 85% of the RG biotype was achieved. However, with few exceptions, the alternative treatments tested appeared to be highly effective in reducing the seed bank irrespective of the growth stage. Results suggest that a potential exists for effective management of glyphosate-resistant rigid ryegrass in olive groves in southern Spain.

SUMMARY: Hydrothermal time (HTT) is a valuable environmental synthesis to predict weed emergence. However, weed scientists face practical problems in determining the best soil depth at which to calculate it. Two different types of measures are proposed for this: moment-based indices and probability density-based indices. Due to the monitoring process, it is not possible to observe the exact emergence time of every seedling; therefore, emergence times are not observed individually, seedling by seedling, but in an aggregated way. To address these facts, some new methods to estimate the proposed indices are derived, using grouped data estimators and kernel density estimators. The proposed methods have been exemplified with an emergence data set ofBromus diandrus. The results indicate that hydrothermal timing at 50 mm is more useful than that at 10 mm.

In this work, we studied the effect of three glyphosate formulations (isopropylamine, ammonium and potassium salts) and two non-ionic adjuvants on the resistance response of two resistant (R1, R2) and one susceptible population of the highly invasive Asteraceae, Conyza sumatrensis, from Southern France vineyards. Only in R1, an amino acid substitution (Pro106Thr) was found in the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS). The two adjuvants, in a similar fashion, significantly reduced GR₅₀ values for every population and glyphosate formulation. Without adjuvants, glyphosate as potassium salt was the only formulation able to significantly reduce the GR₅₀ values of every population. For every population, the two adjuvants improved, indistinguishably, leaf retention of the herbicidal solution and the potassium salt formulation led to the highest retention, both with and without the adjuvant added. Uptake responses paralleled those of retention and adjuvant addition was more effective in increasing foliar uptake of the lower performing formulations (isopropylamine and ammonium salts). The allocation pattern of glyphosate among plant compartments was only dependent on population, with R2 retaining most glyphosate in the treated leaf, clearly suggesting the occurrence of a Non-Target Site Resistance (NTSR) mechanism. Results indicate that control of weed populations possessing NTSR mechanisms of resistance to glyphosate may be improved through adequate selection of formulation and adjuvant use.