Evolutionary-thinking in agricultural weed management

Agricultural weeds evolve in response to crop cultivation. Nevertheless, the central importance of evolutionary ecology for understanding weed invasion, persistence and management in agroecosystems is not widely acknowledged. This paper calls for more evolutionarily-enlightened weed management, in which management principles are informed by evolutionary biology to prevent or minimize weed adaptation and spread. As a first step, a greater knowledge of the extent, structure and significance of genetic variation within and between weed populations is required to fully assess the potential for weed adaptation. The evolution of resistance to herbicides is a classic example of weed adaptation. Even here, most research focuses on describing the physiological and molecular basis of resistance, rather than conducting studies to better understand the evolutionary dynamics of selection for resistance. We suggest approaches to increase the application of evolutionary-thinking to herbicide resistance research. Weed population dynamics models are increasingly important tools in weed management, yet these models often ignore intrapopulation and interpopulation variability, neglecting the potential for weed adaptation in response to management. Future agricultural weed management can benefit from greater integration of ecological and evolutionary principles to predict the long-term responses of weed populations to changing weed management, agricultural environments and global climate

Crop Updates 2008 - Weeds

This session covers twenty nine papers from different authors: 1. BOXER® GOLD, a new pre-emergent herbicide option for WA wheat and barley growers for the control of Annual Ryegrass and Toad Rush, Craig A. Ruchs, Syngenta Crop Protection Australia Pty Ltd 2. Efficacy of Boxer Gold in the control of annual ryegrass in wheat, Dr Abul Hashem, Dr Catherine Borger, Department of Agriculture and Food, Mr Ken McKee, Field Development Manager, Syngenta Crop Protection Australia Pty Ltd 3. Alternative herbicides to avoid trifluralin resistance, Catherine Borger and Abul Hashem, Department of Agriculture and Food 4. Exiting new herbicides for ryegrass control in wheat, Peter Newman, Department of Agriculture and Food 5. Herbicide options for resistant wild radish in wheat, Peter Newman, Department of Agriculture and Food 6. A near-complete control of wild radish with three new herbicide products, Aik Cheam and Siew Lee, Department of Agriculture and Food 7. An investigation of diflufenican resistance mechanism/s in wild radish, Meagan Pearce, Dr Michael Walsh and Prof. Stephen Powles, Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, School of Plant Biology, University of WA 8. Synergistic effects of Group C and GroupF herbicides on resistant and susceptible wild radish populations, Kent Stone, Dr Michael Walsh and Prof. Stephen Powles, Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, School of Plant Biology, University of WA 9. Precept® for the management of wild radish resistant to PDS inhibiting herbicides, Mike Clarke and Andrew Loorham, Bayer Cropscience Pty Ltd, Dr Michael Walsh, WAHRI, University of Western Australia 10. Evolution of glyphosate resistance in annual ryegrass: Effects of cutting rates, Roberto Busi and Stephen B. Powles, Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia 11. Metribuzin and other herbicides pre-sowing of lupins, Peter Newman, Department of Agriculture and Food 12. Crop topping lupins with glufosinate gives poor control of ryegrass seed set, Peter Newman, Department of Agriculture and Food 13. Brome grass has developed multiple resistance to Group B and C herbicides, Dr Abul Hashem, Dr Catherine Borger and Dr Shahab Pathan, Department of Agriculture and Food 14. Effect of sowing methods, Logran® and Metribuzin on weeds and wheat grain yield, Alexandra Douglas and Abul Hashem, Department of Agriculture and Food 15. Effect of alternative Group K herbicides on control of on-row annual ryegrass in wide row lupins, Dr Abul Hashem1, Ray Fulwood2 and Chris Roberts1, 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2Farmer, Meckering, Western Australia 16. Control and seed production of annual ryegrass in wide row lupins within the Western Australian wheatbelt, Abul Hashem1,6, Alex Douglas1,6, Shahab Pathan1, Glen Riethmuller1,6 and 1,6Sally Peltzer, Department of Agriculture and Food, 6CRC Australian Weed Management 17. Effective weed control in wide row lupins, Glen Riethmuller, Abul Hashem and Shahab Pathan, Department of Agriculture and Food, and CRC Australian Weed Management 18. Slender iceplant control, Lorinda Hunt1, John Borger1, Meir Altman1,4 and Dr Ed Barrett-Lennard1,4, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia1, University of Western Australia and Future Farm Industries CRC4 19. Chemical and non-chemical weed control – a European perspective, Glen Riethmuller, Department of Agriculture and Food 20. Mouldboard ploughing shows promise on sand, Peter Newman, Stephen Davies and Sally Peltzer, Department of Agriculture and Food 21. Weed seed head trimming, Glen Riethmuller and Abul Hashem, Department of Agriculture and Food 22. A survey of summer weed incidence and distribution across the WA wheatbelt, Pippa Michaela, Bill McLeodb, Catherine Borgerb and Alex Douglasb, aCurtin University of Technology, bDepartment of Agriculture and Food 23. Herbicide tolerance of field pea varieties, Harmohinder Dhammu and Mark Seymour, Department of Agriculture and Food 24. Herbicide tolerance of current/new wheat varieties, Dr Harmohinder Dhammu, Department of Agriculture and Food 25. Herbicide tolerance of new oat varieties, Harmohinder Dhammu, Vince Lambert and Chris Roberts, Department of Agriculture and Food 26. Herbicide tolerance of saltbush and bluebush, Lorinda Hunt1, John Borger1, Meir Altman1,4 and Dr Ed Barrett-Lennard1,4, Department of Agriculture and Food1, University of Western Australia and Future Farm Industries CRC4 27. A review of 2,4-D formulations and vapour drift, John H. Moore, Department of Agriculture and Food 28. Movement of 2,4-D butyl ester and the dose response of three formulations of 2,4-D on canola, John H. Moore, Department of Agriculture and Food 29. Pathways to registration – Improving pesticide research outcomes, Dr Rohan Rainbow, Manager Crop Protection, Grains Research and Development Corporatio

Crop Updates 2007 - Weeds

This session covers thirty two papers from different authors: 1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, Alexandra Douglas CONVENOR – WEEDS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD WILD RADISH MANAGEMENT 2. Decimate a wild radish seed bank in five years, Peter Newman, Sally Peltzer, Abul Hashem and Aik Cheam, Department of Agriculture and Food 3. High level of seed-set control in wild radish is achievable, Aik Cheam and Siew Lee,Department of Agriculture and Food 4. Wild radish: Best management practice, Aik Cheam and Siew Lee, Department of Agriculture and Food 5. Control of phenoxy resistant wild radish through the combined effects of wheat competition and phenoxy herbicides, Natalie Maguire and Michael Walsh, WAHRI, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia 6.Efficacy of florasulam on chlorsulfuron resistant and susceptible wild radish populations in Western Australia, Michael Walsh1 and Dan Cornally2, 1WAHRI, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 2Dow Agrosciences Australia 7. Does liming to increase soil pH limit the growth and development of wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum)Matt Willis and Michael Walsh, WAHRI, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia IWM TECHNIQUES AND SEEDBANKS 8. Weed trimming – a potential technique to reduce weed seed set, Glen Riethmuller, Abul Hashem and Shahab Pathan, Department of Agriculture and Food 9. Burn narrow windrows in the wind, Peter Newman1and Michael Walsh2, 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2Research Fellow, WA Herbicide Resistance Initiative 10. Winning the Weed War with the Weed Seed Wizard! Michael Renton, Sally Peltzer and Art Diggle, Department of Agriculture and Food HERBICIDE RESISTANCE AND GENE FLOW 11. Frequency of herbicide resistance in wild oat (Avena fatua) across the Western Australian wheatbelt, Mechelle Owen and Stephen Powles, WA Herbicide Resistance Initiative, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia 12. Pollen mediated gene flow of herbicide resistance can occur over long distances doe annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum): Results of two years with different meteorological conditions, Roberto Busi, Robert Barrett-Lennard and Stephen B. Powles, Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, School of Plant Biology – University of Western Australia 13. Doublegee has developed resistance to metsulfuron-methyl within WA wheatbelt, Dr Abul Hashem1and Dr Shahab Pathan2, 1Senior Research Officer, and 2Research Officer, Department Agriculture and Food 14. Another case of glyphosate resistance in annual ryegrass confirmes within Western Australia, Dr Abul Hashem1and Dr Shahab Pathan2, 1Senior Research Officer, and 2Research Officer, Department Agriculture and Food 15. Glyphosate resistance in the northern NSW – implications for Western Australian farming systems, Andrew Storrie, Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries ALTERNATIVES TO TRIFLURALIN, KNOCKDOWNS, TANK MIXES AND NOVEL USES 16. Alternative pre-emergent herbicides to trifluralin for annual ryegrass control, Mr David Minkey and Dr Abul Hashem, Department of Agriculture and Food, 17. Evaluation of a new pre-emergent herbicide alternative dor the control of trifluralin resistant Lolium rigidum Gaudin (annual ryegrass) in wheat and barley, Craig A. Ruchs, Syngenta Crop Protection Australia Pty Ltd and Dr Peter Boutsalis, University of Adelaide 18. Novel knockdown tank mixes: Results from 12 trials over four years, Shahab Pathan1, Abul Hashem2, Catherine Borger3, Nerys Wilkins and Julie Roche, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, and 3the University of Western Australia 19. Alternative herbicides for weed control in lupins, Peter Newman and Martin Harries, Department of Agriculture and Food 20. Novel use application of clopyealid in lupins, John Peirce, and Brad Rayner, Department of Agriculture and Food 21. A model to predict grass selective herbicide rates, John Moore, Department of Agriculture and Food CROP AND WEED MANAGEMENT 22. Inter-row weed control in wide row lupin using knockdown-based tank mixes, Dr Abul Hashem1, Ray Fulwood2 and Chris Roberts3, 1Senior Research Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food, 2Farmer, Meckering, WA, 3Technical Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food 23. Timing of weed removal in wide-row lupins, Sally Peltzer, Shahab Pathan and Paul Matson, Department of Agriculture and Food 24. The effect of row spacing and crop density on competitiveness of lupins with wild radish, Bob French and Laurie Maiolo, Department of Agriculture and Food 25. Is delayed sowing a good strategy for weed management in lupins? Bob French, Department of Agriculture and Food 26. Delayed sowing as a strategy to manage annual ryegrass, Department of Agriculture and Food HERBICIDE TOLERANCE 27. The effect of herbicides on nodulation in lupins, Lorne Mills1, Harmohinder Dhammu2 and Beng Tan1, 1Curtin University of Technology, and 2Department of Agriculture and Food 28. Response of new wheat varieties to herbicides, Harmohinder Dhammu, Department of Agriculture and Food 29. Herbicide tolerance of new barley varieties, Harmohinder Dhammu, Vince Lambert and Chris Roberts, Department of Agriculture and Food 30. Herbicide tolerance of new oat varieties, Harmohinder Dhammu, Vince Lambert and Chris Roberts, Department of Agriculture and Food OTHER WEEDY MATTERS 31. Research and extension need for wild radish and other cruciferous weeds, Aik Cheam, Department of Agriculture and Food 32. e-weed – an information resource of seasonal weed management issues, Vanessa Stewartand Julie Roche, Department of Agriculture and Foo

Costs Of Antifungal Prophylaxis After Bone-Marrow Transplantation - A Model Comparing Oral Fluconazole, Liposomal Amphotericin And Oral Polyenes As Prophylaxis Against Oropharyngeal Infections

We used a costs model to compare alternative modes of prophylaxis against oropharyngeal fungal infections in patients with leukaemia or myeloma who had undergone bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We compared 2 innovative pharmaceutical options (oral fluconazole and intravenous liposomal amphotericin) with existing standard practice (oral polyenes). Costs were measured over a 12-week treatment period, and were compared with the 2 effectiveness measures: (i) the avoidance of colonisation or infection; and (ii) the patients' ability to continue with prophylaxis in an uninfected state. The costs and effectiveness of BMT itself were not considered in this evaluation. The costs per successfully treated patient over a 12-week period were pound 28 956 (pound 1 = $US1.60, June 1995) for oral fluconazole, pound 53 225 for liposomal amphotericin and pound 32 768 for oral polyenes. Sensitivity analysis showed that the costs of liposomal amphotericin always exceeded those of the oral comparators, reflecting its high acquisition, preparation and administration costs