An “omic” approach towards molecular diagnosis of resistance to auxinic herbicides in Corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
Résumé
Papaver rhoeas (corn poppy) is a major, troublesome weed in winter crops. In conventional
agriculture, poppy control is essentially achieved through herbicide application. Following
intensive use of these substances, resistance has evolved in many poppy populations across its
range in Europe. Among the herbicide modes of action concerned by resistance are auxinmimetic
herbicides (HRAC group 4/O). Resistance to this mode of action has little been
investigated, and its determinants remain largely unknown. Literature data suggests that, while
target-site-based resistance exist, non-target-site-based resistance mechanisms may be
predominant. Target-site-based resistance to auxinic herbicides is likely oligogenic, while nontarget-
site-based resistance is often a quantitative, polygenic trait. Thus, identifying the genes
and alleles at the root of resistance to auxinic herbicides in poppy requires being able to scan
variation at the genome and/or transcriptome scale. Poppy not being a model species, no
genome or transcriptome resources were available for this species. To fill this gap, we
established one reference genome and one reference transcriptome for poppy using a sensitive
plant for each reference sequence. These resources will be described herein, as well a wholetranscriptome
approach (RNASeq) that we implemented to identify candidate resistance genes
on the basis of differences in expression patterns between resistant and sensitive plants. This
approach will subsequently be extended and complemented by genome-wide association
studies aiming at identifying additional genes or polymorphisms associated to resistance to
auxinic herbicides. After validation, resistance-associated polymorphisms will be used for
massive diagnosis of resistance to auxinic herbicides via high-throughput, molecular diagnosis
assays.