Identification of glyphosate resistance in Lolium rigidum Gaudin

Glyphosate resistance was found in Lolium rigidum Gaudin (Rigid ryegrass, LOLRI) in South Africa. Suspected glyphosate-resistant L. rigidum populations were collected and grown under greenhouse conditions. The plants were sprayed with a range of doses of glyphosate 35 days after planting and shoot dry biomass was determined 17 days after herbicide treatment. Based on the dose-response experiment conducted in the greenhouse, one population of L. rigidum suspected to be resistant to glyphosate was approximately 5.3 fold more resistant than susceptible population. The other population was 2.8 fold more resistant than susceptible population. Difference between the two suspected resistant populations was 1.9 fold. All plants were treated with glyphosate (1000 g a.i. ha-1) and shikimic acid was extracted 2, 4 and 6 days after treatment. The plants of susceptible populations accumulated more shikimic acid than other two populations.