Martin Laforest

Scientist molecular malherbology

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

430 Gouin Blvd., Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec

Current research and/or projects

Early detection, monitoring and management of herbicide resistant weeds in field vegetables

Complexe herbicide resistance

Triazine resistant Chenopodium album

Impact of cover crops in horticulture

Research and/or project statements

My projects consist in detecting the presence of herbicide-resistant weeds and explaining the mechanism that the plant uses to survive the herbicide treatment. With this information, we develop genetic tests (molecular markers) which make possible the rapid detection of identical cases. We also study weed populations in order to better understand and possibly act on field implantation. This work is in line with the sector strategy in several ways. By its innovation, it allows to be more competitive in the external markets because it reduces the cost of inputs (herbicides) and therefore the cost of production. These tools, which provide rapid knowledge of resistance cases, mitigate risks and prevent unnecessary use of herbicides while encouraging the development of farming methods that will produce better results using resources with more efficiency.

Professional activities / interests

Molecular mechanisms of weeds herbicide resistance
Development of diagnostic tools for herbicide resistance

Population genetics of weeds

Genetics, genomics and transcriptomics

Education and awards

Ph.D. Molecular Biology, Laval Université, 1999
B.Sc. Biological Sciecnes, University of Montréal, 1992

Key publications

Dhariwal, G.*, Kennedy, L., Pittman, M., Bessette, M., Laforest, M., and Geddes, C.M. 2023. P197L and W574L amino acid substitutions confer ALS inhibitor resistance in pale smartweed (Persicaria lapathifolia). 2023 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Weed Science Society. Nov 20-23, 2023. Winnipeg, MB, CA. (Oral Presentation).
2023 - View publication details
Laforest, M. S. Martin, S. Meloche, B. Soufian, K. Bisaillon, F. Tardif and E.R. Page. 2021. Chromosome-Scale Draft Genomes of Common and Giant Ragweed Reveal a Potential Mechanism of Glyphosate Resistance. Annual meeting of the Canadian Weed Science Society, Halifax N.S., November 14-17.
2022 - View publication details
Hickmott, H., F. Tardiff, I. Rajcan, S. Meloche, M. Laforest and E.R. Page. Heterosis and the inheritance of paraquat resistance in Canada fleabane. 2021. Annual meeting of the Canadian Weed Science Society, Halifax, N.S., November 14-17.
2022 - View publication details
Weed emergence and growth under mini-greenhouses in muck and clay soils. Simard, M.-J1., Lord, E1., Nurse, R.E2., Laforest, M1. and Smith, T3. 1Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC; 2AAFC, Harrow, ON; 3AAFC, Ottawa.
2022 - View publication details
Laforest, M., Simard, M.-J., Nurse, R., Page, E., Geddes, C.M., Obeid, K., Picard, A., Miville, D., Grainger, C., and Kora, C. 2022. Available genetic testing enables early detection and mitigation of herbicide-resistant weeds. 2022 Joint Meeting of the Canadian Weed Science Society/Canadian Society of Agronomy. Nov 14-18, 2022. Halifax, NS, CA. (Poster Presentation).
2022 - View publication details
Page, E.R.*, R.E. Nurse, S. Meloche, K. Bosveld, C. Grainger, K. Obeid, M. Filotas, M.J. Simard and M. Laforest. 2021. Import of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.) seed with sweet potato (Ipomea batatas
(L.) Lam) slips. Joint virtual meeting of the Canadian Weed Science Society and Weed Science Society of America, February 22nd – 24th 2022 (Poster Presentation).
2022 - View publication details
Simard, M-J, Laforest, M., Martin, S. and Maheux, L. 2022. Competition between bird’s rape and canola in unmanaged field borders: Year 1. Weed Science Society of America/Canadian Weed Science Society meeting, February 22-24, Online. Poster
2022 - View publication details
Laforest, M., Bisaillon, K., Soufiane, B. Maheux, L., Fortin S., Martin, S., James T. , Miville D. , Marcoux, A. and Simard, M.-J. 2021. Glyphosate Resistant Bird Rape Mustard (Brassica rapa) Through Introgression of a Transgenic Construct: Distribution and Genetic Characterization. Weed Science Society of America meeting, March 15-18, Online.
2021 - View publication details
Pandian, B.A., Friesen, A., Laforest, M., Peterson, D.E., Vara Prasad, P.V., Jugulam, M. (2020). Confirmation and characterization of the first case of acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibitor resistant wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus) in the United States. Agronomy, [online] 10(10), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101496
2020 - View publication details
McKenzie-Gopsill, A., Graham, G., Laforest, M., Ibarra, S., Hann, S., Wagg, C. (2020). Occurrence and management of PSII-inhibitor-resistant chenopodium album L. In atlantic canadian potato production. Agronomy, [online] 10(9), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091369
2020 - View publication details
McKenzie-Gopsill AG, Graham G, Laforest M, Ibarra S, Hann S, Wagg C. 2020. Tracking and managing triazine resistant Chenopodium album in Atlantic Canadian potato production. Prince Edward Island Soil and Crop Conference. March 5th 2020, Summerside PE Canada
2020 - View publication details
McKenzie-Gopsill AG, Graham G, Laforest M, Ibarra S, Hann S, Wagg C. 2020. Tracking and managing triazine resistant Chenopodium album in Atlantic Canadian potato production. New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association Annual General Meeting. Feb 21st 2020, Woodstock NB Canada
2020 - View publication details
Plant and Animal Genome Conference, January 11-15, 2020.
2020 - View publication details
Laforest, M., Bisaillon, K., Ciotola, M., Cadieux, M., Hébert, P.O., Toussaint, V., Svircev, A.M. (2019). Rapid identification of erwinia amylovora and pseudomonas syringae species and characterization of E. Amylovora streptomycin resistance using quantitative PCR assays. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, [online] 65(7), 496-509. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjm-2018-0587
2019 - View publication details
Page, E.R., Meloche, S., Bae, J., Larsen, R.J., Laforest, M., Nurse, R.E. (2019). Tricotyledenous giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.). Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 99(1), 84-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2018-0148
2019 - View publication details
Laforest, M., Soufiane, B. (2018). Coevolution of two sulfonylurea-resistant common chickweed (Stellaria media) biotypes with different mutations in the acetolactate synthase Gene. Weed Science, [online] 66(4), 439-445. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2018.26
2018 - View publication details
Page, E.R., Grainger, C.M., Laforest, M., Nurse, R.E., Rajcan, I., Bae, J., Tardif, F.J. (2018). Target and Non-target site Mechanisms Confer Resistance to Glyphosate in Canadian Accessions of Conyza canadensis. Weed Science, [online] 66(2), 234-245. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2017.69
2018 - View publication details
Breeden, S.M., Brosnan, J.T., Breeden, G.K., Vargas, J.J., Eichberger, G., Tresch, S., Laforest, M. (2017). Controlling Dinitroaniline-Resistant Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) in Turfgrass, 31(6), 883-889. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/wet.2017.57
2017 - View publication details
Laforest, M., Soufiane, B., Simard, M.J., Obeid, K., Page, E., Nurse, R.E. (2017). Acetyl-CoA carboxylase overexpression in herbicide-resistant large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis). Pest Management Science, [online] 73(11), 2227-2235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.4675
2017 - View publication details
Marie-Josée Simard,a Martin Laforest,a Brahim Soufiane,a Diane Lyse Benoit,a François J. Tardifb
2017 - View publication details