| Abstract: | Penetration of four herbicides (atrazine, diclofop-methyl, dinoseb and glyphosate-mono(isopropylammonium) salt) was followed through isolated pear leaf cuticles into agar and across intact cuticles of Argenteum (ARG) mutant pea leaves from monosized droplets (300 μ diam.) during 48 h following application. Penetration into pea leaves ranged from low for glyphosatemono(isopropylammonium) (5% of amount applied) and atrazine (14%) to rapid for dinoseb (91%) and diclofop-methyl (82%). A major proportion (90%) of the dinoseb retained in the tissues underlying the site of droplet application migrated across the cuticle and the epidermal layer of cells. In contrast, only a small proportion (13%) of the dinoseb entering the leaf was transported to the tissues surrounding the treatment zone. Corresponding values for diclofop-methyl were 61% and 4% respectively. Initially, dinoseb also penetrated rapidly through isolated pear leaf cuticles, 36% of the applied dose being recovered in an agar receiver disc 4 h after treatment, but subsequent uptake was slower. Penetration of glyphosate-mono(isopropylammonium) also decreased after 4 h whereas atrazine and diclofop-methyl diffused steadily through isolated cuticles up to 216 h after treatment. The incorporation of ‘Tween 20’ or ‘Agral 90’ (1 g litre?1) into the formulation reduced the penetration of glyphosate-mono(isopropylammonium) through isolated pear leaf cuticles. |
