Increase in glutathione S-transferase activity and antioxidant damage ability drive resistance to bensulfuron-methyl in Sagittaria trifolia

Weeds tend to develop resistance to herbicides with time. Understanding the resistance mechanisms evolved by weeds would help manage weed infestation. Sagittaria trifolia, a paddy weed found in the rice fields of Liaoning, China, has developed resistance to bensulfuron-methyl, causing severe yield losses in rice. This study deciphers the underlying mechanisms in terms of non-target-site resistance toward bensulfuron-methyl. We compared the ability of glutathione S-transferase (GST) mediated detoxification metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging between sensitive (NHS) and resistant (NHR) populations of S. trifolia. The resistance ratio of NHR was 210; but the ratio was significantly decreased after GST-inhibitor treatment (44.9). This indicated that a GST-mediated enhancement of detoxification metabolism stimulated the development of resistance. Similarly, higher GST activity was observed in NHR; but the activity equaled that of NHS after GST-inhibitor treatment. However, treatment with the GST-inhibitor did not completely reverse bensulfuron-methyl resistance in NHR, indicating that additional factors contributed to herbicide resistance in these plants. We observed a rapid increase in H2O2 and malondialdehyde accumulation in the case of NHS after bensulfuron-methyl application, whereas those of NHR remained relatively stable, implying that NHR exhibited higher ROS-scavenging capacity under herbicide stress. Further, NHR showed higher glutathione and ascorbic acid contents and higher activities of glutathione reductase and dehydrogenase reductase, all of which contribute towards herbicide resistance in these plants. Our results indicate that GST-mediated detoxification metabolism of bensulfuron-methyl and ROS scavenging capacity contributed to the development of resistance in S. trifolia.