Abstract
Geranium robertianum is a herbaceous plant that prefers shady and fertile forest habitats. However, it also occurs on railway tracks, where there are difficult conditions for plant growth and regular herbicide spraying (in high concentrations, twice a year). One of the most commonly used herbicides in railway areas is glyphosate. The effect of the glyphosate on the G. robertianum plants found on railway tracks and in nearby forests in north-eastern Poland was checked. The aim of the study was to explain how G. robertianum can survive on railway tracks despite spraying with the glyphosate. Increased tolerance to the glyphosate of the G. robertianum plants from track populations was demonstrated compared to the plants from forest populations that had not previously been in contact with the herbicide. After 35 days after treatment with the herbicide, 75% of the plants from the observed forest populations withered, while only 38% did from the track populations. Ultrastructure of plant leaf cells from forest populations was strongly disturbed, which was not observed in plants from track populations. It was also shown that plants from track populations accumulated more glyphosate and AMPA in their tissues than plants from forest populations. The obtained results indicate that long-term use of herbicides may cause formation of biotypes of plants resistant to a given herbicide. This fact explains the possibility of G. robertianum occurring on railway tracks, despite spraying with the glyphosate. It is also a manifestation of microevolutionary processes.
Highlights
Railway tracks are a very good object to assess effects of the long-time use of herbicides
In the G. robertianum plants from both track and forest populations, about 14 days after treatment (DAT) with glyphosate, chlorosis appeared between the veins on the youngest leaves (Fig. 1H, L)
Plants of the railway track populations took a higher dose of the herbicide. It was examined whether the use of the herbicide on railway tracks could have contributed to an increase in tolerance to the glyphosate in the G. robertianum plants of the railway track populations compared to plants of the forest populations
Summary
Railway tracks are a very good object to assess effects of the long-time use of herbicides This is because the doses of herbicides used on railway tracks are high compared to those used in agricultural areas, and are used regularly for several dozen years (Schweinsberg et al 1999; Bӧrjesson and Torstensson 2000; Torstensson 2001; Torstensson et al 2005; Burkhardt et al 2008; Adamczewski et al 2011; Wierzbicka et al 2015). Railway tracks in Poland are places where significant and regular herbicide spraying is carried out (Adamczewski et al 2011; Mętrak et al 2015)
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