Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) is a pernicious weed in agricultural fields worldwide. The molecular mechanisms underlying its success in the absence of human intervention are presently unknown. Here we report a draft genome sequence of the hexaploid species E. crus-galli, i.e., a 1.27 Gb assembly representing 90.7% of the predicted genome size. An extremely large repertoire of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and glutathione S-transferases associated with detoxification are found. Two gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of an allelochemical 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA) and a phytoalexin momilactone A are found in the E. crus-galli genome, respectively. The allelochemical DIMBOA gene cluster is activated in response to co-cultivation with rice, while the phytoalexin momilactone A gene cluster specifically to infection by pathogenic Pyricularia oryzae. Our results provide a new understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the extreme adaptation of the weed.

Background: Fenclorim (Fen) can effectively protect rice from pretilachlor (Pre) injury, but its effects on rice have not been formally evaluated; thus, the Fen mode of action for alleviating the phytotoxicity caused by Pre in rice is not clear. This study aimed to examine the biochemical and physiological effects of Fen on rice and to determine the changes induced by Fen at the transcriptome level. Result: The chlorophyll content of rice plants was significantly affected by Pre but not by Fen. The activity of oxidative stress enzymes showed that Fen did not elicit any changes in oxidative stress; however, it reduced lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage induced by Pre. Fen did not affect the uptake of Pre but did affect its persistence in rice. In a transcriptome experiment, Fen upregulated genes in a detoxification pathway. Overall, 25 genes related to detoxification were identified, including P450, GST, and GT. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis showed that four P450 genes, CYP71Y83, CYP71K14, CYP734A2 and CYP71D55, and two GST genes, GSTU16 and GSTF5, were upregulated by Fen and/or Pre. Conclusion: Our work indicates that Fen acts in antioxidative defense in addition to enhancing the metabolism of herbicides in rice.

The widespread, rapid evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds is a serious and escalating agronomic problem worldwide. During China’s economic boom, the country became one of the most important herbicide producers and consumers in the world, and herbicide resistance has dramatically increased in the past decade and has become a serious threat to agriculture. Here, following an evidence-based PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) approach, we carried out a systematic review to quantitatively assess herbicide resistance in China. Multiple weed species, including 26, 18, 11, 9, 5, 5, 4, and 3 species in rice (Oryza sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], corn (Zea mays L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)., orchards, and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) fields, respectively, have developed herbicide resistance. Acetolactate synthase inhibitors, acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitors, and synthetic auxin herbicides are the most resistance-prone herbicides and are the most frequently used mechanisms of action, followed by 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase inhibitors and protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors. The lack of alternative herbicides to manage weeds that exhibit cross-resistance or multiple resistance (or both) is an emerging issue and poses one of the greatest threats challenging the crop production and food safety both in China and globally.

Since its initial introduction in the late 1950s, chemical control has dominated weed management practices in China. Not surprisingly, the development of herbicide resistance has become the biggest threat to long-term, sustainable weed management in China. Given that China has followed the same laissez-faire approach toward resistance management that has been practiced in developed countries such as the United States, herbicide resistance has evolved rapidly and increased steadily over the years. Previously, we carried out a systematic review to quantitatively assess herbicide-resistance issues in China. In this review, our main objective is to focus on mechanistic studies and management practices to document the (1) history of herbicide application in China; (2) resistance mechanisms governing the eight most resistance-prone herbicide groups, including acetolactate synthase inhibitors, acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitors, synthetic auxin herbicides, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors, photosystem I electron diverters, photosystem II inhibitors, and long-chain fatty-acid inhibitors; and (3) herbicide-resistance management strategies commonly used in China, including chemical, cultural, biological, physical, and integrated approaches. At the end, perspectives and future research are discussed to address the pressing need for the development of integrated herbicide-resistance management in China.