VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF HERBICIDES IN SOIL AND THEIR AVAILABILITY TO PLANTS: SHOOT COMPARED WITH ROOT UPTAKE

Summary. Turnip, lettuce and ryegrass seedlings showed toxicity symptoms following shoot exposure to atrazine, linuron and aziprotryne at soil concentrations less than would be obtained from normal field applications. Responses following shoot exposure to simazine and lenacil were much less. Root exposure to all five herbicides caused seedling death at concentrations lower than those required for 'shoot-zone' toxicity. Pronamide and chlorpropham were tested against ryegrass only and at the concentrations examined were toxic only when localized in the shoot zone. Root exposure suppressed root growth, but the shoots were able to grow normally if the soil was kept sufficiently moist. Shoots contained more ¹⁴C-atrazine at emergence after shoot exposure compared with root exposure, but there was little subsequent uptake from the shoot zone. There was extensive uptake from the root zone after emergence. In the shoot-zone treatments, concentrations in the plant were high at emergence but were rapidly diluted by plant growth, whereas with root exposure, they increased throughout the experiments. The possible significance of these results to herbicide bebaviour under field conditions is discussed.
La distribution verticale des herbicides dans le sol et leur disponibilité pour les plantes: absorption comparée par la partie aèrienne et par les radnes     

Uptake and phytotoxicity of chlorsulfuron in Zea mays L. in the presence of 1,8-naphthalic anhydride

The sites of uptake of chlorsulfuron in maize (Zea mays L.) were investigated at three different growth stages. Exposure of seedling roots, or shoots separately, to herbicide-treated sand over 4 days resulted in inhibition of both roots and shoots. Exposure of seedling roots to chlorsulfuron-treated soil over 21 days severely inhibited both roots and foliage, while separate shoot exposure also reduced both foliage and root growth. After plant emergence, exposure of the crown root node, growing point and lower stem to treated soil reduced foliage and root growth, but exposure of the shoot above the growing point caused only slight inhibition of foliage and had no effect on roots. The herbicide safener 1,8-naphthalic anhydride (NA) applied as a dust (10 g kg^?1 seed weight), or as a 50 mg 1^?1 suspension in water to maize seeds, reduced the root inhibition by chlorsulfuron in 4-day-old seedlings. NA completely prevented both foliage and root injury when chlorsulfuron was placed in soil in the shoot zone before emergence, or in the shoot zone below the soil surface after plant emergence. NA slightly decreased injury to foliage, but not to roots when chlorsulfuron was placed in soil in the root zone before emergence. NA seed treatment protected both roots and foliage against injury from foliarly applied chlorsulfuron. Plants were also protected when a suspension of NA in water was sprayed on the foliage seven days before chlorsulfuron. When a mixture of NA and chlorsulfuron was applied to foliage, root injury was reduced more than foliage injury.     

STUDIES OF THE RESPONSE OF PLANTS TO ROOT-APPLIED HERBICIDES

Summary. Applications of several herbicides -were made to roots and to the bases of shoots of peas, cucumber, mustard and barley grown in soil, sand or water culture.
Localized applications (variation horizontal) of atratone and MCPA to roots of peas and barley in soil produced effects similar to those observed in water euluire, described in Pan I. Airatone killed the plants whether available to the whole or to only a portion of the root system whereas MCPA affected only the roots with which it was in direct contact, and growth continued when a portion of the root system was in herbicide-free environment.
In water culture, MCPA was more effective when applied to the lower (younger) roots with the upper (older) roots kept dry than when twice the concentration was applied evenly to the whole root system in water. When all the roots were kept wet the effect of application to the upper roots was greater than the effect of application to the lower roots. The response of plants to atratone was not appreciably altered whether applications were made to the upper or lower parts of the root system in water culture. Variations in water level had little effect.
Even when the herbicide solution was confined to the stem or hypocotyl, atratone and DNOC were little, if any, less effective than when applied to roots. MCPA, both as ester and sodium salt, was significantly less effective.
Partial replacement of solution in the root zone by sand and air did not reduce the activity of atratone at a given concentration. Similar replacement in the zone of the stem or hypocotyl greatly reduced the effectiveness of all herbicides. When sand of low water content was used, atratone and MCPA-sodium became quite ineffective via the stem, but DNOC and MCPA-ethyl ester remained active.
Études sur les réactions de certaines plantes á des herbicides appliqués aux racines II. Observations nouvelles sur l'effet de l'application localisée.     

EFFECTS OF HERBICIDES ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF FODDER MAIZE WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO PRE-EMERGENCE APPLICATIONS OF 2,4-D-AMINE

Summary. The effectiveness of pre-emergence applications of 2,4-D for weed control in maize was studied In five experiments, in comparison with other herbicide treatments. 2,4-D-aimne applied before crop emergence gave satisfactory weed control if the subsequent conditions were wet, but post-emerge nee applications only killed some species ( Chenopodium album and Atriplex patula. ) A combination of 2,4-D-amine, applied pre-emergence to a moist soil and subsequently as a foliar spray, controlled completely C. album, A. patula, Stellaria media and Veronica spp. Pre-emergence applications of simazine gave better weed control with less need for rain soon after application. Only A. patula was usually resistant. Pre-emergence treatments of atrazine killed all weeds whilst linuron controlled S. media, A. patula., C. album and Sonchus oleraceus but not Veronica spp.
Irrigation experiments showed that weed competition for water was largely responsible for the depressions in the early growth of maize when the conditions were dry. Final yield largely reflected the degrees of weed control attained by the herbicidal treatments. Only 2,4-D applied pre-emergence, and followed by heavy rain caused a direct depression in yield.
Effects des herbicides sur la productivityé du mals fourrage avec référence particuliére aux applications en pré-levée du 2,4-D amine     

SITE OF UPTAKE OF SOIL-APPLIED HERBICIDES*

Summary. We conducted studies to determine the effects on corn (Zea mays L, var. Indiana 654) and pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Alaska) of localizing various herbicides in the soil, using a double plastic pot technique which ensured separate exposure of the root and shoot zones of the plants to treated soil. Effects on corn and pea were similar in relation to site of uptake. 2,4-D-amine, naptalam, simazine, diuron and dalapon-sodium entered primarily through the roots. Some shoot entry and also severe inhibition of roots occurred in soil treated with 2,4-D and naptalam; these were noticed only to a slight extent with the other three herbicides. EPTC, chlorpropham and trifluraiin were most effective when applied to the shoot zone. Little effect on foliage growth was evident when the root zone alone was treated. However, roots in treated soil were severely inhibited by these three herbicides. Dinoseb displayed a contact type of action, injuring both shoots and roots. Treatment of both zones had an additive effect. Entry of chlorthal-methyl which was tested on a susceptible species, sorghum (Sorghum vulgare Pers.) was mainly through the shoot, with only a slight effect on top growth when roots alone were treated. Roots in treated soil were slightly inhibited. Localisation de l'absorption des herbicides appliqués sur le sol     

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TOLERANCE OF BLACKCURRANTS TO SIMAZINE

Summary. Evidence is presented that blackcurrants show a considerable tolerance to simazine when the entire root system is exposed to a uniform concentration of the herbicide in sand and water culture. The tolerance of this species under field conditions does not therefore seem to be primarily due to root development being limited in the surface soil to which simazine is applied. Accordingly, experiments were carried out using simazine, labelled in the ring with ¹⁴C, to determine whether there were restrictions to the uptake of the herbicide by the roots and its translocation to the xylem sap and leaves, and whether there was extensive breakdown of simazine in the plant. The results of these experiments are compared with those on two susceptible species, barley and marrow.
Although simazine appeared to be metabolized to a greater extent in blackcurrants, and was less readily translocated from the roots, than in the susceptible species, a substantial proportion of the labelled material in the leaves was present as unchanged simazine. Studies on the effects of simazine on the rate of transpiration of detached leaves of the three species suggested that in blackcurrants there was a restriction to movement of the herbicide from the conducting tissue in the leaves to the mesophyll; this was confirmed by autoradiographs. It is suggested that this restriction, combined with partial breakdown of the herbicide in the leaves, may be responsible for the tolerance of blackcurrants to simazine.
Résistance du cassissier à la simazine     

Systemic nematicidal activity of fluensulfone against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on pepper

BACKGROUND: Fluensulfone, a new nematicide of the fluoroalkenyl group, has proved to be very effective in controlling root‐knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., by soil application. The systemic activity of this compound against M. incognita on peppers via soil drenching and foliar spray was evaluated. RESULTS: Root application of fluensulfone via soil drenching showed slight and no nematode control activity when applied 4 and 10 days, respectively, after inoculation. A single foliar spray of peppers with a fluensulfone solution at 3.0 g L^?1 prior to inoculation reduced the galling index by 80% and the number of nematode eggs by 73–82% of controls. The reduction in these parameters by fluensulfone was much higher than that obtained with oxamyl or fenamiphos at the same concentration. This activity was also observed when the plants were sprayed 21 days before inoculation. A series of experiments suggested that foliar spray with fluensulfone prior to inoculation reduces nematode invasion. However, foliar spray after inoculation did not inhibit nematode development inside roots. CONCLUSION: Fluensulfone showed relatively high nematode control activity when sprayed on the foliage before inoculation. Fluensulfone may be used as a foliar application, in addition to soil application, for root‐knot nematode control. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

THE PHYTOTOXICITY OF SOME HERBICIDES IN FIELD AND POT EXPERIMENTS IN RELATION TO SOIL PROPERTIES

Summary. The phytotoxicities in a number of soils of lenacil, linuron, prometryne and simazine to two indicator plants were determined in field and glasshouse experiments. The results were compared with estimates of the adsorption capacity of the soils obtained by two methods using dimethylaminobenzaldehyde as a model adsorbate. The possible influence of other soil properties was also considered.
One of the adsorption measurements had some predictive value for glasshouse behaviour but was not markedly superior to soil organic carbon content for this purpose. None of the factors studied was usefully correlated with field performance. Results from field experiments in spring were poorly correlated with those from similar experiments in autumn. Neither set of field results related closely to those obtained in the glasshouse. It is concluded that the influence of climate was more important than that of soil type.
La phytotoxiciti de quelquts herbicides dans des experiences en pots et en plein champ, en relation avec les propriétés du sol     

Reduced rates of residual and post-emergence herbicides for weed control in vineyards

In 1997 and 1998, five field studies were conducted at four Portuguese wine‐growing regions in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the chemical control of vineyard weeds under Mediterranean conditions using either reduced doses of residual herbicides or only foliar herbicides. Amitrole (3440 g a.i. ha^?1), amitrole + glyphosate mono‐ammonium salt (1720 + 900 g a.i. ha^?1), amitrole (3400 g a.i. ha^?1), amitrole + diuron (2580 + 1500 g a.i. ha^?1), amitrole + simazine (2580 + 1500 g a.i. ha^?1), amitrole + terbuthylazine (2580 + 1500 g a.i. ha^?1) and amitrole + diuron + simazine (2580 + 1300 + 1400 g a.i. ha^?1) were assayed and compared with the following reference herbicides: glyphosate isopropylamine salt (1800 g a.i. ha^?1), amitrole + diuron (2520 + 1680 g a.i. ha^?1), diuron + glyphosate + terbuthylazine (1275 + 900 + 1425 g a.i. ha^?1), amitrole + simazine (1900 + 3900 g a.i. ha^?1) and glyphosate + simazine (800 + 2200 g a.i. ha^?1). The herbicides were applied during late winter. The results indicated that good control was achieved by the application of foliar herbicides alone or of reduced rates of a mixture of residual herbicides with foliar herbicides for at least 2 months. Three months after application, the efficacy of post‐emergence herbicides and lower rates of residual herbicides decreased significantly in clay soils and under heavy rainfall conditions. Convolvulus arvensis– a weed that is becoming increasingly significant in Portuguese vineyards – was poorly controlled, even when glyphosate was used. Despite this, it can be assumed that in those regions in which the trials were conducted, it is possible to employ weed control strategies that entail the elimination or a reduction in the rate of residual herbicides.     

20种茎叶处理除草剂对冬小麦田宝盖草的防效及安全性测定

为筛选防除冬小麦田宝盖草的高效茎叶处理除草剂,本试验连续两年选取20种除草剂进行冬小麦田宝盖草的防除研究。结果表明,在小麦返青期施药,200 g/L氯氟吡氧乙酸异辛酯乳油、50%吡氟酰草胺水分散粒剂和10%苄嘧磺隆可湿性粉剂有效成分用量分别为210、120和60 g/hm~2时,药后40 d对宝盖草的株防效和鲜重防效均达到90%以上,并且对冬小麦表现安全,可大面积示范推广。     

INTERAKTION ZWISCHEN EINIGEN HERBIZIDEN BEI VORSAAT- UND VORAUFLAUFBEHANDLUNG IN ZUCKERRÜBEN

Summary. In a field trial of modified logarithmic design, NaTCA and dalapon were applied pre-sowing and pyrazon and lenacil were applied pre-emergence. There were five rates of application and each pair of herbicides (NaTCA + pyrazon, dalapon + pyrazon, NaTCA + lenacil and dalapon-|- lenacil) had thirty-six variants. NaTCA and dalapon alone were found to have some effect on the dicotyledons. Increasing rates of NaTCA and dalapon in combination with pyrazon or lenacil resulted in better weed control, but also had a slight phytotoxic effect on the beet. Because the susceptibility of beet did not increase to the same extent as that of the weeds with the combined treatments examined, the selectivity under the conditions of the experiment was at least not reduced.
L'interaction entre Us herbicides appliqués en pri-semis et en pri-levée dans la betterave à store     

Characterisation of a triazine-resistant biotype of Bromus tectorum found in Spain

A population of Bromus tectorum infesting an olive grove at Córdoba (Spain) survived simazine use rates of 3.0 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ over two consecutive years. Non‐tillage olive monoculture and two annual simazine applications had been carried out for 10 years. The resistant biotype showed a higher ED₅₀ value (7.3 kg a.i. ha⁻¹) than that of the susceptible control (0.1 kg a.i. ha⁻¹), a 73‐fold increase in herbicide tolerance. The use of fluorescence, Hill reaction, absorption, translocation and metabolism assays showed that simazine resistance in this biotype was caused by a modification of the herbicide target site, since chloroplasts from the resistant biotype of B. tectorum were more than 300 times less sensitive to simazine than those from the susceptible biotype. In addition, non‐treated resistant plants of B. tectorum displayed a significant reduction in the Q_A to Q_B electron transfer rate when compared with the susceptible biotype, a characteristic that has been linked to several mutations in the protein D1 conferring resistance to PS II inhibiting herbicides. Resistant plants showed cross‐resistance to other groups of triazine herbicides with the hierarchy of resistance level being methoxy‐s‐triazines ≥chloro‐s‐triazines > methylthio‐s‐triazines > cis‐triazines. The results indicate a naturally occurring target‐site point mutation is responsible for conferring resistance to triazine herbicides. This represents the first documented report of target site triazine resistance in this downy brome biotype.     

Effects from simulated rainfall on shoot-zone uptake of herbicides

In glasshouse experiments, atrazine, simazine, lenacil and linuron applied to the soil surface were phytotoxic to turnip seedlings which had emerged from a depth of 1–5 cm when 3 mm artificial rainfall was applied at the time of seedling emergence or shortly afterwards. When rainfall was applied on 2 or 3 consecutive days, the herbicides were in general more phytotoxic. As the delay between emergence and commencement of surface watering increased, however, the response of the seedlings decreased. Studies with [¹⁴C]-atrazine showed that at emergence the seedlings contained a small amount of herbicide which increased considerably with surface watering. Relatively high concentrations were attained when rainfall was applied while the seedlings were small, but as the interval between seedling emergence and rainfall increased, the same uptake resulted in lower shoot concentrations, Atrazine extraction from the soil showed little movement from the surface 1.0 cm, suggesting uptake via the stem. The observed responses of the other three herbicides are explained by assuming the same pattern of uptake as that recorded for atrazine.     

Phorate residues in aphid colonies on broad bean plants in relation to the site of application

Aphis fabae colonies were established on both leaflets of the second leaf of young broad bean plants. Doses of phorate sublethal to the aphids were applied to the roots or to the third leaf. The aphids, their honeydew and the foliage on which they were feeding were analysed and the quantities of toxic and non-toxic radiolabel determined at intervals. Toxic metabolites were found in the aphids and the leaves but whereas the aphid colonies in all experiments contained approximately similar amounts of the toxic metabolites, the residues in the leaves on which they were feeding differed considerably. The leaves contained more than 100 times as much of these metabolites following the root treatment than after the foliar treatment. These results are discussed in relation to the aphids' feeding site and the probable transport routes of the toxicants.     

Uptake and translocation of some pesticides by hypocotyls of radish seedlings

Some of the factors affecting absorption and translocation of pesticides by the hypocotyls of intact radish (Raphanus sativus, L., cv. Black Spanish) seedlings have been studied, particular attention being given to the triazine herbicides simazine, atrazine and atraton. Uptake and translocation appear to be largely passive processes and by contrast with foliar absorption seem to be unaffected by humidity, con-centration, light and by the aqueous solubilities of the compounds. Diffusion across the tissues of the hypocotyl, rather than rate of transpiration, appears to determine the rate at which atrazine and simazine are translocated to the cotyledons. For several pesticides there is a qualitative relationship between the percentages of the compounds translocated to the upper portion of the shoots and their partition coefficients in oil/water systems. In conclusion, some consideration is given to the relative importance of uptake by roots and shoots under field conditions.     

Movement of phorate and metabolites from treated leaflets to aphid colonies on broad bean plants

Aphid colonies were established on one second-node leaflet of young broad bean plants and sublethal treatments of ¹⁴C-labelled phorate were applied to the adjacent leaflets. After 3 days, the amounts of toxic and non-toxic ¹⁴C-labelled compounds in the aphids, their honeydew and the untreated foliage were determined. There were no significant differences between the amounts in leaves at the same level on the plant when infested and aphid-free plants were compared, but the aphids and their honey-dew contained two and 23 times as much of the toxic and non-toxic ¹⁴C-compounds, respectively, found in the host leaflets. Following translocation to aphids on leaves above or below treated leaflets, the aphid colonies again contained more labelled compounds than the host-plant leaves. The movement of non-toxic compounds into the roots was reduced when the aphid colonies were situated on foliage between the site of treatment and the roots. More of the toxic and the non-toxic fractions were translocated downwards from the third to the second leaf than in the reverse direction.     

Suppression of cucumber powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea) by foliar sprays of pbospbate and potassium salts

Powdery mildew, caused by Sphaerotheca fuliginea , was significantly controlled by a single spray of aqueous solutions (25 mm) containing various phosphates and potassium salts. Phosphates were suppressive when applied alone; however, treatments in combination with Tween-20 were more effective in causing the disappearance of powdery mildew pustules from diseased foliage. Efficiency of control, as expressed by the disappearance of 99% of pustules, was recorded 1 or 2 days after application of single sprays of phosphate and potassium salt solutions. Treatment was effective for up to 12 or 15 days, respectively, following application to small or large greenhouse-grown plants with established mildew infection. Treatments also markedly reduced (> 99%) the production of eonidia from colonies. A further application of these salts to the same plants resulted in the elimination of about 50% of mildew colonies present prior to the application. Further spray application inhibited disease development compared with water-sprayed plants, but did not reduce the number of existing lesions. Phosphate was more effective than the systemic fungicide pyrifenox and reduced established powdery mildew infection up to 11 days after application, but the converse was true when assessments were made after 15 days. These properties of phosphates and potassium salts make them appropriate for use as foliar fertilizers with a potential beneficial influence on disease control.     

Interactions between soil-applied herbicides in the roots of some legume species

The effects on plant growth of applying trifluralin or nitralin combination with simazine, atrazine, prometryne and linuron to the upper 5-cm root region of vetch (Vicia sativa L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and soybean (Glycine max) were investigated. Foliar injury due to herbicides of the second group was markedly reduced in each species by simultaneous treatment with trifluralin or nitralin both of which inhibited lateral root growth without affecting aerial plant growth or tap root extension growth. This inhibition of lateral root growth in roots treated with trifluralin or nitralin was associated with reduced uptake and subsequent transport to the foliage of ¹⁴C-labelled simazine in vetch and pea and ¹⁴C-labelled atrazine in soybean. This probably accounted for the reduction in simazine and atrazine phytotoxicity. In the presence of trifluralin or nitralin comparatively higher amounts of radioactivity were retained in the roots of pea and soybean and this reduced the amount of ¹⁴C available for transport to the foliage. This was not evident in vetch.     

The effect of foliar application of phosphonate formulations on the susceptibility of potato tubers to late blight

Foliar sprays of potato plants with phosphonic acid (partially neutralised with potassium hydroxide to pH 6.4) substantially reduced infection of the tubers by Phytophthora infestans, the cause of late blight, in glasshouse and field experiments over a 4-year period. Healthy tubers of blight-susceptible cultivars removed from treated plants and artificially inoculated by spraying with sporangial/zoospore suspensions of P infestans did not develop disease symptoms, demonstrating that the phosphonate applications had directly reduced the susceptibility of tubers to infection, probably as a result of translocation into tuber tissue. In contrast, foliar application of fosetyl-aluminium did not significantly reduce tuber blight development following inoculation. Five to six sprays of partially neutralised phosphonic acid (2 kg ha-1) applied at 10-14 day intervals resulted in the least tuber infection, but such a treatment regime may not be economic. In trials where the effect of timing and rate of application of 2-4 kg phosphonic acid ha-1 was examined, a single treatment of 4 kg ha-1 applied mid- or late-season proved the most effective. A spray programme in which one or two applications of phosphonic acid are combined with use of a non-systemic or systemic fungicide to enhance foliar protection offers the possibility of controlling both foliage and tuber blight and could have a major impact in reducing overwinter survival of P infestans in tubers.     

Soil persistence of selected sugar-beet herbicides and their combinations with lenacil

Laboratory studies on the degradation of several sugar-beet herbicides both singly and in combination with lenacil were conducted in four soils. First-order kinetics were used to describe the breakdown rates of lenacil, benzthiazuron, carbetamide, propham and phenmedipham, and their combinations with lenacil. Mean half-lives of the herbicides ranged from 14 days for propham to 191 days for benzthiazuron. There were no significant differences between the herbicides applied singly or in combination. Persistance dans le sol de plusieurs herbicides de la betterave et leurs combinaisons avec le lenacil Pour quatre types de sols, nous avons étudié, au laboratoire, la dégradation de plusieurs herbicides de la betterave appliqués seuls ou avec du lenacil. Des cinétiques de première ordre ont été utilisées pour calculer les taux de dégradation des herbicides suivants: lenacil, benzthiazuron, carbetamide, prophame, phenmediphame et de leurs combinaisons avec du lenacil. Les temps moyens de rémanence des herbicides se situaient entre 14 jours pour le prophame et 191 pour le benzthiazuron. Nous n'avons trouvé aucune difference significative entre les herbicides appliqués seuls et avec du lenacil.