The effects of glyphosate on the development and cell infrastructure of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seedlings

The phytotoxicity of glyphosate(N-(phosphonomethyl glycine) to seedlings of white mustard (Sinapis alba) cultivated indoors was studied. Yellowing and wrinkling of leaves was observed, necrotic spots appeared and the elongation of the seedlings was significantly reduced at doses 0–49 kg ai/ha and above. Only when sprayed at 4–97 kg ai/ha was the effect of glyphosate 100% lethal (5–7 days after spraying) At the highest concentration of herbicide a marked decrease in chlorophyll content was found but with 0–49 kg ai/ha the chlorophyll content was found to be higher than that in the leaves of control plants. Two and fourteen days after spraying with glyphosate and the commercial product samples of leaf and stem were harvested for electron microscopy. Cellular defects in the leaves ranging from slight swelling to complete disruption of the chloroplasts were detected at the two highest herbicide doses 48 h after spraying. These defects were intensified with time und in addition other sub-morphological changes occurred: decrease in starch grain content, an increase in the number of dictyosomes and mitochondria, disruption of tonoplasts and increase of plastoglobuli In the more central parts of stem segments the commercial product resulted in greater cellular effects than did glyphosate. It is suggested that the differences may be due to the surfactant.