Effects of Pyrazon on Bean Chloroplast Ultrastructure

Abstract

The fine structure of the chloroplasts of bean(Phaseolus vulgarisL., var. Tendercrop) was grossly altered by treatment with 5-amino-4-chloro-2-phenyl-3(2H)-pyridazinone (pyrazon) when plants were grown in a treated medium. Alterations occurred first at the leaf margins and preceded visual symptoms. Chloroplasts became spherical and swollen rather than discoid, clumped rather than peripherally arranged, and were totally devoid of starch. Grana formation was inhibited; the thylakoids became swollen and perforated, and they ultimately disintegrated. Concomitant with grana inhibition was the increase in size and number of lipid globules. Occasional breakage of the outer chloroplast membrane was observed. It is proposed that these changes result because pyrazon inhibits thylakoid structural protein formation.