Bioactivity of Several Herbicides on the Nanogram Level Under Different Soil Moisture Conditions.

In this study, a double-tube centrifuge method was employed to determine the effects of soil moisture on the bioactivity of cafenstrole, pretilachlor, benfuresate, oxyfluorfen and simetryn. In general, the available herbicide concentration in soil solution (ACSS) showed little change as soil moisture increased for herbicides. The total available herbicide in soil solution (TASS) typically increased as soil moisture increased for all herbicides. The relationship between TASS and % growth rate based on dry weight showed strong linear relationships for both cafenstrole and pretilachlor, with r2 values of 0.95 and 0.84, respectively. Increasing TASS values were consistent with increasing herbicide water solubility, with the exception of the ionizable herbicide simetryn. Plant absorption and % growth rate exhibited a strong linear relationship with TASS. According to the results suggested that TASS was a better predictor of herbicidal bioactivity than ACSS for all herbicides under unsaturated soil moisture conditions.

Bioavailability of the Nano-Unit 14C-Agrochemicals Under Various Water Potential.

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of water potential on bioavailability of the nano-unit 14C-cafenstrole, 14C-pretilachlor, 14C-benfuresate, 14C-simetryn and 14C-oxyfluorfen applied with or without dimepiperate or daimuron under various water potential conditions. The highest bioavailable concentration in soil solution (BCSS) was found at 60% soil moisture, while the lowest occurred at 50% soil moisture for soil-applied alone or in combination. All water potential conditions differed significantly from each other with variations in total bioavailable amount in soil solution (TBSS) when either dimepiperate or daimuron were added to the soil, and changes were directly proportional to variations in water potential. Across all treatments, TBSS at 80% soil moisture was three to four times greater than that at 50% soil moisture when applied alone or in combination with dimepiperate or daimuron. Cafenstrole and simetryn had distribution coefficient (Kd) values <64 ml g-1 and a TBSS ranging from 10 to 44 ng g-1 soil, regardless of water potential conditions applied alone or in combination. Pretilachlor and benfuresate had Kd values <15 ml g-1 and a TBSS range of 38 to 255 ng g-1 soil when applied with or without dimepiperate or daimuron.

Growth inhibition and root ultrastructure of cucumber seedlings exposed to allelochemicals from rye (Secale cereale).

Inhibition of "Calypso" cucumber seedling growth by rye allelochemicals, 2(3H)-benzoxazolinone BOA and 2,4-dihydroxy-1,4(2H)-benzoxazin-3-one DIBOA, was studied by analyzing the growth of seedling tissues and organs. Light and electron microscopy of seedling root cells were also carried out to investigate the mechanism(s) of root growth inhibition and mode of action of these compounds. BOA inhibited root elongation and reduced the number of cucumber lateral roots by 77 and 100% at 0.1 and 0.43 mg BOA/ml deionized (DI) water, respectively. DIBOA also inhibited root growth, but did not affect the number of lateral roots. BOA increased size of cucumber cortical root cells fivefold, but DIBOA had no effect. Both compounds reduced the regeneration of root cap cells and increased the width of cortical cells resulting in increased root diameter. BOA and DIBOA caused increased cytoplasmic vacuolation, reduced ribosome density and dictyosomes, reduced number of mitochondria, and reduced lipid catabolism. Starch granules in amyloplasts of seedling roots treated with BOA and DIBOA were also greatly reduced compared to the control. Changes in cellular ultrastructure indicated that BOA and DIBOA reduced root growth by disrupting lipid metabolism, reducing protein synthesis, and reducing transport or secretory capabilities.

Amaranthus palmeri resistance and differential tolerance of Amaranthus palmeri and Amaranthus hybridus to ALS-inhibitor herbicides.

Suspected imazaquin-resistant accessions of Amaranthus palmeri were studied to determine the magnitude of resistance and cross-resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides and compare differential tolerance of A palmeri and Amaranthus hybridus to ALS inhibitors. Five of seven A palmeri accessions were resistant to imazaquin. The most imazaquin-resistant accession, accession 7, also showed 74, 39 and 117 times higher resistance than the susceptible biotype to chlorimuron, diclosulam and pyrithiobac, respectively. Resistance to imazaquin and cross-resistance to other ALS inhibitors in A palmeri was due to a less-sensitive ALS enzyme. A palmeri was 70 times more tolerant to imazaquin than A hybridus. A palmeri was also seven times more tolerant to pyrithiobac than A hybridus. Differences in ALS enzyme sensitivity could not fully account for the high tolerance of A palmeri to imazaquin compared to A hybridus. Both species were equally affected by chlorimuron and diclosulam.

Generation of Resistance to the Diphenyl Ether Herbicide, Oxyfluorfen, via Expression of the Bacillus subtilis Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase Gene in Transgenic Tobacco Plants.

In an effort to develop transgenic plants resistant to diphenyl ether herbicides, we introduced the protoporphyrinogen oxidase (EC 1.3.3.4) gene of Bacillus subtilis into tobacco plants. The results from a Northern analysis and leaf disc assay indicate that the expression of the B. subtilis protoporphyrinogen oxidase gene under the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter generated resistance to the diphenyl ether herbicide, oxyfluorfen, in transgenic tobacco plants.