THE BASIS OF THE DIFFERENTIAL PHYTOTOXICITY OF 4-HYDROXY-3,5-DI-IODOBENZONITRlLE*

Summary. Entry of ioxynil-¹⁴C into portions of leaves was greater with mustard than with barley or pea and was unrelated to stomatal density. Measurement of ioxynil content of sprayed plants showed that by increasing the concentration of ioxynil and adding a surfactant, almost as much ioxynil could be made to enter barley as entered mustard from a lower concentration without surfactant. Auto radiographs showed that a limited amount of ¹⁴C was translocated to a small extent in plants following localized application of ioxynil-¹⁴C. An experiment comparing leaf removal by cutting with destruction of equivalent leaf areas by ioxynil treatment suggested a greater translocated effect of ioxynil with mustard than with pea or barley. Les principes de la phytotoxicité différentielle du 4-hydroxy-3,5-di-iodobetZonitrile II. Absorption et migration     

ADSORPTION AND DESORPTION OF SIMAZINE BY SOME ROTHAMSTED SOILS

Summary. The adsorption of simazine from, and subsequent desorption into, 0–01 M calcium chloride solution was investigated using twenty-three Rothamsted soil samples from sites differing greatly in cropping history and manurial treatment. Organic carbon content was the only factor related to the ability of the soils to sorb simazine; this accounted for 90% or more of the variation between soils Equilibrium was attained during adsorption in from fewer than 2 to more than 24 hr. Equilibrium during desorption was only occasionally attained within 24 hr. Differences between theoretically predicted and measured concentrations of simazine in solution following desorption were least for soils that attained equilibrium fastest during adsorption. Differences in adsorption and desorption kinetics between soils could not be related to soil pH, organic carbon content or cropping and manuring history. Comparisons of unlimed and limed soils suggested that no simnazine was lost by acid hydrolysis during the experiments.
Adsorption et désorption de la simazine par quelques sols de Rothamsted     

STUDIES ON WEED SPECIES OF THE GENUS POLYGONUM L.

Summary. Seeds of Polygonum persicaria from several sources, or from plants subjected to in lain treatments, were chilled for varying periods and incubated for a 3-week germination test period. Populations differed widely in seed weight and to some extent in the response to different periods of chilling. No relationship between this response and the climate of the locality of origin could be found. There was much variation in seed weight and germination behaviour between individual plants within populations. A total of four polymorphic seed categories were observed. The proportions of seeds in the two main categories varied widely between and within populations, and were affected by certain environmental factors. These factors also appeared to affect the degree of inter-plant variation in seed shape and germination behaviour.
Travaux sur les espàes indésirables du genre Polygonum L. V. Variations dans le poids des semences, leur comportement à la germination et leur polymorphisme chez P. persicaria L.     

THE COMBINED ACTION OF 3-AMINO-1,2,4-TRIAZOLE AND AMMONIUM THIOCYANATE ON PHOSPHATASE ACTIVITY IN COTTON THISTLE (ONOPORDUM ACANTHIUM L.)

Summary. In phosphatase extracts prepared from untreated leaves of Onopordum acanthium , phosphatase activity was stimulated by amitrole (0·04 M) and ammonium thioeyanate (0·04 M), alone and together. The effect of the mixture of amitrole and ammonium thioeyanate was more than additive in experiments set up at pH 4·0, less than additive at pH 4·6 and roughly additive at pH 5·3 and 5·8. The effect of amitrole alone could be explained simply in terms of the increase in pH it effected.
In leaves harvested 4, 7 and 9 days after spraying rosettes with 1/8 lb/ac (140 g/ha) amitrole and 1/4 lb/ac (280 g/ha) ammonium thioeyanate, alone and together, more than additive or additive increases in phosphatase activity of plants sprayed with the mixture were recorded. These increases are interpreted as being due to increases in the amount of soluble protein.
Inorganic phosphate levels showed different trends with time in plants treated with amitrole alone compared with plants treated with the mixture of amitrole and ammonium thioeyanate.
These interactions between amitrole and ammonium thioeyanate are taken to indicate a possible chemical basis for the increased herbicidal activity of the mixture over amitrole alone.
Histochemical studies on the mature leaves of rosettes showed that phosphatase activity was confined to the vascular tissues while in the very young leaves it was high in the chlorenchymatous tissue and appreciable in the epidermal and hair cells.
Attention is drawn to the strong buffering action of amitrole in the pH range 4·0–5·3. This may be relevant to herbicidal activity, the vacuolar pH of the outer cells of leaves of Onopordum being in the range 4·8-5·2.
L'action combinée du 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole et du thioeyanate d'ammonium sur l'activité de la phosphatase chez Onopordum acanthium L.     

THE INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION, FERTILIZING AND MCPA ON THE COMPETITION BETWEEN SPRING CEREALS AND WEEDS

Summary. The average air-dry yield of weeds on fallow plots was about four times as large (2660 kg/ha) as the yield of weeds which developed among spring cereal crops (740 kg/ha). Application of fertilizers increased the number of weeds and their average weight on both irrigated and non-irrigated plots. Treatment with MCPA reduced the weed yield to 36% on fallow plots and to 26% on weedy cereal plots. It was more effective on fertilized plots than on unfertilized plots, but irrigation made little difference to its effectiveness. The space left by the destroyed weeds was mainly occupied by Agropyron repens . Oats were better able to compete with weeds than were wheat and barley. On unfertilized and non-irrigated plots spraying with MCPA (1-26 kg/ha) at the beginning of shooting significantly reduced the yields of weed-free barley. The yields of sprayed oats and wheat were also below the yields from the unsprayed although the reductions were not significant at the 5% level. However, on a number of fertilized and irrigated plots, both weedy and hand-weeded , on which the plants had better growing conditions, MCPA resulted in a significant increase in the grain yield of barley and oats.
Influence de l'irrigation, de la fertilisation et du MCPA sur la compétition entre céréales de printemps et mauvaises herbes