Determination of Herbicide Inhibition of Photosynthetic Electron Transport by Fluorescence

Abstract

The kinetics of chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence was used as a tool for detecting herbicide inhibition in studies using intact soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.] leaves. The terminal level of fluorescence (FT), obtained 150 s after the onset of illumination of the abaxial leaf surface, was found to be independent of the dark preadaptation interval and to vary little between leaflets and leaves within and among untreated plants. Increases in FTwere detected in plants following the foliar application of herbicides which inhibit photosynthetic electron transport. Fluorescence measurements indicated significant electron transport inhibition in leaves following treatment with 40-mM solutions of either atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropyiamino)-s-triazine] or diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] after 0.5 and 1 h, respectively. Results of this study indicate that Chl fluorescence can be used to measure injury qualitatively by photosynthetic electron transport-inhibiting herbicides in intact plants long before visual symptoms of injury occur. Possible uses of this sensitive, rapid, and non-destructive technique for studying herbicide penetration as affected by adjuvants and environmental factors are discussed.