Martin Laforest

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

  1. Brosnan, J.T., Vargas, J.J., Breeden, G.K., Grier, L., Aponte, R.A., Tresch, S., Laforest, M. (2016). A new amino acid substitution (Ala-205-Phe) in acetolactate synthase (ALS) confers broad spectrum resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Planta, [online] 243(1), 149-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00425-015-2399-9

    2016 - View publication details

  2. Carisse, O., Kawchuk, L.M., Peters, R.D., Bilodeau, G.J., Lévesque, C.A., Vincent, C., and Laforest, M. (2015). "Biovigilance: a framework for effective pest management.", National Science Day on Biovigilance and Precision Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada, July 9, 2015. (Presentation)

    2015 - View publication details

  3. Laforest, M. and Soufiane, B. (2015) Résistance des mauvaises herbes : causes et mode de détection par test ADN, Journée pesticides de Lanaudière.

    2015 - View publication details

  4. J.T. Brosnan, J.J. Vargas, G.K. Breeden, L. Grier, S. Tresch, R.A. Aponte, and M. LaForest (2015) A New Target Site Mutation Conferring Broad Spectrum Resistance to ALS-Inhibiting Herbicides, poster at CWSS-SCM Annual Meeting, Edmonton, Canada, November 2015.

    2015 - View publication details

  5. J.T. Brosnan, J.J. Vargas, G.K. Breeden, L. Grier, S. Tresch, R.A. Aponte, and M. LaForest (2015) A New Target Site Mutation Conferring Broad Spectrum Resistance to ALS-Inhibiting Herbicides, poster at Resistance 2015, Rothamsted Research, UK, September 2015.

    2015 - View publication details

  6. Marsan-Pelletier, F., Simard, M.-J. and Laforest, M. (2016) Résistance aux herbicides au Québec, Conférences CRAAQ.

    2015 - View publication details

Research facility

430 Gouin Boulevard
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC J3B 3E6
Canada

Affiliations

Canadian Weed Science Society
Québec Society for the Protection of Plants

Weed Science Society of America

International Weed Science Society

Associate Professor, Laval University

Language

English
French