Abstract
Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.), traditionally utilised as a pasture species, has become the most problematic and difficult-to-control weed across grain production regions in Australia. Annual ryegrass has been favoured by the adoption of conservation tillage systems due to its genetic diversity, prolific seed production, widespread dispersal, flexible germination requirements and competitive growth habit. The widespread evolution of herbicide resistance in annual ryegrass has made its management within these systems extremely difficult. The negative impacts of this weed on grain production systems result in annual revenue losses exceeding $93 million (AUD) for Australian grain growers. No single method of management provides effective and enduring control hence the need of integrated weed management programs is widely accepted and practiced in Australian cropping. Although annual ryegrass is an extensively researched weed, a comprehensive review of the biology and management of this weed in conservation cropping systems has not been conducted. This review presents an up-to-date account of knowledge on the biology, ecology and management of annual ryegrass in an Australian context. This comprehensive account provides pragmatic information for further research and suitable management of annual ryegrass.
Highlights
Australia was once one of the world’s largest wool producers
This review presents an up-to-date account of the biology, ecology and management of annual ryegrass in these cropping systems
The resistance to acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitor and acetolactase synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicides is widespread throughout conservation cropping systems in Australia mainly because these modes of action have been used for the past four decades [65,66,67,68,69,70]
Summary
Australia was once one of the world’s largest wool producers. In recent decades, sheep production has markedly decreased and has been replaced with continuous grain production systems, mainly wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) across Australia. Annual ryegrass is native to Mediterranean regions of southern Europe, the Indian subcontinent, northern Africa and western Asia [2] This species had been widely cultivated across Australia in pastures and, was distributed and widely naturalised prior to the production shift to widespread grain production [3] (Figure 1). 83% of growers listed it as the most predominant herbicide-resistant weed [9] and this resistance is estimated to cost Australian growers an additional $103 million annually This illustrates the enormous economic impact of annual ryegrass in Australian crop production and the ongoing need for its effective management. Annual ryegrass is an extensively researched weed, a comprehensive review covering major aspects of its biology, ecology and management in the context of phenomenal adoption of conservation cropping systems in Australia is lacking. The existing management options are discussed in terms of their relative efficacy and their future potential use to highlight future research needs
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