A Bromus tectorum L. (downy brome) biotype with cross-resistance to sulfosulfuron has been identified. The resistant biotype was selected with primisulfuron in Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky bluegrass) plots near Madras, OR. The plots received two treatments of 20 g ai ha−1 primisulfuron in the fall of 1993, 1994, and 1995. In 1995, control of B. tectorum decreased and greenhouse studies confirmed that the biotype was resistant to primisulfuron. Cross-resistance to sulfosulfuron also was confirmed in greenhouse studies. Metabolism of sulfosulfuron rather than an insensitive site of action is the likely cause of the cross-resistance.

The repeated use of sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides to control broadleaf weeds in wheat fields and right-of-ways has selected for herbicide-resistant Russian thistle populations. A survey was conducted in 1991 and 1992 to ascertain the relative occurrence of SU-resistant Russian thistle in eastern Washington state. The 55 574 km2 survey area was divided into 149 equal sample areas. All sample areas were surveyed for Russian thistle and seed was collected from plants in 86 sample areas. No Russian thistle was found in the center of the remaining 63 sample areas. Seeds were collected, by plant, from 30 plants at each site. Site samples were tested in the greenhouse for resistance or susceptibility to chlorsulfuron. Populations that were either homogeneous or heterogeneous for chlorsulfuron-resistance were found in 70% of the sample areas and all of the plants were susceptible in 30% of the sample areas.

The movement of sulfonylurea herbicide-resistant (R) kochia pollen was investigated in a spring barley field near Moscow, ID, using a Nelder plot design in 1991 and 1992. Each 61 m diameter plot had 16 rays spaced 22.5° apart and contained 211 kochia plants. There were 12 susceptible (S) plants and one R plant along each ray. The R and S plants were 1.5 m and 3.0 to 30.5 m from the center of the plot, respectively. Wind direction and speed in the 16 vectors, air and soil temperature, and rainfall were monitored continuously. Mature kochia seed was collected from individual plants, planted in the greenhouse, and sprayed with chlorsulfuron to test for resistant F1 progeny. Results from the 2-yr study showed outcrossing of R pollen onto S plants at rates up to 13.1% per plant 1.5 m from the R plants and declining to 1.4% per plant or less 29 m from the R plants. At least 35% of the total R x S crosses occurred in the direction of prevailing southeastward winds. Predicted percentages of R x S crosses per plant ranged from 0.16 to 1.29 at 1.5 m, and 0.00 to 0.06% at 29 m. Thus, resistant kochia pollen can spread the sulfonylurea-resistant trait at least 30 m during each growing season.

Russian thistle plant movement and seed dispersal were studied in 1991 and 1992 by placing Russian thistle plants in the center of wheat fields in eastern Washington. Three adjacent site treatments, with 24 plants on each site, were used each year; wheat stubble, summerfallow planted to winter wheat, and a “stationary” site. Plants in the “stationary” site were anchored to the ground to prevent tumbling. Plants in the stubble and summerfallow sites were allowed to tumble naturally. Individual plant movement was monitored and recorded weekly by satellite global positioning systems technology. Average estimated seed number per plant at the beginning of the experiment was 57,400 in 1991 and 66,000 in 1992. The direction plants moved correlated highly with wind direction. Some plants moved a maximum distance of 4069 m in 6 wks, while other plants moved only 60 m because of variable winds and being compressed by snow or frozen into wheat stubble. Average percentage seed loss in 1991 and 1992 for stationary plants was 15 and 26%, and for tumbling plants was 48 and 66%, respectively.

Background: Psychological therapy services are often required to demonstrate their effectiveness and are implementing systematic monitoring of patient progress. A system for measuring patient progress might usefully ‘inform supervision’ and help patients who are not progressing in therapy. Aims: To examine if continuous monitoring of patient progress through the supervision process was more effective in improving patient outcomes compared with giving feedback to therapists alone in routine NHS psychological therapy. Method: Using a stepped wedge randomized controlled design, continuous feedback on patient progress during therapy was given either to the therapist and supervisor to be discussed in clinical supervison (MeMOS condition) or only given to the therapist (S-Sup condition). If a patient failed to progress in the MeMOS condition, an alert was triggered and sent to both the therapist and supervisor. Outcome measures were completed at beginning of therapy, end of therapy and at 6-month follow-up and session-by-session ratings. Results: No differences in clinical outcomes of patients were found between MeMOS and S-Sup conditions. Patients in the MeMOS condition were rated as improving less, and more ill. They received fewer therapy sessions. Conclusions: Most patients failed to improve in therapy at some point. Patients’ recovery was not affected by feeding back outcomes into the supervision process. Therapists rated patients in the S-Sup condition as improving more and being less ill than patients in MeMOS. Those patients in MeMOS had more complex problems.

Studies were conducted to determine the relative fitness and competitive ability of an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor–resistant (R) downy brome biotype compared with a susceptible (S) biotype. In previous research, the mechanism of resistance was determined to be an altered ALS enzyme. Seed germination of the R biotype was compared with that of the S biotype at 5, 15, and 25 C. There were no different germination characteristics between R and S biotypes at 15 and 25 C. However, the R biotype germinated 27 h earlier than the S biotype and had reached over 60% germination when the S biotype initially germinated at 5 C. Under noncompetitive greenhouse conditions, growth of the R biotype was similar to that of the S biotype on the basis of shoot dry weight, leaf area, and plant height. Seed production of the R biotype was 83%, when compared with the S biotype, but seeds of the R biotype were larger than those of the S biotype. Replacement series experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to determine the relative competitive ability of R and S biotypes. No difference in competitive ability was observed between R and S biotypes on the basis of shoot dry weight, leaf area, or plant height. Thus, it appears that ALS-resistance trait is not associated with growth penalty in either noncompetitive or competitive conditions. In the absence of ALS inhibitors, these results suggest that the R biotype would remain at a similar frequency in a population of R and S biotypes.