| Abstract: | Uptake of aminotriazole (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole) by bean leaves (Phaseolus vulgaris var. Canadian Wonder) was not greatly influenced by the addition to the spray solution of dimethylformamide (DMF), ethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol 400 (PPG 400) over the concentration range 1.0–50.0 ml litre?1. However, the addition of polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monolaurate (polysorbate 20) (0.2–1.0 g litre?1) to spray solutions of the above additives and glycerol (5.0 ml litre?1; except for DMF, 50.0 ml litre?1) substantially increased uptake to 80–100% in all cases at 50 ± 10% relative humidity (r.h.). Similar penetration figures were recorded when a range of polysorbate surfactants (polysorbate 20, 40, 60, 80 and 85; 0.2 g litre?1) were applied to spray solutions containing either dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) or glycerol (5.0 ml litre?1). Humidity was found to have a critical effect upon the humectant-surfactant combinations tested, i.e. DMSO + polysorbate 20, ethylene glycol+ polysorbate 20 and PPG + 400-polysorbate 20 (5.0 ml litre?1+0.2 g litre?1). With DMSO + polysorbate 20 the following uptake figures were recorded: < 30% r.h., 3.1 %; 45 ± 10% r.h., 86.8%; 55–65% r.h., 48.2 % and 100% r.h., 0.3%. Similar trends were recorded with all three humectant-surfactant combinations. Further studies revealed that the adverse effect of humidity on DMSO-polysorbate mixtures could be at least overcome partially by regulating the DMSO concentration. |
