Introgression of phenoxy herbicide resistance from Raphanus raphanistrum into Raphanus sativus

Phenoxy herbicides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy acetic acid (MCPA) are selective herbicides used extensively in agriculture for weed control. Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) is a problem weed across the globe and heavily infests crop fields in Australia. Phenoxy herbicides are used to selectively control dicot weeds, including wild radish. As a result of selection, phenoxy-resistant wild radish populations evolved in Western Australia. In this research, introgression of phenoxy resistance from wild radish to cultivated radish (Raphanus sativus) was investigated following classical breeding procedures. F1 progeny were generated by crossing MCPA-resistant R. raphanistrum and MCPA-susceptible R. sativus. F1 hybrids were screened for MCPA resistance. The MCPA-resistant F1 hybrids were used to produce three generations of backcross progeny. Genetic analyses of F1 and backcross progeny demonstrated introgression of the MCPA-resistant trait from wild radish to cultivated radish. Implications of phenoxy resistance introgression into cultivated radish include potential development of herbicide-tolerant radish cultivars or other members of the Brassicaceae family. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.