The study was conducted to determine if ethylene or ethephon, an ethylene-releasing compound, can be used to induce abscission of phylloclades of four cultivars of Easter cactus [Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri (Regel) Moran] to increase efficiency in vegetative propagation. Abscission occurred within 24 hours after commencement of the ethylene treatments. Phytotoxicity, as exhibited by water soaking, transparency, and darkening of the phylloclades, as well as percent abscission, increased with increasing concentrations of ethephon (0 to 10,000 μl·liter–1). Ethylene released from ethephon, not the acidity of the solution, was determined to be the cause of the phytotoxicity. In three out of the four cultivars, vegetative and root growth from propagated phylloclades was significantly restricted by treatments with ethephon. In comparison, vegetative growth from phylloclades treated with ethylene at 20 μl·liter–1 was the same as from those treated with air. Root growth of the ethylene-treated phylloclades was not studied. The acidity of the ethephon solutions likely affected the growing regions, resulting in a reduction in growth. The study shows that treatment with ethylene gas or the use of pH-adjusted ethephon solutions may be an alternative to the labor-intensive procedures associated with vegetative propagation of Easter cactus. Chemical name used: 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethephon).
Throughout the north-south climatic transition zone of the eastern United States, cool- and warm-season turfgrasses are used adjacently. A greenhouse study with creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) was initiated to determine threshold concentrations of atrazine, an effective pre- and postemergence herbicide for warm-season turfgrasses, that would result in unacceptable levels of phytotoxicity to seedling and mature creeping bentgrass. Mature and 8-week-old seedling `Penncross' creeping bentgrass were given 6.5 mm of daily irrigation of untreated water or water containing atrazine at 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, 0.16, 0.32, 0.64, 1.28, or 2.56 mg·liter-1. A model of quality ratings taken 20 days after the initiation of treatments indicated threshold concentrations resulting in unacceptable turf quality to be approximately 0.05 and 0.08 mg·liter-1 for seedling and mature bentgrass, respectively. Chemical name used: 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-5-isopropylamino-s-triazine (atrazine).
Abstract
Postemergence and preemergence herbicides were evaluated for crop phytotoxicity and weed control in seepage-irrigated ‘Bristol Fairy’ gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata L.). DCPA, napropamide, pronamide, and oryzalin were severely injurious to gypsophila. Metolachlor, oxyfluorfen, alachlor, and oxadiazon provided varying degrees of weed control and did not reduce plant vigor or yield. Best weed control was provided by two applications of 4.48 kg·ha-1 oxadiazon. Chemical names used: dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA); 2-(napthoxy)-N, N-diethylpropionamide (napropamide); 3,5-dichloro(N-1,1-dimethyl-2-propynyl)benzamide (pronamide); 4-(dipropylamino)-3,5-dinitrobenzenesulfonamide (oryzalin); 2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide (metolachlor); 2-chloro-1-(3-ethoxy-4-nitrophenoxy)-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzene (oxyfluorfen); 2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide (alachlor); 3-[2,4-dichloro-5-(1-methylethoxy)phenyl]-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-one (oxadiazon).
The aim of this study was to investigate soil pH and copper (Cu) interactions affecting Cu phytotoxicity to young citrus trees on different rootstocks. Hamlin oranges on either Carrizo citrange, sour orange, or rough lemon rootstocks were grown on Candler fine sand at varying soil pH (5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5) without additional Cu or soil applied Cu (liquid form; 240 kg Cu/ha; nine pre- and five post-planting applications over a period of 43 months). Increasing soil pH increased tree height, canopy volume and trunk diameter of trees on all three rootstocks, regardless of Cu treatments. Tree growth response to an increase in soil pH was greater in Cu amended as compared to unamended treatments. Response to pH increase above 6.0 was marginal as compared to that for pH increase from 5.0 to 6.0. Leaf Cu concentrations showed negligible differences in response to Cu treatments; however, Cu concentrations in fibrous roots increased by 126 to 152% in Cu amended as compared to unamended treatments.
Herbicides that are labeled for aquatic use are often the foundation of aquatic vegetation management programs in the United States because many of these products, which are registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are effective, selective, and relatively inexpensive. Resource managers are interested in reducing the use of synthetic herbicides and are considering alternative methods for aquatic weed control. We evaluated the effects of acetic acid and d-limonene on growth of the invasive small floating species feathered mosquitofern (Azolla pinnata) and common salvinia (Salvinia minima), as well as on the native emergent wetland plants cattail (Typha latifolia) and gulf coast spikerush (Eleocharis cellulosa). Acetic acid and d-limonene (alone and in combination) were applied once as foliar treatments to healthy plants, which were grown for 8 weeks after treatment to allow for development of phytotoxicity symptoms. All experiments also included diquat dibromide at three concentrations as “industry-standard” treatments for comparison. A 0.22% concentration of diquat dibromide eliminated all vegetation of all species. Most single-product treatments provided good control of invasive feathered mosquitofern with acceptable levels of damage to native gulf coast spikerush, but only 15% and 20% d-limonene treatments were effective on invasive common salvinia and selective for native cattail. Some combinations of acetic acid and d-limonene provided acceptable control of both floating weeds and selectivity for gulf coast spikerush, but all mixes caused unacceptable levels of damage to cattail. Treating these small floating weeds with acetic acid and d-limonene instead of diquat dibromide would increase material costs by 15- to 27-fold. Although these natural products may be useful in some areas where synthetic herbicides are discouraged, they are unlikely to be affordable options for most resource managers.
The effects of three highly refined petroleum spray oils and of ambient vapor pressure on net CO2 assimilation (A) and stomatal conductance of water vapor (gs) of single grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.) leaves were investigated. Overall, gs of various-aged leaves was decreased by a large leaf-to-air vapor pressure difference (VPD). In the first experiment, oils with midpoint distillation temperatures (50% DT) of 224, 235, and 247C were applied with a hand atomizer at concentrations of 0, 1%, and 4% oil emulsions in water and 100% oil, all with 0.82% surfactant (by volume). There was a tendency for oils of the two higher DT to decrease net gas exchange during a subsequent 12 days, but significant differences could not be attributed to oil DT. Both A and gs were reduced by the two higher concentrations of oil mixtures. In the second experiment, a commercial airblast sprayer was used to apply the 224C oil at 4% or the 235C oil at 2% and 4% mixtures plus surfactant under field conditions. There were no significant effects of oil treatments on net gas exchange of leaves either measured under moderate VPD outdoors 1 day after spraying or under low VPD in the laboratory 2 days after spraying. No visible phytotoxic symptoms were observed in either experiment.
Transplanting can result in root damage, thereby limiting the uptake of water and nutrients by plants. This can slow growth and sometimes cause plant death. Antitranspirants have been used to minimize transplant shock of vegetables. The objective of this research was to determine if antitranspirants are useful to reduce transplant shock of impatiens (Impatiens wallerana Hook.f.) seedlings in the greenhouse. Seedling foliage was dipped in or sprayed with antitranspirant (Vapor Gard or WiltPruf) and shoot dry mass was determined at weekly intervals. Antitranspirants reduced posttransplant growth of impatiens as compared to untreated plants, possibly because of a decrease in stomatal conductance, leading to a decrease in photosynthesis. The two dip treatments also caused phytotoxic effects (necrotic spots) on the leaves. In a second study, leaf water, osmotic and pressure potential were determined at 2, 9, and 16 days after transplant. Application of antitranspirants (as a dip or spray) decreased water and osmotic potential compared to control plants. The results of this study indicate that antitranspirants are not useful for minimizing transplant shock of impatiens under greenhouse conditions.
sourced from on-site ponds that may also be targeted for aquatic weed control, determining whether aquatic herbicides have phytotoxic effects on irrigated landscape plants such as st. augustinegrass is of interest. Previous greenhouse studies evaluating
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] oil was applied to apple trees [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] as a summer spray in six studies to determine if it controls European red mites [Panonychus ulmi (Koch.)], how it affects net CO2 assimilation (A), and if it causes phytotoxicity. Sprays of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% soybean oil {TNsoy1 formulation [soybean oil premixed with Latron B-1956 (LAT) spreader-sticker at 10 oil: 1 LAT (v/v)]} reduced mite populations by 94%. Sprays of 1% and 2% soybean oil reduced mite populations to three and four mites per leaf, respectively, compared to 25 per leaf on water-sprayed plants. Soybean oil concentrations of 1.0% and 1.5% applied to whole trees reduced A for less than 7 days. Phytotoxicity did not occur when soybean oil was applied with an airblast sprayer at concentrations of 1.0% and 1.5% or with a mist bottle at 2%. Phytotoxicity occurred when soybean oil was applied with a mist bottle at 4% and 6%, which left soybean oil leaf residues of 0.22 to 0.50 mg·cm-2. No phytotoxicity occurred with 4% SunSpray, which resulted in a mean leaf residue of only 0.13 mg·cm-2. Spraying 1% soybean oil tended to give better mite control than 1% SunSpray Ultra-Fine oil, but caused greater oil residues and a greater reduction in A.
The phytotoxic effects on the physiology of chili (Capsicum annum L. cv. Ancho San Luis) caused by four different insecticides were evaluated. Three commercial mixes (methyl azinfos, methyl parathion CE720, and metamidophos 600 LM), and an active ingredient alone (methamidophos) were assayed; water was used as the control. The main goal was to evaluate the insecticide effects on chili using four different doses; the mean dose, recommended on the label of the product (R), a half one (1/2R), 1.5 times (1.5R) and twice the recommended dose (2R). Three frequencies of application were applied; once a week, twice a week, and once every other week, for 6 weeks from the beginning of flowering. Phytotoxicity was evaluated measuring the response of some physiological traits, Chlorophyll Fluorescence (CF), Leaf Temperature (LT), Transpiration (Tr), and Stomatal Resistance (SR). CF was measured by means of a portable chorophyll fluorscence meter; LT, Tr, and SR were measured using a LI-Cor Porometer. The doses and frequencies used are all common in commercial chili fields in Mexico. Results showed that phytotoxicity caused by insecticides can be an important damage factor to the plants, something that can cause reduction of yields. CF was shown to be the most sensitive variable to evaluate the phytotoxicity caused by insecticides. Fruit malformation was observed in all treatments. Chlorophyll content was reduced up to 25%, on average. The phosphorate insecticides affected the physiological parameters more drastically than the others. Results evidence the irreversible crop damage caused by excessive insecticide applications.