UPTAKE, TRANSLOCATION AND FATE OF 2,4-D AND CHLORSULFURON IN SILENE-VULGARIS (MOENCH) GARCKE

Experiments were conducted to examine the uptake, translocation and metabolism by S. vulgaris of two distinctly different herbicides: 2,4-D, a phenoxyalkanoic acid with growth regulator activity to which this species exhibits complete tolerance, and chlorsulfuron, a sulfonylurea to which S. vulgaris is highly sensitive. Despite their structural dissimilarities 2,4-D and chlorsulfuron was readily absorbed by S. vulgaris with 65 and 69%, respectively, of the applied dosage being absorbed within 72 hours after treatment. Approximately 35% of the 2,4-D and 10% of the chlorsulfuron label was translocated out of the treated leaf after 72 hours. Neither herbicide accumulated in the terminal bud. Seventy-two hours after treatment 63% of the recovered C-14 remained as unaltered 2,4-D in S. vulgaris, while in tomato, a 2,4-D sensitive species, 65% of the recovered C-14 remained as intact herbicide. In S. vulgaris approximately 86% of the radioactivity remained as intact chlorsulfuron 72 hours after treatment compared to 12% in the tolerant wheat. The tolerance of S. vulgaris to 2,4-D could not be accounted for by limited absorption, translocation nor metabolic degradation of the herbicide. The sensitivity of S. vulgaris to chlorsulfuron would appear to be related to the inability of this species to metabolize the herbicide molecule.