Australian scientists uncover genetic breakthrough to combat invasive plants
(MENAFN) A cutting-edge DNA analysis method is equipping scientists with a powerful new weapon against invasive plant species, Monash University announced on Tuesday.
Researchers discovered that the swift adaptability of invasive plants is linked to their ability to gain or lose genes—a process known as "copy number variation." Based on this discovery, scientists developed a technique to detect significant genetic changes in plant specimens dating back centuries.
According to researchers from Monash University and the University of Melbourne, these genetic shifts are central to how invasive species adjust so rapidly to unfamiliar environments.
Their study focused on ragweed, an aggressive plant native to North America that has spread widely in Europe and Australia. The team identified consistent adaptive genetic patterns between native and invasive populations, including samples dating back to the 1830s.
Lead researcher Jonathan Wilson noted that invasive plants often employ similar genetic strategies to adapt to environmental pressures in new regions.
The study also found variations in the gene targeted by glyphosate, a widely used herbicide—an insight that may be pivotal in tackling rising herbicide resistance, according to Wilson, who conducted the research during his PhD at Monash and now serves as a research fellow at the University of Melbourne.
"In the case of ragweed in particular, it is already a major contributor to hay fever in Europe, and we hope this research will help control the weed before it becomes a big problem in Australia," Wilson said.
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