Agronomy and Horticulture Department
Inhibitors of Branched Chain Amino Acid Biosynthesis
Date of this Version
2007
Document Type
Article
Citation
Plant and Soil Sciences eLibrary (PASSeL) Lesson
Abstract
Overview
Herbicides that inhibit the production of the branched chain amino acids valine, leucine, and isoleucine are used for total vegetation management and selective weed control in a wide variety of crops. There are currently four different chemical families that share this MOA (mode of action). Before the development of glyphosate-tolerant crop technology, branched chain amino acid inhibitors were the mainstay for several major row crops. While this is still a very important herbicide MOA, the major increase in herbicide-resistant weeds since 1980 has been the direct result selection pressure from these herbicides. There are currently more weed species resistant to branched chain amino acid inhibitors than any other herbicide MOA.
Objectives
This e-lesson will help learners understand the following:
- Where branched chain amino acid production occurs in plants and why it is important for normal plant growth.
- What the basic chemical structures are for herbicides that inhibit branched chain amino acid production.
- How these herbicides interact with the target site, acetolactate synthase, or (ALS).
- How resistance occurs and how gene flow contributes to the spread of herbicide resistance.
Modules:
Comments
Copyright © 2007 Scott J. Nissen. Used by permission.
This project was supported in part by the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants CAP project 2011-68002-30029 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, administered by the University of California-Davis and by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education, National SMETE Digital Library Program, Award #0938034, administered by the University of Nebraska. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA or NSF.
Development of this lesson was supported in part by Cooperative State Research, Education, & Extension Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture under Agreement Number 98-EATP-1-0403 administered by Cornell University and the American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.