THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF FLUAZIFOP-BUTYL, HALOXYFOP-METHYL, AND SETHOXYDIM HERBICIDES ON WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) SEEDLINGS (CHLOROPLAST DEVELOPMENT).

Abstract

Haloxyfop-methyl 2-[4-[ [3-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl] oxy] phenoxy] propanoate, fluazifop-butyl (±)-2-[4-[ [5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl] oxy] phenoxy] propanoate, and sethoxydim 2- [1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5- [2-(ethylthio)propyl] -3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one modified chloroplast pigment, growth, anatomy, and ultrastructure of pre- and postemergent-treated wheat (Triticum aestivum 'Pavon 76') seedlings. Seedlings were grown under 16 h photoperiod (105 μE/M²/S) at 32/24 C day/night temperature. Pigment, growth and anatomical studies were made on pre- and postemergent-treated seedlings. Postemergent treatments were applied to 6-day-old seedlings. Carotenoid levels were reduced by 90 to 94% in preemergent-treated seedlings at 5 x 10⁻⁵ M for each herbicide. Postemergent application of 10⁻³ M haloxyfop-methyl and sethoxydim caused a reduction of 11 and 15% in carotenoid concentration than the control, respectively. Also, they produced a significant reduction in chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll concentration. Preemergent treatment with 5 x 10⁻⁶ M of each herbicide caused a reduction of 78 to 91% in leaf fresh weight and 72 to 84% reduction in root dry weight as compared to the control. Height of the seedlings was reduced by 79 to 86% of the control. Postemergent treatments with 10⁻³ M of each herbicide reduced the length of the second leaf by 98%, whereas length of the first leaf was reduced by 36% following haloxyfop-methyl treatment and 45% following fluazifop-butyl or sethoxydim treatments. Fresh weight of leaf tissue treated with 10⁻³ M of each herbicide was reduced by 40%. Preemergent treatment of the seedlings with 3 x 10⁻⁶ and 5 x 10⁻⁶ M haloxyfop-methyl or with 5 x 10⁻⁶ M fluazifop-butyl or sethoxydim caused 35 to 50% enlargement of mesophyll cells as compared to the control. These cells appeared to contain less cytoplasm. Post- emergent application of 10⁻³ M of each herbicide caused swelling of mesophyll cells. Ultrastructural studies showed that plastids of seedlings germinated in 5 x 10⁻⁶ M of each herbicide were disrupted, swollen, and lacked internal thylakoids but contained masses of plastoglobuli. The chloroplasts of postemergent-treated seedlings had fewer granal and intergranal thylakoids, but the injury to plastids was less severe than in preemergent treatments.