Picloram and 2,4,5-T Influence on Honey Mesquite Morphology

Abstract

Seeds of honey mesquite(Prosopis juliflora(Swartz) DC. var.glandulosa(Torr.) Cockerell) were germinated and grown in aqueous solutions of the sodium salt of (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4,5-T) or the potassium salt of 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram). Elongation of germinating seedling hypocotyls and roots was progressively inhibited by increasing concn of each herbicide up to about 1 or 2 mg/L the first 2 days. After 5 and 10 days, progressively more inhibition occurred at 5 to 10 mg/L of 2,4,5-T and 1 to 2 mg/L of picloram. Four-month-old honey mesquite seedlings were treated with foliar sprays of the 2-ethylhexyl ester of 2,4,5-T or the potassium salt of picloram. Both herbicides caused curling of the stem tip, death of the growing point, cracking below the leaf, and increased numbers of lateral roots. Both herbicides caused phellem cells to enlarge radially, inner cortext and phloem parenchyma to proliferate, and xylem vessels to lignify without enlarging. Starch granules disappeared from treated plants within 8 days and re-occurred in treated plants only 53 days after spraying. Picloram was slightly more toxic to honey mesquite seedlings than 2,4,5-T.