Fatty acid and wax biosynthesis in susceptible and triallate-resistant Avena fatua L.

The recent characterization of triallate-resistant lines of wild oat (Arena fatua L.) deficient in triallate sulfoxidation provides an experimental system to investigate and differentiate the effects of triallate and triallate sulfoxide on wax and lipid biosynthesis. Greenhouse applications of triallate dramatically reduced epicuticular wax deposition in susceptible (s) but not resistant (R) wild oats. Triallate treatment had no effect on in-vivo concentrations of C₁₂ to C₂₆ fatty acids and fatty alcohols in R plants, while elongated fatty acid fractions (C > 18) were significantly reduced in S plants. In contrast, treatment with triallate sulfoxide reduced in-vivo concentrations of elongated fatty acids equally in R and S, supporting the hypothesis that triallate sulfoxide is more inhibitory than triallate towards fatty acid elongases. Although de-novo synthesis of short-chain fatty acids was not affected by triallate or triallate sulfoxide in R or S plants, synthesis of elongated fatty acid fractions was dramatically reduced in S plants by triallate. Fatty acid biosynthesis in R and S plants was equally sensitive to triallate sulfoxide. The results support the idea that in-vivo triallate sulfoxidation is necessary for herbicidal activity, and confirm that reduced rates of triallate sulfoxidation confer resistance in R wild oats.