The herbicide, Roundup, has been used over the past 45 years in the Western Cape. As a result of this constant, high selection pressure, resistance to Roundup (Glyphosate) has developed in a range of weeds. Sparse genome data for these low-priority genomes, complicates investigations into the genetic determinants of resistance.
Mr Vhuthu Ndou, a PhD candidate in the Department of Agronomy at Stellenbosch University, is studying the mechanism(s) of Glyphosate resistance in a selected Plantago lanceolata biotype. RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, PCR assay design and sequencing of a specific candidate gene, through the DNA sequencing unit, has supported his investigations towards identifying molecular mechanisms for Glyphosate resistance.