Contact activity of difenzoquat differs from that of paraquat

Abstract

Difenzoquat herbicide is used for post-emergence control of wild oat (Avena fatua L) in small grain crops. Its mechanism of action is not known, but appears to have both paraquat-like contact activity and systemic growth-inhibition activity. Experiments were conducted in vitro to compare the contact activity of difenzoquat and paraquat, to examine the contact activity of difenzoquat in difenzoquat-resistant (accession LCS) and -susceptible (accession SB 18) A fatua biotypes and -tolerant 'Ernest' and -susceptible 'Verde' hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L) cultivars, and to investigate the role of differential DNA synthesis as a mechanism for difenzoquat resistance. Difenzoquat at 1 mM induced significant electrolyte leakage from resistant and susceptible A fatua leaf tissue in both light and dark, but paraquat at 1 mM induced electrolyte leakage only in light and not in dark. Difenzoquat at 1 mM under light induced more electrolyte leakage from resistant and susceptible A fatua than from tolerant 'Ernest' and susceptible 'Verde' wheat. Paraquat under light conditions induced more electrolyte leakage than difenzoquat, but no significant differences among A fatua accessions and wheat cultivars were detected. Difenzoquat under light did not decrease chlorophyll levels for either A fatua accessions or wheat cultivars, whereas paraquat decreased chlorophyll content of all four plant types. Inhibition of DNA synthesis was not significantly different between susceptible and resistant A fatua, but was significantly greater in susceptible 'Verde' than tolerant 'Ernest' wheat. These data suggest that difenzoquat and paraquat, have different modes of contact activity.

Brassinolide alleviated the adverse effect of water deficits on photosynthesis and the antioxidant of soybean (Glycine max L.)

“…Proline was extracted and determined spectrophotometrically according to the method of Bates et al (1973). Electrical conductivity was measured with a conductivity meter (EC-215, Hanna instruments, Lisbon, Portugal) according to Li et al (2003). All physiological and biochemical measurements were made with 12 newly expanded trifoliolate leaves per treatment.…”