Drought-hardy ryegrass raises new weed management challenge
A study by La Trobe University researchers has found annual ryegrass, the most damaging weed in Australian grain systems, can adjust its growth and reproduction to survive under drought stress, making it potentially harder to manage as climate conditions become more variable.
A study by La Trobe University researchers has found that annual ryegrass, the most damaging weed in Australian grain systems, can adapt its growth and reproduction to survive under drought stress. This drought resilience in annual ryegrass populations could make it harder to manage as climate conditions become more variable. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, revealed that herbicide-resistant populations of the weed produced up to 132% more leaves and 153% more tillers under moderate drought conditions, even though they still managed to survive and reproduce.
Lead author Dr. Ali Bajwa emphasized the need to rethink weed management strategies in the face of climate variability, as the resistant populations could pose a significant threat to grain growers despite being drought-hardy.
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