Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2017
Imazamox-resistant wheat varieties carry the Imi1 allele,which confers resistance to the imidazolinone (IMI) herbicide imazamox. Thisresistance trait allows the selective control of jointed goatgrass, adifficult-to-control winter annual grass weed. Allele movement betweenIMI-resistant wheat and jointed goatgrass may occur via hybridization andbackcross events. Hybrids (F1) of IMI-resistant wheat and jointedgoatgrass were identified in 2008 in a commercial wheat field in EasternOregon. In 2009 and 2010, surveys were conducted in Eastern Oregon todetermine the prevalence of the Imi1 allele in wheat ×jointed goatgrass hybrids. Using polymerase chain reaction assays wedetected the presence of the Imi1 allele. A total of 128sites were surveyed over the 2 yr. Of 1,548 plants sampled, 1,100 werepositive for the Imi1 alelle and of those, 1,087 wereheterozygous and 13 were homozygous for the allele. We assessed hybrid yieldcomponents and how these components varied across the sampled sites. Theassociation between the proportion of IMI-resistant hybrids and the area ormanagement practice in the commercial fields was determined. Nonagriculturalsites or production of IMI-resistant wheat in consecutive years were twofactors associated with a greater proportion of IMI-resistant hybrids. Ourresults demonstrate that the Imi1 allele is moving fromIMI-resistant wheat to jointed goatgrass, producing resistant hybrids andbackcross plants. This is the first report of natural occurrence ofIMI-resistant backcross plants in commercial wheat fields. Therefore, it isimportant to implement field management practices that reduce IMI-resistanthybrid production and to effectively manage nonagricultural areas withjointed goatgrass infestations to prevent introgression of theIMI-resistance allele.
Current address: Weed Management and Herbicide Dynamics Laboratory, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) Maize and Sorghum, Crop Protection Sector, Rod. MG 424 km45, P.O. box 151, Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil.
Associate Editor for this paper: William Vencill, University of Georgia.