An innovative concept in weed control
ALS-inhibitor-Tolerance in Sugar Beet
Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Hain Bayer CropScience AG Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Outline
The concept of ALS-inhibitor Tolerance in Sugar Beet Basics about the ALS-inhibitor Tolerance • •
How it was found How it was integrated into high yielding hybrids
The ALS-inhibitor Herbicides Concept •
What do we expect from this technology?
Timeline Comparison with other Herbicide Tolerance concepts, e.g. Clearfield® & Roundup® Weed resistance management
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What should we understand by ALS-inhibitor Tolerance in Sugar Beet?
Dedicated Herbicide** based on ALS-inhibitor a.i.s
** broad efficacy against all major weeds
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+
Modern Sugar Beet Hybrids*
* varieties completely tolerant to ALS-inhibitor herbicide
Basics of ALS-inhibitor Herbicide Tolerance
The concept is based on changes in the gene for acetolactate
synthase, which happen naturally, but rarely, during cell division
The tolerance was not created, but occurred spontaneously in cultivated sugar beet cell cultures
Out of 1.5 billon cells one single herbicide tolerant cell was detected, which formed the basis for the development of the new system.
This is equivalent to one single sugar beet plant out of 15.000 ha beet production
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Basics of ALS-inhibitor Herbicide Tolerance
In ALS-inhibitor Tolerant sugar beets the ALS-inhibiting herbicide
can not bind with ALS enzyme responsible for production of essential amino acids, production of proteins is not blocked therefore sugar beet continues growing normally Substrate
Plant lives Enzyme
Herbicide
Herbicide cannot bind Substrate
Plant lives Enzyme Substrate
Substrate cannot bind
Herbicide
Plant dies Enzyme
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Enzyme
Basics of ALS-inhibitor Herbicide Tolerance
•
The resistant sugar beet cells were selected in cell and tissue cultures and subsequently regenerated to sugar beet plants
•
This new plant is the “donor” in the backcrossing method, to transmit the characteristic in the existing gene pool
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Principle of marker assisted backcrossing
Elite line
Wild-type, resistance donor
Initial recombination
x
Gene with the desired tolerance
50% Backcrossing
Desired genotypes (converted lines)
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x Undesired genotypes
The ALS-inhibitor Herbicide Concept
Active ingredients: The herbicide will contain per liter:
50g Foramsulfuron (FSN)
+
30g Thiencarbazone-methyl (TCM)
Leaf and residual activity: Foramsulfuron is mainly a leaf contact herbicide whereas Thiencarbazone-methyl is working both via leaf and in the soil with residual effect
Formulation type: It will be a liquid product formulated as an oil dispersion
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The ALS-inhibitor Herbicide Concept
Dose rate: Target dose rate per season limited to 1,0L/ha, applied
as a single spray or as a split of two treatments in a time period of approx. 14 days
Spray timing: Application between cotyledon stage and 8 leaves of sugar beet. The optimum for an application is reached at the 1-3
leaf stage of weeds
Additives: No oils or additives have to be tank mixed to activate the herbicide
Mixtures: due to the broad control spectrum
in most cases there is no need for mixtures. But if needed FSN+TCM can be easily combined with other herbicides (e.g. for weed resistance management)
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What do we expect from this new technology?
The combination of two complementary active ALS-inhibitors in one product leads to:
Very broad efficacy in control of annual broadleaved weeds and all major annual grass weeds
Suppression of the main perennials emerging in sugar beet
Suppression or complete control of volunteers such as oilseed rape, sugar beet, cereals, sunflower and potato (except ALSI tolerant varieties)
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What do we expect from this new technology?
The combination of leaf-active and residual control components in one highly active product results in:
Fewer herbicide applications compared to conventional methods: season long control with only 1-2 applications
Lower application rate, less release of herbicidal active substances into the environment
A wide and flexible window for herbicidal applications
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What do we expect from this new technology?
Crop safety:
No impact on crop development since 100%-tolerance to corresponding Foramsulfuron + Thiencarbazone containing herbicide
Full utilization of yield potential
ALSI tolerant hybrid
-------------------------Susceptible normal hybrid Untreated 12
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2,0L/ha 1,0L/ha 4,0L/ha FSN+TCM co-formulation
What do we expect from this new technology?
Most important weeds species in European sugar beet under control Less Susceptible Weeds
Susceptible Weeds Agropyron repens
Echinochloa crus-galli (18)
Sorghum halepense
Alopecurus myosuroides (8)
Poa annua (3)
Triticum aestivum
Aethusa cynapium (10)
Fumaria officinalis (7)
Galisoga ciliata
Amaranthus lividus (2)
Galium aparine (18)
Galisoga parviflora (3)
Amaranthus retroflexus (19)
Hibiscus trionum
Geranium dissectum
Ambrosia elatior (2)
Lamium amplexicaule (4)
Helianthus annus
Ammi majus (2)
Lamium purpureum (22)
Senecio vulgaris (8)
Anagallis arvensis (8)
Matricaria chamomilla (32)
Sinapis arvensis (2)
Anthemis arvensis (2)
Matricaria sp. (2)
Solanum nigrum (15)
Brassica napus (6)
Mercurialis annua (10)
Sonchus arvensis (2)
Capsella bursa pastoris (6)
Papaver rhoeas
Sonchus asper (3)
Chenopodium album (75)
Polygonum aviculare (17)
Sissymbrium officinalis
Chenopodium hybridum (4)
Polygonum convolvulus (56)
Stellaria media (18)
Chenopodium polyspermum
Polygonum lapathifolium (8)
Thlaspi arvense (11)
Datura stramonium (2)
Polygonum persicaria (16)
Urtica urens (5)
Descurainia sophia (2)
Portulaca oleracea
Viola arvensis (25)
Euphorbia helioscopia
Raphanus raphanistrum
Cirsium arvense (5) Veronica hederifolia (2)
Veronica persica (26)
() = number of efficacy results
Weed control efficacy of a 2x treatment of 25g/ha FSN + 15gai/ha TCM, corresponding to 2x0,5L/ha, in herbicide tolerant sugar beet, assessment at row closure, 89 trials, Europe, 2006-2012 13
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VERPE (26)
CIRAR (5)
CHEAL (75)
STEME (18)
POLAV (17)
MERAN (10)
AMARE (19)
VIOAR (25)
POLPE (16)
SOLNI (15)
POLCO (56)
ANGAR (8)
MATCH (32)
CHEHY (4)
URTUR (5)
AETCY (10)
SONAS (3)
LAMPU (22)
GALAP (18)
THLAR (11)
BRSNW (6)
POLLA (8)
FUMOF (7)
SINAR (2)
SENVU (8)
LAMAM (4)
CAPBP (6)
ECHCG (18)
POAAN (3)
ALOMY (8)
% efficacy assessed at row closure
What do we expect from this new technology?
Weed control efficacy of a 2x treatment of 25g/ha FSN + 15gai/ha TCM, corresponding to 2x0,5L/ha, in herbicide tolerant sugar beet, 30 most important weed species, 89 trials, Europe, 2006-2012
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Experimental ALS-inhibitor Tolerant Hybrid
Weed control performance in a field with strong Chenopodium / Amaranthus infestation
ALSI tolerant hybrid untreated 15
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ALSI tolerant hybrid + FSN/TCM 2x0,5L/ha
Experimental ALS-inhibitor Tolerant Hybrid
Weed control performance in a field with strong Polygonum convolvulus / Chenopodium album infestation
ALSI tolerant hybrid untreated 16
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ALSI tolerant hybrid + FSN/TCM 2x0,5L/ha
Experimental ALS-inhibitor Tolerant Hybrid
Weed control performance in a field with strong Sonchus infestation
ALSI tolerant hybrid untreated 17
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ALSI tolerant hybrid + FSN/TCM
When should the new system be available in the market?
The system will be made available to local crop institutes and
consulting partners in the next years to jointly verify ways to further optimize cultivation practices in sugar beet
The authorization procedure of both components, varieties and herbicide, will be synchronized
It is intended to develop the technology in all relevant sugar beet markets 2012 2001 Start basic research
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Patent & Pressrelease
Development & Evaluation trials
2017–2020
Approval & Market launch
Is this the same system as Clearfield®?
The basic idea is similar:
But the result is different:
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What is involved is the use of an ALS-inhibitor herbicide in a non-genetically modified, herbicide tolerant crop Due to the nature of the crop, in sugar beet the harvest takes place before plants enter the flowering stage. This means there is no pollen flow and no seed production; therefore little risk of presence of volunteer beet seeds on harvested field and no spreading of seeds by contaminated harvesters FSN+TCM offers an almost complete control spectrum, under normal conditions no need for a mixing partner or sequence application with other herbicides FSN+TCM as a herbicide product with well-balanced foliar and residual activity ensures continuous weed control with lower dependency on soil moisture status
What if we compare this technology with Roundup®?
It is a non-GMO solution, it corresponds to a natural selection and
conventional breeding
By the combination of foliar activity and residual activity components in the soil, fewer sprayings should be necessary, which
will eventually lead to savings on energy and CO2 reductions
Lower release of herbicidal active substances into the environment
Possible sugar beet yield decrease generated by residues of ALS herbicides commonly used in other crops can be avoided
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Weed resistance management
Permanent utilization of herbicides with the same mode of action in all crops during crop rotation produces a higher selection pressure.
This is also the case for herbicides inhibiting the ALS, therefore principles of integrated weed management should be followed:
Well-ordered crop rotation Use of different herbicidal mode of actions across crop rotation Change of active substance or tank mixture ALS inhibitors with other mode of action Adequate soil cultivation and cropping records
Weed species, which can develop resistance rapidly, should be observed considering several aspects, e.g.:
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Genetic variability within the species Emergence and growth properties Population size Seed production and persistence of the seeds
Conclusion
Broad weed control spectrum
Complete tolerance
Effective weed management
Fewer herbicide applications
Utilize full yield potential
Successful beet production
Wide & flexible application window
Efficient and convenient weed control
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Thank you for your attention!
Backup slide 13 & 14
EPPO code
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AETCY
English name Fool´s parsley
Latin name Aethusa cynapium
ALOMY
Blackgrass
Alopecurus myosuroides
AMARE
Common amarant
Amaranthus retroflexus
ANGAR
Scarlet pimpernel
Anagallis arvensis
BRSNW
oilseed rape
Brassica napus
CAPBP
Shepherd’s purse
Capsella bursa-pastoris
CHEAL
Common lambsquarters
Chenopodium album
CHEHY
Maple-leaved goosefoot
Chenopodium hybridum
CIRAR
Creeping thistle
Cirsium arvense
ECHCG
Cockspur
Echinochloa crus-galli
FUMOF
Common fumitory
Fumaria officinalis
GALAP
Cleavers
Galium aparine
LAMAM
Henbit dead-nettle
Lamium amplexicaule
LAMPU
Red dead-nettle
Lamium purpureum
MATCH
Scented mayweed
Matricaria chamomilla
MERAN
Annual mercury
Mercurialis annua
POAAN
Annual meadowgrass
Poa annua
POLAV
Knotgrass
Polygonum aviculare
POLCO
Black bindweed
Fallopia convolvulus
POLLA
Pale persicaria
Polygonum lapathifolia
POLPE
Redshank
Polygonum persicaria
SENVU
Common groundsel
Senecio vulgaris
SINAR
Charlock
Sinapis arvensis
SOLNI
Black nightshade
Solanum nigrum
SONAS
Prickly sow-thistle
Sonchus asper
STEME
Common chickweed
Stellaria media
THLAR
Field pennycress
Thlaspi arvense
URTUR
Annual nettle
Urtica urens
VERPE
Common field speedwell
Veronica persica
VIOAR
Field pansy
Viola arvensis