Geographical variation in populations of Chenopodium album resistant and susceptible to atrazine. I. Between- and within-population variation in growth and response to atrazine

Abstract

Between- and within-population variation in growth characteristics, isoenzyme patterns, and response to atrazine were studied in individuals from four atrazine-resistant (R) and four susceptible (S) populations of Chenopodium album L. collected from sites of contrasting climate in southern Ontario. In both the R and S types, population differences in growth characteristics were correlated with geographical location and climatic differences. The more northerly R and S populations had a greater rate of development, earlier maturation, lower biomass at maturity, and greater reproductive effort compared, respectively, with the more southerly R and S populations.Estimates of within-population variation were obtained statistically for a number of growth characters and from the electrophoretic patterns of five enzyme systems (PGM, PGI, GOT, MPI, and LAP). These indicated marked homogeneity in the four R populations as compared with the more variable S populations. Populations from the two disjunct areas of resistance were different for two of the enzymes studied and would appear to represent two different genotypes. This would suggest that mutation for resistance in populations of C. album has occurred independently in the two areas. Coupled with the evidence for differential growth characteristics of these two genotypes in response to climate, we would suggest that resistance has developed in individuals already established in each of the two separate areas, rather than spreading from a single recent introduction of the R type in Ontario.As expected, distinct differences between the R and S types were obtained in response to postemergence treatments with atrazine. The four R populations either showed no effect or exhibited increased growth. S populations all showed marked decreases in growth and production of biomass. Significant between-population differences in growth features were apparent for both types in the control and were maintained in the presence of atrazine. Although small differences in relative susceptibility were obtained for the susceptible populations, statistically significant population by treatment interactions were not evident.