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Inheritance and molecular characterization of broad range tolerance to herbicides targeting acetohydroxyacid synthase in sunflower

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Abstract

Ahasl1 is a multilallelic locus where all the induced and natural mutations for herbicide tolerance were described thus far in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The allele Ahasl1-1 confers moderate tolerance to imidazolinone (IMI), Ahasl1-2, and Ahasl1-3 provides high levels of tolerance solely to sulfonylurea (SU) and IMI, respectively. An Argentinean wild sunflower population showing plants with high level of tolerance to either an IMI and a SU herbicide was discovered and used to develop an inbred line designated RW-B. The objectives of this work were to determine the relative level and pattern of cross-tolerance to different AHAS-inhibiting herbicides, the mode of inheritance, and the molecular basis of herbicide tolerance in this line. Slight or no symptoms observed after application of different herbicides indicated that RW-B possesses a completely new pattern of tolerance to AHAS-inhibiting herbicides in sunflower. Biomass response to increasing doses of metsulfuron or imazapyr demonstrated a higher level of tolerance in RW-B with respect to Ahasl1-1/Ahasl1-1 and Ahasl1-2/Ahasl1-2 lines. On the basis of genetic analyses and cosegregation test, it was concluded that tolerance to imazapyr in the original population is inherited as a single, partially dominant nuclear gene and that this gene is controlling the tolerance to four different AHAS-inhibiting herbicides. Pseudo-allelism test permitted us to conclude that the tolerant allele present in RW-B is an allelic variant of Ahasl1-1 and was designated as Ahasl1-4. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the Ahasl1-4 allele sequence of RW-B has a leucine codon (TTG) at position 574 (relative to the Arabidopsis thaliana AHAS sequence), whereas the enzyme from susceptible lines has a tryptophan residue (TGG) at this position. The utilization of this new allele in the framework of weed control and crop rotation is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge the staff of the Biotechnology Department, Nidera S.A., for their continued dedication and effort. This work is dedicated to the memory of Francisco Firpo, Director of Nidera S.A., for his vision, encouragement, and support.

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  1. Biotechnology Department, NIDERA S.A, Ruta 8 km 376, Casilla de Correo 6, 2600, Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Carlos A. Sala & Mariano Bulos

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  1. Carlos A. Sala
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  2. Mariano Bulos
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Correspondence to Carlos A. Sala.

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Communicated by A. Bervillé.

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Sala, C.A., Bulos, M. Inheritance and molecular characterization of broad range tolerance to herbicides targeting acetohydroxyacid synthase in sunflower. Theor Appl Genet 124, 355–364 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-011-1710-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-011-1710-9

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