The uptake of surfactants into wheat

The time course of uptake has been determined for seven poly(oxyethylene) surfactants, and one anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate), into the leaves of wheat plants grown in a phytotron. Uptake was relatively rapid during an initial period of 24 h for six of the eight surfactants; after this period, the uptake rate was lower, and total uptake after 48 h was in the range 80-91% for those six surfactants. The other two compounds, sodium dodecyl sulphate and cetostearyl alcohol-22EO condensate (hexadecan-1-ol/octadecan-1-ol ethylene oxide condensate; average number of ethylene oxide units 22) were barely taken up at all. The observed time course for uptake was consistent with a complex process based on more than one rate-determining process. The physical properties of the surfactants are discussed in relation to their observed uptake behaviour. The surfactant deposit areas, measured by microscopy, were concluded to be not particularly relevant in interpreting the uptake results. Uptake was not related to surfactant chain length, but the physical form of the hydrated surfactant on a leaf surface appeared to influence uptake behaviour.     

Surfactant and salt affect glyphosate retention and absorption

The influence of nonylphenoxy surfactants and glyphosate salt formulation on spray retention, phytotoxicity and [¹⁴C]glyphosate uptake was investigated in wheat (Triticum aestivum L). and Kochia scoparia L. The amount of spray retained, and uptake of [¹⁴C]glyphosate increased with increasing hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value of surfactants. The volume of spray delivered to the plant treatment area and retained by wheat and K. scoparia plants increased with increasing surfactant HLB values, but this only partly accounted for the higher spray retention. Spray retention by leaves of plants was not affected by calcium chloride, either alone or with ammonium sulphate in the glyphosate spray solution. [¹⁴C]Glyphosate absorption by wheat and K. scoparia was reduced by calcium chloride alone, but not in mixtures with ammonium sulphate, regardless of surfactant. Phytotoxicity and uptake of glyphosate salt formulations for wheat was: isopropylamine > ammonium > sodium > calcium; these results indicate that the surfactant selected is important to maintain glyphosate efficacy and that sodium and calcium cations antagonize glyphosate by forming salts that are absorbed less than commercial isopropylamine formulations.     

The movement of paraquat as influenced by the partition coefficient of surfactants between water and leaf wax

“Lissapol” NX and “Lubrol” L, used to improve the uptake of paraquat into plants were found in earlier work to reduce its movement. Several series of surfactants with widely varying solubilities in water were partitioned between cabbage wax and water. A marked correlation was found between the effect of surfactants on the movement of paraquat and the amount of surfactant partitioning into the wax. It is concluded that although surfactants increase the uptake of paraquat into leaves, this increase is offset by reduced movement following penetration of surfactants into leaf tissue. Surfactant partition into wax reduces the degree of penetration, but there is no evidence how surfactants in leaf tissue reduce movement.     

STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS OF ALKYL- PHENOL ETHYLENE OXIDE ETHER NON-IONIC SURFACTANTS AND THREE WATER-SOLUBLE HERBICIDES

Summary. Several alkylphenol ethylene oxide ether non-ionic surfactants were tested in aqueous foliar sprays with dalapon, amitrole and paraquat for (heir enhancement of phytocidal activity against Zea mays L. With three homologous series of surfactants studied (octyl-, nonyl- and laurylphenol types), the herbicide, the surfactant concentration and the hydrophilic constitution (ethylene oxide content) of the surfactant molecule all markedly influenced maximum toxicity. Smaller apparent differences in effectiveness were also attributable to the hydrophobic (alkylphenol) portion of the surfactant. The results arc discussed in relation to possible cuticle-spray solution interactions and their influence on herbicide penetration.
Relations entre la structure et l'activite de produits tensio-actifs non ionigues, a base d'éther d'oxyde éthylénique et d'alkylphénol, en présence de trois herbicides hydrosolubles     

Some physicochemical factors influencing foliar uptake enhancement of glyphosatemono(isopropylammonium) by polyoxyethylene surfactants

Structure-concentration–foliar uptake enhancement relationships between commercial polyoxyethylene primary aliphatic alcohol (A), nonylphenol (NP), primary aliphatic amine (AM) surfactants and the herbicide glyphosatemono(isopropylammonium) were studied in experiments with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and field bean (Vicia faba L.) plants growing under controlled-environment conditions. Candidate surfactants had mean molar ethylene oxide (EO) contents ranging from 5 to 20 and were added at concentrations varying from 0·2 to 10 g litre^?-1 to [¹⁴C]glyphosate formulations in acetone–water. Rates and total amounts of herbicide uptake from c. 0·2–μl droplet applications of formulations to leaves were influenced by surfactant EO content, surfactant hydrophobe composition, surfactant concentration, glyphosate concentration and plant species, in a complex manner. Surfactant effects were most pronounced at 0·5 g acid equivalent (a.e.) glyphosate litre^?-1 where, for both target species, surfactants of high EO content (15–20) were most effective at enhancing herbicide uptake: surfactants of lower EO content (5–10) frequently reduced, or failed to improve, glyphosate absorption. Whereas, at optimal EO content, AM surfactants caused greatest uptake enhancement on wheat, A surfactants gave the best overall performance on field bean; NP surfactants were generally the least efficient class of adjuvants on both species. Threshold concentrations of surfactants needed to increase glyphosate uptake were much higher in field bean than wheat (c. 2 g litre^?-1 and < 1 g litre^?-1, respectively); less herbicide was taken up by both species at high AM surfactant concentrations. At 5 and 10 g a.e. glyphosate litre^?-1, there were substantial increases in herbicide absorption and surfactant addition could cause effects on uptake that were different from those observed at lower herbicide doses. In particular, the influence of EO content on glyphosate uptake was now much less marked in both species, especially with AM surfactants. The fundamental importance of glyphosate concentration for its uptake was further emphasised by experiments using formulations with constant a.i./surfactant weight ratios. Any increased foliar penetration resulting from inclusion of surfactants in 0·5 g litre^?-1 [¹⁴C]glyphosate formulations gave concomitant increases in the amounts of radiolabel that were translocated away from the site of application. At these low herbicide doses, translocation of absorbed [¹⁴C]glyphosate in wheat was c. twice that in field bean; surfactant addition to the formulation did not increase the proportion transported in wheat but substantially enhanced it in field bean.     

Effects of two surfactant series on the absorption and translocation of 14C-glyphosate in sicklepod and prickly sida

The weed species, prickly sida (Sida spinosa L.) and sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia L.), were treated with ¹⁴C-glyphosate alone and formulated with different polyethlylane oxide (PEO) surfactants in tallow amine ethoxylate and non-ionic alkoxylate series to determine the amount of ¹⁴C-glyphosate absorption and translocation. The surface tension, contact angle, and ¹⁴C-glyphosate distribution were significantly affected by both the presence of different waxes on the plants and by the addition of surfactants to the glyphosate. The surface and contact angle values of the surfactants, with and without glyphosate, showed a significant increase as the PEO number increased in both surfactant series. A higher absorption of the ¹⁴C-glyphosate was recorded for S. spinosa compared with S. obtusifolia. The absorption and translocation of the ¹⁴C-glyphosate increased with the increase in the PEO number of tallow amine ethoxylate. In the case of the non-ionic alkoxylate surfactant series, an increase in the absorption of ¹⁴C-glyphosate was recorded when the surface tension and contact angle values decreased. There was no significant difference in the translocation values obtained in the two species after the addition of the surfactants. The amount of ¹⁴C-glyphosate absorbed by the treated leaf was significantly higher in the case of S. spinosa compared with S. obtusifolia. A linear relationship was observed with the physical properties, ¹⁴C absorption, and the efficacy of glyphosate with the addition of the non-ionic alkoxylate surfactant series. The percentage control was higher with the higher PEO surfactant in the tallow amine ethoxylate surfactant series and with the lower PEO surfactant in the non-ionic alkoxylate surfactant series as the two series are chemically different.     

Development of a predictive uptake model to rationalise selection of polyoxyethylene surfactant adjuvants for foliage-applied agrochemicals

Composition-concentration relationships between a series of C₁₃/C₁₄ polyoxyethylene primary alcohol (AE) surfactants and the foliar uptake enhancement of five model neutral organic compounds were examined in factorially designed experiments on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and field bean (Vicia faba L.) plants grown under controlled environment conditions. Model compounds were applied to leaves as c.0.2-μl droplets of 0.5 g litre^?1 solutions in aqueous acetone in the absence or presence of surfactants at 0.2, 1 and 5g litre^?1. Uptake of the highly water-soluble compound, methylglucose (log octanol-water partition coefficient (P) = - 3.0) was best enhanced by surfactants with high E (ethylene oxide) contents (AE15, AE20), whereas those of the lipophilic compounds, WL110547 (log P = 3.5) and permethrin (log P = 6.5), were increased more by surfactants of lower E contents, especially AE6. However, there was little difference between AE6, AE11, AE15 and AE20 in their ability to promote uptake of the two model compounds of intermediate polarity, phenylurea (log P = 0.8) and cyanazine (log P = 2.1). Absolute amounts of compound uptake were also influenced strongly by both surfactant concentration and plant species. Greatest amounts of uptake enhancement were often observed at high surfactant concentration (5 g litre^?1) and on the waxy wheat leaves compared with the less waxy field bean leaves. The latter needed higher surfactant thresholds to produce significant improvements in uptake. Data from our experiments were used to construct a simple response surface model relating uptake enhancement to the E content of the surfactant added and to the physicochemical properties of the compound to be taken up. Qualitative predictions from this model might be useful in rationalising the design of agrochemical formulations.     

Phytotoxic activity of root absorbed glyphosate in corn seedlings (Zea mays L.)

Growth chamber experiments were conducted in order to study the absorption, translocation and activity of glyphosate when applied to roots with aqueous solution avoiding any glyphosate–substrate interaction. Corn seedlings at the first leaf stage were set up in individual graduated cylinders containing different solutions of ¹⁴C-glyphosate (0–30 mg ae kg⁻¹). After 26 h of root exposure, plants were transferred to fresh nutrient solution and grown for the next 5 days. After harvest, plants were separated into seed, root, mesocotyle, coleoptile, cotyledon, first leaf and all new leaves (apex), and quantified ¹⁴C radioactivity contained in each part. Glyphosate uptake was only 11% of the theoretical mass flow into the plant. The amount of glyphosate translocated from roots was positively correlated with plant uptake ( P  < 0.01). Total plant fresh weight presented a logistic response to glyphosate amounts, including a growth stimulant effect (hormesis), when plants absorbed less than 0.6 µg. The treated plants presented a normal pattern of glyphosate allocation, with the apex the principal sink, accumulating more than 38% of mobilized glyphosate. When corn plants absorbed more than 0.6 µg they showed a decrease in growth. The relatively high glyphosate quantities allocated in the new leaves showed the relevance of the symplastic pathway in the translocation process for root absorbed glyphosate.     

Effects of some nonionic polyoxyethylene surfactants on uptake of ethirimol and diclobutrazol from suspension formulations applied to wheat leaves

The influence of a number of commercial nonionic polyoxyethylene surfactants on the foliar penetration and movement of two systemic fungicides, ethirimol and diclobutrazol, was studied in outdoor-grown wheat plants at different growth stages and post-treatment temperatures in two consecutive growing seasons. Both fungicides were applied as ca 0·2 μl droplets of aqueous suspension formulations containing 0·5 g litre^?1 of ¹⁴C-labelled active ingredient; surfactants were added to these suspensions at concentrations ranging from 0·2-10 g litre^?1. To achieve optimum uptake of each fungicide the use of surfactants with different physicochemical properties was required. For diclobutrazol, a lipophilic compound, uptake of radiolabel was best with surfactants of low mean molar ethylene oxide (E) content (5-6) but it was necessary to use concentrations of ca 5 g litre^?1 to attain this. The surfactant threshold concentration for uptake enhancement of radiolabel from ethirimol formulations (< 2 g litre^?1) was much lower than that for diclobutrazol but surfactants with E contents > 10 induced the greatest amount of uptake. For both fungicides, surfactants with an aliphatic alcohol hydrophobe were generally more efficient in promoting their uptake than those with a nonylphenol moiety. The sorbitan-based surfactant ‘Tween 20’ proved to be an effective adjuvant only for the ethirimol formulation; the uptake enhancing properties of the block copolymer ‘Synperonic PE/F68’ were weak. Uptake performance could not be related to the spreading properties of the respective formulations on the wheat leaf surface or to differences in solubilisation of the two fungicides by the surfactants. Although surfactants could substantially increase the amount of acropetal transport of radiolabel from both fungicides, none of those tested specifically promoted it; a constant proportion of the radioactive dose absorbed by a treated leaf was usually exported away from the site of application. The results are discussed in the light of current theories about the mode of action of surfactants as spray adjuvants.     

Sorption of low levels of nonionic and anionic surfactants on soil: effects on sorption of triticonazole fungicide

The sorption of two anionic surfactants and a series of seven nonionic alkylphenolethoxylate surfactants of increasing hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) in a loamy clay soil was evaluated. The effect of low doses of these surfactants on the sorption characteristics of the fungicide triticonazole was investigated. The critical micellar concentration (CMC) of the surfactants in pure water and soil–water systems, and surfactant sorption were estimated by surface tension measurements using a batch equilibration technique. Triticonazole sorption, alone and in the presence of low doses of surfactants, was also measured by batch equilibration. CMC of the alkylphenol surfactants increased with their HLB. The sorption of surfactants increased with their lipophilicity. CMC in the soil–water systems were considerably higher than in pure water. Sorption of the most lipophilic alkylphenol surfactants at the higher doses significantly increased triticonazole sorption. Proposed mechanisms are modifications of soil surface properties, and increase of soil organic carbon content. Sorption of the other nonionic and anionic surfactants only resulted in monomeric surfactant concentrations in pore water, and did not affect triticonazole sorption. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry     

Increased foliar activity of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl by surfactants and their synergistic action on wild oat (Avena ludoviciana) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis)

Surfactants can improve postemergence herbicide efficacy and reduce the amount of herbicide required to obtain weed control. The effect of surfactants on the efficacy of herbicides is complicated and depends on the interaction among the plant, surfactant, and herbicide. The effects of surfactants on the efficacy of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl on wild oat (Avena ludoviciana) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) under greenhouse conditions were investigated. In addition, the surface tension of aqueous solutions of the surfactants and surfactants + herbicides was determined. Significantly lower surface tension values were obtained with the aqueous solutions of citofrigate (Citogate plus Frigate) alone and with the herbicides used in this study. The citofrigate surfactant lead to the greatest enhancement of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl efficacy and the effect was species‐dependent. The efficacy of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl in the presence of surfactants in controlling wild oat was higher than for wild mustard. The foliar activity of the tested herbicides rose with increasing surfactant concentrations. The tank mixture of clodinafop‐propargyl and tribenuron‐methyl showed a synergistic effect in controlling wild oat and wild mustard. The synergistic effect in controlling wild mustard was greater than for wild oat.     

Biological implications of the use of surfactants in medicines: and the biphasic effects of surfactants in biological systems

A survey of the biological effects of surface-active agents reveals that their affinity for membranes and in particular their ability to penetrate and increase the permeability of membranes is of prime importance. An increase in drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, from muscle, from the rectum and from topical preparations is frequently a result of an increase in membrane permeability; the effect of surfactants on enzyme activity can be also the result of changes in organelle permeability or to surfactant-induced changes in protein conformation. As anionic surfactants and cationic surfactants tend to exhibit too high a degree of toxicity, non-ionic agents are most commonly used in pharmaceuticals. Experiments to elucidate the mode of action of a range of commercially available non-ionic surfactants on the increase in drug absorption in model systems employing goldfish (Carassius auratus) are described. Emphasis is placed on the biphasic effects of the surfactants whereby an increase in membrane permeability is observed at low concentrations (frequently below the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant) and a decrease in overall absorption is found at higher concentration. Such biphasic effects are frequently encountered in the literature on surfactant effects in biological systems.     

Effects of nonionic surfactants on cuticular sorption and penetration of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid

Surfactants increase the uptake of some foliar-applied chemicals to a greater extent than would be expected from their effects on surface tension and spray coverage. This study of the uptake of 2, 4-D [(2, 4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid] evaluated the effect of surfactants on penetration through and sorption by isolated cuticles of apple leaves. [¹⁴C]2, 4-D was placed in glass chambers affixed to enzymatically isolated adaxial apple leaf cuticles after the cuticle segments had been treated with various surfactants. The same surfactant pretreatments were included in sorption studies in which cuticle segments were immersed in [¹⁴C]2, 4-D for 96 h. Quantities of 2, 4-D passing through or sorbed by the cuticle were determined. Similar experiments were conducted with unaltered cuticles and cuticles dewaxed with chloroform. The hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) of polyethylene-glycol-based surfactants was inversely related to the sorption of those surfactants by the cuticles and penetration of 2, 4-D. Sorption of 2, 4-D by apple leaf cuticles was unaffected by surfactant pretreatment. Dewaxed cuticle membranes showed a similar response to 2, 4-D penetration and sorption following the surfactant pretreatment.     

Uptake and translocation of [14C]asulam and [14C]bromacil by roots of maize and bean plants

The uptake and translocation of ¹⁴C-ring-labeled asulam (methylsulfanilcarbamate) and bromacil (5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil), were compared after root application to maize (Zea mays L.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Autoradiographs showed the distribution of bromacil throughout these and other plant species, and the retention of asulam in the roots. The recovery of both compounds in quantitative radioassays was between 90 and 100%. The absorption of bromacil and asulam was rather similar. Absorption of bromacil increased up to 20% of the applied dose in bean plants after 2 days of exposure, and up to 11% in maize plants after 4 days. Absorption of asulam in bean plants was 22% of the applied dose after 2 days, and 8% in maize plants after 4 days. The pattern of distribution of bromacil and asulam was completely different. After 4 h of exposure of the roots about half of the absorbed bromacil had accumulated in the shoots, while two-thirds or more was translocated to the shoots after exposure periods of 1 to 4 days. Not more than one-eighth of the absorbed asulam was found in the shoots. In consequence, the bromacil content in the transpiration stream relative to that in the ambient solution was much higher than that of asulam. The leakage of asulam from bean and maize roots into herbicide-free nutrient solution was lower than that of bromacil. The reasons for these differences are not yet clear. There was only some metabolism of asulam in maize, but not in bean plants. No metabolites of bromacil were detected in the two plant species.     

Uptake and movement of paraquat in cocksfoot and wheat as influenced by surfactants

Surfactants are used to increase the efficiency of herbicide formulations mainly because they wet out leaf surfaces, thereby stabilising and increasing the contact area of droplets on the surface. Herbicide penetration through the cuticle may also be facilitated. The work described eliminates effects on wetting and contact area in order to study the effect of surfactants on the penetration and movement of paraquat in cocksfoot. Surfactants were various types of alcohols and amine oxides condensed with 2 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide used at 0.1 to 0.5%. An adult leaf of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) was immersed briefly to constant area in paraquat solutions containing surfactant and uptake and movement of paraquat is recorded. Uptake was little affected by differences in surfactant structure except where surface activity was low and solutions failed to wet out the leaf surface. Percentage movement with 0.5% surfactant was often less than that with 0.1% and a high ethylene oxide content also reduced percentage movement. Paraquat activity was influenced by both the degree of uptake and movement, but movement was the greater influence. Amine oxide surfactants reduced movement less than those based on alcohols. The action of surfactants is discussed in terms of a hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance in the surfactant molecule.     

Effects of surfactants on primisulfuron activity in barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli [L.] Beauv.) and green foxtail (Setaria viridis [L.] Beauv.)

Laboratory and greenhouse studies were conducted to measure the contact angle of primisulfuron droplets with and without surfactants on the leaf surfaces of barnyardgrass and green foxtail, to determine the primisulfuron activity on these weed species, and to examine the spray deposit of primisulfuron with and without surfactants on the leaf surface of green foxtail using scanning electron microscopy. A non-ionic surfactant (NIS) and an organosilicone wetting agent (OWA) were used. The contact angles of 1 μL droplets were measured on the leaf surface using a goniometer. The activity of primisulfuron on barnyardgrass and green foxtail was assessed at 3 weeks after treatment based on visual injury and the fresh weight. The contact angles of the droplets of primisulfuron on the adaxial surface of the barnyardgrass and green foxtail leaves were 152° and 127°, respectively, when applied without surfactant. The addition of either surfactant markedly reduced the contact angle for both weed species, which was lowest when the OWA was added to primisulfuron. The percentage injury of barnyardgrass was very low, even at the higher rate of primisulfuron, regardless of the surfactant. Primisulfuron at 40 g ha⁻¹ controlled 43% of green foxtail without surfactant, which increased to 65% with the NIS and 83% with the OWA. Primisulfuron with a surfactant markedly reduced the fresh weight of green foxtail compared with primisulfuron applied alone, regardless of the primisulfuron rate and surfactant type. The scanning electron micrographs showed a uniform deposit of spray droplets, with close contact of the droplets to the leaf epicuticular surface in green foxtail in the presence of a surfactant compared with no surfactant. The enhanced primisulfuron activity on green foxtail with surfactants was related to the reduced contact angle and uniform deposition of the primisulfuron spray droplets on the leaf surface.     

Cuticular sorption and desorption of a nonionic diethylene glycol monooleate surfactant

Sorption and desorption of ‘Pegosperse’ 100-O(PEG 100-O; diethylene glycol monooleate, containing 15% diester) surfactant by unaltered (CM) and dewaxed (DCM) adaxial cuticle membranes isolated from apple (Malus pumila M.) leaves were studied. The aim of this study was to understand interactions between surfactants and cuticles. Enzymatically isolated cuticles were soaked in buffer or PEG 100-O solution (pH 7–0). and the weight changes of cuticles were measured to determine the amount of surfactant sorbed or desorbed by the cuticles. For very low surfactant concentrations, sorption was measured by changes in the surface tension of the solutions. PEG 100-O sorption by both the CMs and the DCMs occurred mainly in the first three hours and was concentration-dependent. The DCMs always sorbed more surfactant than the CMs. Desorption of PEG 100-O from both CMs and DCMs was rapid in the first few hours and then decreased to a relatively low rate until the surfactant was totally desorbed from the cuticles after about two months. The sorption and complete desorption of the surfactant by both CMs and DCMs show that PEG 100-O interacts with both cutins and waxes of the cuticles and the interactions are reversible.     

Fate of [14C]daminozide and [14C]maleic hydrazide in American elm (Ulmus americana L.)

Radiolabelled daminozide and maleic hydrazide (MH) were injected into American elm seedlings, kept in nutrient solution, to determine their translocation pattern and metabolic fate. Both compounds were rapidly translocated to all parts of the plant. After 21 days, 13% of the applied ¹⁴C was exuded into the nutrient solution from the roots of the plants treated with MH. Using gel-filtration and thin-layer chromatographic techniques, it was determined that daminozide did not form any metabolite, and that MH was converted into a MH-sugar complex. A significant amount of ¹⁴C was unextractable from the plant tissue.     

Effect of non-ionic nonylphenol surfactants on surface physicochemical properties, uptake and distribution of asulam and diflufenican

The effect of non-ionic nonylphenol (NP) surfactants containing 4–14 ethylene oxide (EO) molecules on the distribution of asulam and diflufenican was investigated in Pteridium aquilinum L. Kuhn and Avena fatua L. The distribution of the herbicides was dependent on the EO content and concentration of surfactant and differed between plant species and herbicide. The surface properties of contact angle, droplet diameter and surface tension were examined. For solutions of asulam, the greatest reductions in contact angle, surface tension and greatest droplet diameter were obtained with surfactants of EO 6.5–10 (at 0.001–0.1%). For solutions of diflufenican, these responses were greatest when applied with surfactant of EO 4. Surfactants of EO 6.5–10 increased the uptake and translocation of [¹⁴C]asulam in P. aquilinum, particularly at surfactant concentrations of 0.01 % and 0.1 %. All surfactants increased uptake of [¹⁴C]asulam in A. fatua with no significant effects of surfactant EO number or concentration. For both species, there was a positive correlation between the optimum surface characteristics of the herbicide droplets and the uptake of asulam. With diflufenican, greatest uptake and translocation by mature frond tissue of P. aquilinum occurred at the highest concentration of surfactant EO 4; in A. fatua, however, uptake and translocation were not significantly affected by any of the surfactants.