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Recycling wastewater containing soaps and detergents for plant growth is highly desirable when fresh water is limited. This is especially true during times of drought and is imperative in some specialized situations such as a regenerative space habitat. To regenerate food, water, and air, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) must recycle wastewater commonly known as gray water. The anionic surfactant Igepon is the principal ingredient of many detergent formulations and soaps and is a prime candidate for use in a space habitat. To determine if gray water would have phytotoxic effects on crops grown in a CELSS, `Waldmann's Green' lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was grown in nutrient solutions containing varying concentrations of Igepon TC-42. Igepon concentrations of 250 mg·L-1 or higher in nutrient solutions resulted in phytotoxic effects in lettuce. Thus, the toxic threshold of Igepon is <250 mg·L-1. Toxicity symptoms include browning of the roots within 4 hours of exposure to Igepon followed by suppression of root dry mass within 24 hours. Plant death never resulted from exposure to Igepon used in these experiments, although roots were killed. The phytotoxic effect of Igepon was not persistent; plants initially displaying acute toxicity show clear signs of recovery within 3 days of initial exposure. Further, when fresh plants were exposed to these same nutrient solutions 3 days or more following initial Igepon addition, no phytotoxic effect was observed. The elimination of the phytotoxicity was associated with a decrease in fatty acid components in the nutrient solution associated with Igepon. The degradation of phytotoxicity appears to be associated with microbes present on the surface of the roots and not directly due to any plant process or instability of the surfactant.
Service (USDA-ARS)] for managing heat treatments. Amelia Murray (USDA-ARS) for evaluating phytotoxicity. and Mike Diaz (USDA-ARS) for evaluating insect mortalities. The cost of publishing this paper was defrayed in pan by the payment of page charges. Under
Benzimidazoles are effective and widely used fungicides, but they may be phytotoxic. We studied the effects of a single drench application of six benzimidazoles and one acetanilide fungicide on photosynthetic gas exchange, growth, development, and nutrient levels of four species of bedding plants in twenty growth-chamber and four greenhouse studies. Daily carbon gain and carbon-use efficiency were calculated from continuous crop gas-exchange measurements in the growth chambers. The maximum labeled rate of Benlate DF caused a 7- to 10-day decrease in net photosynthesis and daily carbon gain in transplants of all species. It also caused pronounced interveinal chlorosis and a 2- to 3-day delay in flowering. Growth of Benlate DF-treated plants was reduced more at high (90%) than at low (60% to 80%) relative humidity. Benlate DF had severe effects on 2-week-old petunia (Petunia ×hybrida) seedlings in plug flats, reducing photosynthesis 25% to 57%. Cleary's 3336 WP decreased photosynthesis in some trials. Benlate DF reduced photosynthesis within 24 hours, but 3336 WP effects did not become apparent until 1 week after the treatment. This suggests different modes of inhibition. 3336 WP also caused leaf-tip and marginal chlorosis in impatiens (Impatiens wallerana). Mertect 340-F was extremely phytotoxic but is not labeled for drench applications (it was included because of its chemical similarity to other benzimidazoles). The only benzimidazole fungicide that did not reduce photosynthesis was Derosal, but it caused slight interveinal chlorosis in some studies with petunia. Benlate DF and Derosal decreased leaf Ca levels. Subdue (or metalaxyl), an acetanilide fungicide, did not affect photosynthesis or cause any visual symptoms. Our results indicate that some benzimidazole fungicides can cause growth reductions and visual damage in bedding plants.
, 1974 ; Pilbeam and Bell, 1979 ) that was demonstrated to be phytotoxic, inhibiting hypocotyl and radicle growth during germination ( Wilson and Bell, 1979 ). Nonprotein amino acids from other legumes also have been shown to be phytotoxic. These include
Three watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum & Nakai] cultivars with different ozone (O3) sensitivities were grown in a charcoal-filtered greenhouse and exposed in continuous-stirred tank reactor chambers to five levels (0, 100, 200, 300, or 400 nL·L-1) of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the presence (80 nL·L-1) or absence (0 nL·L-1) of ozone (O3) for 4 hours/day, 5 days/week for 22 days. In the presence of O3, SO2 increased foliar injury in all three cultivars, but the impact was greatest for the most O3-sensitive cultivar, `Sugar Baby,' moderate for `Crimson Sweet,' and least for the least O3-sensitive cultivar, `Charleston Gray.' For all cultivars, SO2 intensified O3 suppression of leaf area for the first seven mainstem leaves and of dry weights for aboveground and total plant tissues. Root dry weight was independently suppressed by both pollutants, and the root: top ratio was linearly suppressed by SO2 alone. Sulfur dioxide combined with O3 can be detrimental to crop species such as watermelon. Thus, the potential for SO2 phytotoxicity should not be summarily dismissed, especially in the vicinity of SO2 point sources where O3 co-occurs.
reproductive structures frequently succumb entails phytotoxicity of off-target movement of chemicals against which there are no control measures ( Bondada, 2010 ). These chemicals primarily include vapors and spray drifts of phenoxy herbicides ( Bondada et al
Abstract
Fruit of cherry (Prunus avium L.) and banana (Musa sp.,) AAA Group, Cavendish sub-group cv. Williams Hybrid, when fumigated with ethylene dibromide (EDB) and held at 20°C were injured visibly by treatment concentrations of 32 g/m3 or more. EDB (4 g/m3) stimulated the rates of both ethylene (C2H4) evolution and respiration in cherries, while higher concentrations up to 32 g/m3 caused proportionately greater increases in the rates of gas exchange. Cherries stored at 1° after fumigation with 32 g/m3 EDB did not display the increases in gas exchange which were observed at 20°, but during a 7 day storage period severe Symptoms of phytotoxicity developed. The increases in gas exchange are, therefore, effects and not causes of EDB injury. The Stimulation of C2H4 production in cherries by EDB was reduced by pretreatment with Co2+, indicating that EDB affects the methionine pathway of ethylene synthesis. In bananas treated with 4 g/m3 EDB and held at 20°, the respiration rate increased but C2H4 evolution and electrolyte leakage from slices of pulp tissue were unaffected. When the EDB concentration was raised to 32 g/m3, respiration and C2H4 evolution rates and electrolyte leakage increased.
Abstract
Over a 6-year period (1969-1974) the efficacy of 3 insecticides and 24 herbicides and their interactions in combination were investigated when applied to field-seeded broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. Italica group), cabbage (Capitata group) and cauliflower (Botrytis group). Of these, broccoli was the most susceptible to injury. Of 212 herbicide-insecticide combinations, 26 caused phytotoxic symptoms in broccoli, 20 in cabbage and 8 in cauliflower. The insecticides, thionazin, fensulfothion and carbofuran, were each involved in 1 or more phytotoxic combinations in each of the 3 crops. Ten herbicides were involved in phytotoxic reactions: alachlor, aziprotryn, benefin, CDEC, chlorpropham, cycloate, prometryne, propachlor, prynachlor and PP493. Root maggot damage was reduced markedly by the insecticides. Carbofuran allowed less damage than either fensulfothion or thionazin. None of the herbicides showed any insecticidal properties, and some decreased the effectiveness of the insecticides.
Dibutylurea (DBU), a breakdown product of benomyl, may be partially responsible for the previously reported phytotoxicity of the fungicide Benlate DF. We quantified the effect of DBU on the growth of two popular bedding plant species, petunia (Petunia × hybrida) and impatiens (Impatiens wallerana Hook. f.). DBU reduced photosynthesis of both species, and its effect strongly depended on the amount of DBU applied. The effects of DBU were most apparent 2 to 4 days after treatment, at which time 1.20 g·m-2 (corresponding to 10% DBU in Benlate DF at maximum labeled drench rate) inhibited photosynthesis completely. DBU also decreased flower number and caused marginal necrosis. DBU effects were more pronounced in low relative humidity. Benlate DF containing 3.1% DBU and an equivalent amount of reagent grade DBU had similar effects on photosynthesis and petunia necrosis. Our results showed that DBU is responsible for at least part of the phytotoxic symptoms that can be caused by Benlate DF. However, other ingredients or breakdown products may also contribute to the phytotoxic symptoms of Benlate DF.
Abstract
Trials in the greenhouse and growth chambers were performed to evaluate the influence of fertilizer level and temperature on sensitivity of Spathiphyllum cv. Clevelandii to acephate insecticide. Plant quality was not influenced consistently by fertilizer level in all tests, although highest-quality plants usually were produced with recommended fertilizer levels (3 g/15-cm pot Osmocote 19N-6P-12K). Plants were grown at fertilizer levels up to 15 g/15-cm pot with those grown between 22° and 27°C undamaged, while those grown at 32° had severe foliar necrosis and were stunted. Increases in either fertilizer level or temperature resulted in increased levels of phytotoxicity when plants were sprayed with recommended rates (0.4 g/liter) of acephate insecticide. An interaction occurred between temperature and fertilizer level in growth chamber trials.