Tesis por compendio / [ES] En la producción de cultivos, el frecuente uso de pesticidas y en particular de los herbicidas se encuentra bajo el foco de la atención pública. En los últimos años, muchos herbicidas han sido retirados del mercado, debido a que se buscan productos menos tóxicos. Esto ha provocado un aumento en la inversión para la investigación y el desarrollo de productos herbicidas más sostenibles. Sin embargo, hoy en día, hay pocas opciones comerciales que puedan reemplazar eficazmente a los herbicidas tradicionales. La comunidad agrícola ha posicionado al ácido pelargónico (PA) como una buena alternativa a los herbicidas de contacto convencionales, e incluso al glifosato en ciertas situaciones. El PA es un herbicida no selectivo de contacto, que presenta un buen control de las malezas sin dañar el medio ambiente. Sin embargo, su uso en la agricultura se encuentra limitado debido a algunos inconvenientes, como los problemas de su formulación, el olor rancio y desagradable después de su aplicación y principalmente las altas dosis de pulverización a las que debe ser aplicado para que sea efectivo. Por estas razones, el objetivo de esta tesis fue primero desarrollar un nuevo compuesto no toxico con actividad herbicida, que pudiera ser una alternativa a los herbicidas convencionales. A continuación, se estudiaron las condiciones óptimas de aplicación de la nueva sustancia: dosis de aplicación, ajustes de las barras de pulverización y condiciones climáticas fueron definidas para un mayor rendimiento de la nueva sustancia. Igualmente, se usaron coadyuvantes en el caldo, para incrementar la actividad del nuevo herbicida. Los resultados de esta tesis doctoral reportan la actividad herbicida de trece compuestos a base de ésteres de ácidos grasos, que podrían ser alternativas sostenibles para el control de malas hierbas. Su efectivad herbicida fue evaluada sobre Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. y Solanum nigrum L. Todos los componentes mostraron una interesante actividad herbicida de contacto que no está relacionada con el ácido libre de los ácidos grasos, además de buenas propiedades fisicoquímicas. La mayor eficacia se obtuvo con el éster de ácido pelargónico de polietilenglicol metilado (PA-MPEG), con seis óxidos de etileno. El PA-MPEG es un compuesto líquido, soluble en agua y sin olor rancio, debido a su nula volatilidad, a diferencia del PA. También tiene unas excelente propiedades mojantes, pudiéndose diluir directamente en agua y aplicar sin la necesidad de una formulación, en contraste con el PA. PA-MPEG fue pulverizado a diferentes caudales, proporcionando un control de las malas hierbas estudiadas igual o mejor que el obtenido por los herbicidas comerciales a base de PA. La aplicación de PA-MPEG a una tasa de 12.8 kg de ácido equivalente de PA por hectárea con un caudal de 500 L por hectárea, fue la dosis más adecuada para lograr un excelente control (90 %) de las malas hierbas con un tamaño medio (18-20 cm; BBCH 16-22). Esta dosis de producto y el volumen de caldo son relativamente más bajos que los recomendados en la etiqueta del herbicida comercial a base de PA, formulado con una concentración de 273.4 g L-1. Como PA-MPEG y PA tienen actividad de contacto y su eficacia depende de la cobertura de rociado, en el estudio se reportó y se confirmó que las pulverizaciones realizadas con caudales inferiores a 200 litros por hectárea presentaron un control deficiente sobre D. sanguinalis y S. nigrum, al ser la cobertura de rociado y la penetración en el follaje insuficiente. La eficacia de PA-MPEG a una dosis subóptima fue mejorada cuando la aplicación se realizó con la barra de pulverización a una altura menor, lo que redujo la distancia al follaje de las malas hierbas. Condiciones climáticas cálidas (T: 33 °C; 30 % r.h.) durante la aplicación y los siguientes días también favorecieron el control de malas hierbas. Ambos aspectos de la aplicación podrían ser útiles para reducir las dosis de pulverización, manteniendo su eficacia. El uso de / [CA] En la producció de cultius, el freqüent ús de pesticides i en particular dels herbicides es troba sota el focus de l'atenció pública. En els últims anys, molts herbicides han estat retirats del mercat, pel fet que es busquen productes menys tòxics. Això ha provocat un augment en la inversió per a la investigació i el desenvolupament de productes herbicides més sostenibles. No obstant això, hui dia, hi ha poques opcions comercials que puguen reemplaçar eficaçment als herbicides tradicionals. La comunitat agrícola ha posicionat a l'àcid pelargònic (PA) com una bona alternativa als herbicides de contacte convencionals, i fins i tot al glifosato en unes certes situacions. El PA és un herbicida no selectiu de contacte, que presenta un bon control de les males herbes sense danyar el medi ambient. No obstant això, el seu ús en l'agricultura es troba limitat a causa d'alguns inconvenients, com els problemes de la seua formulació, l'olor rància i desagradable després de la seua aplicació i principalment les altes dosis de polvorització a les quals ha de ser aplicat perquè siga efectiu. Per aquestes raons, l'objectiu d'aquesta tesi va ser primer desenvolupar un nou compost no toxic amb activitat herbicida, que poguera ser una alternativa als herbicides convencionals. A continuació, es van estudiar les condicions òptimes d'aplicació de la nova substància: dosi d'aplicació, ajustos de les barres de polvorització i condicions climàtiques van ser definides per a un major rendiment de la nova substància. Igualment, es van usar coadjuvants en el caldo, per a incrementar l'activitat del nou herbicida. Els resultats d'aquesta tesi doctoral reporten l'activitat herbicida de tretze compostos a base d'èsters d'àcids grassos, que podrien ser alternatives sostenibles per al control de males herbes. La seua efectivitat herbicida va ser avaluada sobre Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. i Solanum nigrum L. Tots els components van mostrar una interessant activitat herbicida de contacte que no està relacionada amb l'àcid lliure dels àcids grassos, a més de bones propietats fisicoquímiques. L'eficàcia més gran es va obtenir amb l'èster d'àcid pelargònic de polietilenglicol metilado (PA-MPEG), amb sis òxids d'etilé. El PA-MPEG és un compost líquid, soluble en aigua i sense olor rància, a causa de la seua nul·la volatilitat, a diferència del PA. També té unes excel·lents propietats mojantes, podent-se diluir directament en aigua i aplicar sense la necessitat d'una formulació, en contrast amb el PA. PA-MPEG va ser polvoritzat a diferents cabals, proporcionant un control de les males herbes estudiades igual o millor que l'aconseguit ingut pels herbicides comercials a base de PA. L'aplicació de PA-MPEG a una taxa de 12.8 kg d'àcid equivalent de PA per hectàrea amb un cabal de 500 L per hectàrea, va ser la dosi més adequada per a aconseguir un excel·lent control (90%) de les males herbes amb una grandària mitjana (BBCH 16-22). Aquesta dosi de producte i el volum de caldo són relativament més baixos que els recomanats en l'etiqueta de l'herbicida comercial a base de PA, formulat amb una concentració de 273.4 g L-1. Com a PA-MPEG te activitat de contacte i la seua eficàcia depèn de la cobertura de ruixat, en l'estudi es va reportar i es va confirmar que les polvoritzacions realitzades amb cabals inferiors a 200 litres per hectàrea van presentar un control deficient sobre D. sanguinalis i S. nigrum, a l'ésser la cobertura de ruixat i la penetració en el fullatge insuficient. L'eficàcia de PA-MPEG a una dosi subòptima va ser millorada quan l'aplicació es va realitzar amb la barra de polvorització a una altura menor, la qual cosa va reduir la distància al fullatge de les males herbes. Condicions climàtiques càlides (T: 33 °C; 30% r.h.) durant l'aplicació i els següents dies també van afavorir el control de males herbes. Tots dos aspectes de l'aplicació podrien ser útils per a reduir les dosis de polvorització, mantenint la seua eficàcia. L'ús d'additius en el tanc de / [EN] In crop production, a particular focus is given to the extensive use of pesticides and, in particular herbicides. In the last years, many herbicides have been withdrawn from the market due to the search for less toxic products for the environment, human health, and non-target organisms, and with lower persistence, increasing the investment for research and development of more sustainable herbicide products. However, today, there are few commercial options that can effectively replace traditional herbicides. The agricultural community has positioned pelargonic acid (PA) as a good alternative to conventional contact herbicides and even for glyphosate in specific situations. PA is a non-selective contact herbicide that achieves good weed control efficacy without harming the environment. However, its use is limited in agriculture due to some drawbacks, such as its formulation problems, the rancid and unpleasant odour after its application and mainly the high spray doses at which it must be applied to be effective, having a high cost, compared to other herbicides available on the market. Therefore, the objectives of this thesis were first to develop a non-toxic compound with herbicidal activity, which could be an alternative to conventional herbicides. Next, the optimal application conditions of the new substance were studied: application rates, spray bar settings and climatic conditions were defined for a higher performance of the new substance. Similarly, adjuvants were used to enhance the activity of the new herbicide. The results of this doctoral thesis report the herbicidal activity of thirteen sustainable alternative compounds based on fatty acid (FA) esters, which could be sustainable alternatives for weed control. Its herbicidal effectiveness in weed control was evaluated on Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. and Solanum nigrum L. All the components showed an interesting contact herbicidal activity that is not related to the free acid of fatty acids, in addition to good physicochemical properties. The highest efficacy was obtained with methylated polyethylene glycol pelargonic acid ester (PA-MPEG), with six ethylene oxides. PA-MPEG is a liquid compound, soluble in water, non-volatile and consequently without rancid smell, unlike PA. Furthermore, it has excellent wetting properties, being able to be diluted directly in water and applied without further formulation efforts in contrast to PA. Additionally, it was suggested that PA-MPEG and other FA herbicides could cause desiccation symptoms due to the break of the water continuum at the site of evaporation in the intercellular spaces. PA-MPEG applied at different spray volumes provided equal or better weed control than commercial PA herbicides. The application of PA-MPEG at a rate of 12.8 kg of PA acid equivalent per hectare in a spray volume of 500 L per hectare was the most suitable rate for achieving excellent weed control (above 90 %) on medium-sized weeds (18-22 cm height; BBCH 18-22). These product doses and spray volume are relatively lower than those recommended on the label of a commercial PA formulation (273.4 g L-1). Since PA-MPEG and PA have contact herbicidal activity and their weed control efficacy depends on the spray coverage, the study reported and confirmed that application performed with spray volumes below 200 L ha-1 resulted in poor D. sanguinalis and S. nigrum control due to insufficient weed coverage and spray penetration into the weed canopy. The efficacy of PA-MPEG at a suboptimal use rate was improved when the application was performed at a lower boom height, which reduced the distance to the weed canopy. Warm weather conditions (T: 33 °C; 30 % r.h.) during the application and the following days also increased weed control efficacy with PA-MPEG. Both application aspects could reduce PA-MPEG use rates while keeping its effectiveness. The use of adjuvants added into the spray tank also caused an enhancement of PA-MPEG performance. Although several tank / Campos Cuevas, J. (2023). Discovery and Development of a Novel Sustainable Contact Herbicide Based on Natural Fatty Acids [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/193471 / Compendio

I evaluated effects of 5 intensive pine plantation establishment regimes during years 1 – 5 post-establishment on vegetation communities, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) growth, nutritional carrying capacity for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), habitat values for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), and projected financial viability in the Lower Coastal Plain of Mississippi. Treatments were combinations of mechanical site preparation (MSP), chemical site preparation (CSP), and herbaceous weed control (HWC) designed to reflect the range of operational intensities on industrial forest lands in the southeastern U.S. Results should inform plantation management decisions throughout the region. Pine growth increased with greater treatment intensity. At age 5, trees in the most intensively managed treatment were 1.5 m taller than those in the least intensive treatment. Mechanical site preparation improved growth by alleviating soil physical problems. Growth and yield projections indicated that increased fiber yield may not justify investment in more intensive regimes; financial analysis favored the least expensive treatment, though all regimes produced potential internal rates of return > 9% when managed to financial maturity. Use of MSP with banded HWC yielded abundant low-quality deer forage sufficient for body maintenance; nutritional needs for lactating does were better served by CSP with banded HWC. Broadcast HWC reduced biomass of high-quality forbs. In this region of limited soil nutrients and abundant low-quality forages, the optimal combination of maintenance-level and lactation-level nutrition was provided by CSP or CSP and MSP combined with banded HWC. I evaluated vegetation communities for nesting, loafing, brood-rearing, and fall and winter food suitability for northern bobwhite. No treatment provided brood-rearing habitat due to combined lack of bare ground and forb coverage. Fall and winter feeding, nesting, and loafing cover were best produced by MSP and CSP combined with banded HWC. However, lack of brood-rearing cover may reduce or eliminate usable space in all treatments. Differences between vegetation communities were caused by use of CSP, which eliminated many residual woody and vine species, and by differences in broadcast versus banded HWC. Herbicide use decreased plant diversity and species richness, and impacted successional trajectory. Community differences persisted through year 5.

Este trabalho propõe um modelo dinâmico para análise de populações de plantas daninhas resistentes a herbicidas. O modelo representa a dinâmica populacional causada por um aumento na proporção de plantas resistentes a herbicidas, resultante da recombinação genética modificada pela pressão seletiva causada pelo herbicida. O aumento da resistência causa uma diminuição na eficácia da dose aplicada do herbicida sobre toda população e, eventualmente, compromete o controle desta população. São apresentados resultados de simulação da planta daninha Bidens subalternans, resistente ao herbicida nicosulfuron e tolerante ao herbicida atrazine, e da planta daninha Bidens pilosa, resistente ao herbicida chlorimuron-ethyl e tolerante ao herbicida imazetaphyr para diferentes doses de herbicidas. / This paper proposes a dynamic model for analysis of herbicide resistance in weed populations. The model represents population dynamic caused by an increase in the proportion of plants resistant to herbicides, resulting from genetic recombination modified by selective pressure caused by herbicide. The increase of resistance decreases the efficacy of the applied dose of herbicide over the entire population and, eventually compromises the population control. Results of simulation for different doses are presented for the weed Bidens subalternans, resistant to nicosulfuron and tolerant to atrazine, and for the weed Bidens pilosa, resistant to herbicide chlorimuron-ethyl and tolerant to imazetaphyr.

Over the past thirty years, price relativities and technological development have motivated an increase in the area of land allocated to cropping, as opposed to pasture production, throughout the central wheat belt of Western Australia. Nevertheless, reducing the proportion of pasture in these rotations has challenged the future productivity of farming systems in this area. First, the frequent application of selective herbicides for weed control in extended cropping rotations has promoted the development of herbicide resistance in a number of major agricultural weeds. Second, the primary use of annual plants has promoted the development of soil salinisation by allowing a significant proportion of rainfall to recharge saline water tables. The inclusion of perennial pasture phases between extended periods of cropping may mitigate or delay these constraints to production through (a) allowing the use of costeffective forms of non-selective weed control, and (b) through creating a buffer of dry soil that absorbs leakage occurring beneath subsequent crops. This study consequently explores the value of including perennial pasture phases in dryland agricultural systems in the eastern-central wheat belt of Western Australia, accounting for benefits related to herbicide resistance and water table management. A novel computational algorithm for the solution of multiple-phase optimal control problems is developed and used to conduct a conceptual analysis of the value of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) pasture for managing annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin), the primary weed in wheat belt cropping systems. The competitiveness and fecundity of annual ryegrass provide strong economic incentives to maintain a low weed population, irrespective of herbicide-resistance status. Consequently, the ineffectiveness of selective herbicides primarily reduces the profitability of cropping by motivating the adoption of more costly non-selective forms of weed control. The inclusion of lucerne in land-use rotations is only optimal in the presence of severe herbicide resistance given (a) the low efficiency of alternative weed-management practices available during the pasture phase, relative to selective-herbicide application; (b) the significant cost of establishing this perennial pasture; and (c) the high relative profitability of cereal production in the absence of resistance. The value of lucerne, relative to annual pastures, for weed management is explored in greater detail through the use of compressed annealing to optimise a sophisticated simulation model. The profitability of candidate rotations is also manipulated to account for the long-term production losses accruing to the recharge of saline groundwaters that occurs beneath them. Sequences incorporating lucerne are only more profitable than those that include annual pasture at the standard set of parameter values if (a) annual ryegrass is resistant to all selective herbicides, (b) the water table is so shallow (approximately less than 3.5 m deep) that frequent rotation with perennials is required to avert soil salinisation, or (c) sheep production is highly profitable. The value of perennial pasture is sufficient under these circumstances to overcome its high establishment cost. Consistent with intuition, these benefits are reinforced by lower discount rates and higher rates of leakage occurring beneath annual-based systems. Formulation of an effective communication strategy to report these results to producers is justified given the complexity involved in determining the true magnitude of these intertemporal benefits through alternative means, such as field trials.

Possible areas of improving the efficiencies of the Lincoln University flame weeder are identified and investigated. The Hoffmann burner initially used in the Lincoln University flame weeder was found not to entrain sufficient air to allow complete combustion of the LPG used. A new burner, the Modified Lincoln University burner, was designed to improve the entrainment of air. Results show that the new design entrained sufficient air to theoretically allow complete combustion of the LPG, and this resulted in a 22.7% increase in heat output per Kg of LPG used over the Hoffmann burner. Temperature x time exposure constants required to kill weeds 0 - 15, 15 - 30, and 30 - 45 mm in size, were found to be respectively 750, 882, and 989 degrees Celsius.Seconds. These constants can be used to calculate the maximum speed of travel an operator can use a flame weeder at, once the temperature profile underneath its shields are established at various travel speeds, and therefore ensure that the flame weeder is used at its maximum efficiency. The constants can also be used to establish the cost efficiency of any flame weeder (in $/Ha), depending on the size of the weeds to be treated. The materials and methods used in establishing the temperature x time exposure constants can be used to establish the temperature x time exposure constant of any weed species at any size.

A series of experiments was carried out on cultivated oat (Avena sativa L. cv Amuri) to examine the efficacies of fluazifop-butyl and glyphosate against water stressed plants, plants grown in low and high nitrogen and plants treated with gibberellic acid (GA₃). Avena sativa L. was used as a test plant and on completion of the experiments, further studies were carried out on the weed species wild oat (Avena fatua L.). In the laboratory, plants maintained at wilting point for five days before and nine days after spraying and treated with fluazifop-butyl (0.5 kg a.i./ha) appeared healthy 32 days after herbicide application, while plants supplied with water throughout the experiment were completely chlorotic/necrotic and had main stem detachment from within the leaf sheaths. In the field, plants maintained unirrigated until 14 days after spraying with fluazifop-butyl (0.25 kg a.i./ha) or glyphosate (0.18 kg a.i./ha) showed greater tolerance to the herbicides than plants irrigated regularly. Values for seed head yield for water stressed and irrigated plants, 45 days after applying fluazifop-butyl, were 66 g and zero g dryweight/m² respectively. Comparable values for glyphosate treated plants were 65 g and 25 g dryweight/m². Radiolabel studies indicated that in comparision with well watered plants, water stressed plants absorbed 20% less applied ¹⁴C-glyphosate. In addition, the proportion of absorbed ¹⁴C-glyphosate translocated from the treated leaf was 15% less under water stress conditions. Uptake of ¹⁴C-fluazifop-butyl was similar under well watered and water stress conditions and was 30-40% of that applied. The proportion of absorbed ¹⁴C-activity which was transported was very low, but was greater under well watered conditions (7.6%) than under water stress conditions (4.4%). Under well watered conditions in the laboratory and field, fluazifop-butyl (0.25 kg a.i./ha) and glyphosate (0.18 kg a.i./ha) were less toxic at low nitrogen than high nitrogen. For example, 34 days after spraying with fluazifop-butyl under laboratory conditions total plant dry weight was 1.51 g and 0.56 g at 1.0 mol/m³ and 10 mol/m³ applied nitrate respectively. As with soil water content, soil nitrogen content had no effect on uptake of fluazifop-butyl. However, the proportion of absorbed fluazifop-butyl which was translocated out of the treated lamina was greater under high nitrogen conditions (26.1 %) than under low nitrogen conditions (9.3%). Under laboratory conditions, addition of 200 µg GA₃to the leaf sheaths two days prior to spraying with fluazifop-butyl or glyphosate increased the efficacy of both herbicides at low nitrogen. Similarly, under field conditions application of GA₃ (0.21 kg/ha) two days prior to spraying with glyphosate increased the performance of the herbicide against Avena sativa L. growing in a nitrogen depleted soil. At harvest, seed head yield for GA₃ treated and non-treated plants was zero and 7.4 g dry weight/m² respectively. Experiments with Avena latua L. showed that this species was tolerant of fluazifop-butyl and glyphosate when grown in low water or low nitrogen conditions. Under water stress conditions, pre-treatment with GA₃ increased the phytotoxicity of fluazifop-butyl to Avena latua L. Similarily, GA₃ enhanced the phytotoxicity of glyphosate to Avena latua L. grown under low nitrogen conditions. Reduced performance of fluazifop-butyl under stress conditions involves a reduction in translocation of herbicide to meristems, but other factors are likely to be involved. It was concluded that for glyphosate, reductions in uptake and translocation of the herbicide are important factors causing reduced performance of this herbicide under stress conditions. Possible reasons for GA₃ enhancement of fluazifop-butyl and glyphosate activity under stress conditions are discussed and the potential of growth regulators as adjuvants is considered.

Herbicides have become a key component in modern agricultural production. Meanwhile, there is a concern that some herbicides persist past the growing season of the treated crop, and negatively influence the production of the subsequently planted crops. Amongst various herbicides used in western Canada, acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS)-inhibiting herbicides warrant special attention given their residual properties and acute plant toxicity at low concentrations in soil. Soil residual AHAS inhibitors have the potential to influence both leguminous host plants and their bacterial symbiotic partners; consequently, the use of an AHAS inhibitor in a given year can negatively influence the inoculation success and grain yield of legumes cropped in the following year. <p>The present thesis project focused on one of the AHAS inhibiting herbicides (flucarbazone) and studied its potential for carryover injury and negative influence on the success of inoculation in field pea. A series of growth chamber and field experiments were conducted to test the following null hypothesis: the presence of residual flucarbazone in soil does not affect nodulation of field pea by inoculum rhizobia. <p>A growth chamber experiment clearly demonstrated the susceptibility of field pea to the presence of flucarbazone in soil where the lowest concentration of flucarbazone amendment (5 ìg kg1) significantly reduced the crop growth. In contrast, a field study failed to reveal any negative effects of flucarbazone use on crop growth and N2 fixation. <p>It was concluded that if the weather and soil conditions favour decomposition of flucarbazone as described in the present study, flucarbazone applied at the recommended field rate will not persist into the following season at high enough concentrations to negatively influence field pea growth, grain yields, and inoculation success. To ensure safety of rotational crops, it is important to strictly adhere to the herbicide application guidelines. Additionally, producers are cautioned to be particularly aware of the environmental and soil conditions that may reduce the rate of herbicide degradation.

Herbicides have become a key component in modern agricultural production. Meanwhile, there is a concern that some herbicides persist past the growing season of the treated crop, and negatively influence the production of the subsequently planted crops. Amongst various herbicides used in western Canada, acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS)-inhibiting herbicides warrant special attention given their residual properties and acute plant toxicity at low concentrations in soil. Soil residual AHAS inhibitors have the potential to influence both leguminous host plants and their bacterial symbiotic partners; consequently, the use of an AHAS inhibitor in a given year can negatively influence the inoculation success and grain yield of legumes cropped in the following year. <p>The present thesis project focused on one of the AHAS inhibiting herbicides (flucarbazone) and studied its potential for carryover injury and negative influence on the success of inoculation in field pea. A series of growth chamber and field experiments were conducted to test the following null hypothesis: the presence of residual flucarbazone in soil does not affect nodulation of field pea by inoculum rhizobia. <p>A growth chamber experiment clearly demonstrated the susceptibility of field pea to the presence of flucarbazone in soil where the lowest concentration of flucarbazone amendment (5 ìg kg1) significantly reduced the crop growth. In contrast, a field study failed to reveal any negative effects of flucarbazone use on crop growth and N2 fixation. <p>It was concluded that if the weather and soil conditions favour decomposition of flucarbazone as described in the present study, flucarbazone applied at the recommended field rate will not persist into the following season at high enough concentrations to negatively influence field pea growth, grain yields, and inoculation success. To ensure safety of rotational crops, it is important to strictly adhere to the herbicide application guidelines. Additionally, producers are cautioned to be particularly aware of the environmental and soil conditions that may reduce the rate of herbicide degradation.

Este trabalho propõe um modelo dinâmico para análise de populações de plantas daninhas resistentes a herbicidas. O modelo representa a dinâmica populacional causada por um aumento na proporção de plantas resistentes a herbicidas, resultante da recombinação genética modificada pela pressão seletiva causada pelo herbicida. O aumento da resistência causa uma diminuição na eficácia da dose aplicada do herbicida sobre toda população e, eventualmente, compromete o controle desta população. São apresentados resultados de simulação da planta daninha Bidens subalternans, resistente ao herbicida nicosulfuron e tolerante ao herbicida atrazine, e da planta daninha Bidens pilosa, resistente ao herbicida chlorimuron-ethyl e tolerante ao herbicida imazetaphyr para diferentes doses de herbicidas. / This paper proposes a dynamic model for analysis of herbicide resistance in weed populations. The model represents population dynamic caused by an increase in the proportion of plants resistant to herbicides, resulting from genetic recombination modified by selective pressure caused by herbicide. The increase of resistance decreases the efficacy of the applied dose of herbicide over the entire population and, eventually compromises the population control. Results of simulation for different doses are presented for the weed Bidens subalternans, resistant to nicosulfuron and tolerant to atrazine, and for the weed Bidens pilosa, resistant to herbicide chlorimuron-ethyl and tolerant to imazetaphyr.

L’agroécologie offre de nouvelles perspectives à l’agriculture et ainsi une voie vers une gestion alternative des adventices à travers différents mécanismes écosystémiques de régulation. La prédation des graines est l’un d’entre eux et son étude fait depuis peu l’objet de recherches visant à approfondir les connaissances relatives à ce processus. Ce travail de thèse cherche (i) à caractériser la prédation des graines d’adventices, les principaux prédateurs Carabidæ et la ressource en graines disponible à l’échelle locale dans une culture courante (blé d’hiver); (ii) à étudier précisément les profils de prédation des principaux prédateurs et les interactions entre les composantes biologiques impliquées; (iii) à introduire des éléments de réponse relatifs au potentiel de régulation des communautés d’adventices via la prédation des graines par les Carabidæ. Des approches complémentaires ont été utilisées afin de répondre à ces problématiques : un suivi à long terme de terrain, des tests de préférences en laboratoire, une simulation des taux de prédation à long terme à partir des données ponctuelles ainsi qu’une étude à grande échelle des prédateurs et du stock de graines.L’étude des variations spatio-temporelles de la prédation via un dispositif de terrain durant la période d’activité des prédateurs a mis en évidence trois pics de prédation dont un seul correspond au pic de prédateurs (avant la moisson). La ressource en graines disponible au sol est quant à elle présente majoritairement lors du premier et du dernier pic de prédation, et aucune augmentation de ressource n’a été observée après moisson. Ces dynamiques semblent stables, restant valables indépendamment de l’échelle spatiale (intra ou interchamp) et des espèces carabiques et adventices étudiées.Toutes les espèces adventices ne font pas l’objet de la même intensité de prédation, et de manière générale, les graines de petites tailles ont été préférentiellement prédatées, au champ comme en test de cafétéria au laboratoire. Cependant, les espèces carabiques semblent avoir des profils de prédation différents entre guildes trophiques, ainsi qu’au sein d’une même guilde. De ce fait, la prise en compte des préférences de consommation dans l’étude des relations prédation-prédateurs tout comme la combinaison des données prédateurs et graines disponibles permet parfois d’améliorer les corrélations, notamment pour les espèces les plus prédatées.Une simulation de la prédation annuelle suggère des pertes en graines dues à la prédation non négligeables, pouvant atteindre pour l’espèce la plus prédatée, ici Viola arvensis, jusqu’à près de 80% des graines disponibles. En parallèle, une étude à grande échelle de l’évolution du stock de graines montre une corrélation négative entre prédateurs et évolution de la banque de graines, suggérant une régulation de la banque de graines via les prédateurs carabiques.L’ensemble de ces résultats suggère que prendre en compte la diversité fonctionnelle des communautés de prédateurs et d’adventices est un point important dans la compréhension de la prédation compte tenu des préférences de consommation des prédateurs et des dynamiques temporelles des différents acteurs. / Agroecology gives evidence of new perspectives in agriculture, and open doors for alternative weed management approaches through different regulation mechanisms. Seed predation is one of them, and the interest is growing to deepen knowledge, relative to this process. This Phd work aims (i) to describe weed seed predation, the dominant carabid predators and the available resource at a local scale in a common crop (winter wheat); (ii) to study predation profiles of main predators, and the pair-wise correlations between the biological components of the system; (iii) to bring new insights regarding potential regulation of weed communities, through seed predation by carabid beetles. Complementary approaches have been used to tackle these aspects: a long-term field study, some cafeteria tests, a simulation of annual predation rates from point-to-point estimates, as well as a large-scale field study of predators and seed resource. Study of spatio-temporal variations of predation, via field experiment during the main activity period of carabids, has shown a three-peak pattern, one of them corresponding to predators’ peak, just before harvest. Weed resource available on soil surface is high in the first and last peaks of predation, and no increase of resource has been observed after harvest. These dynamics are independent of the spatial scale (intra or inter-field) and carabid species. The different weed species do not show the same levels of predation, and, as a whole, small-seeded species are more eaten, in both lab and field conditions. However, carabids have different preferences among trophic guilds, but also within a same guild. Therefore, in order to study predation, it is essential to combine predators and seed data, as well as considering preferences of predators. A simulation of annual seed predation shows important rates of seed loss, reaching up to 80% for the most predated species, V.arvensis. A large scale study of seed bank shows a negative correlation between predators’ activity density and seed bank change, assuming that there is a seed bank regulation by carabid predators. All together, these results show that functional diversity of predators’ and weeds’ communities is a key factor in understanding predation.