M. Couderchet et G. Retzlaff, DAILY CHANGES IN THE RELATIVE WATER-CONTENT OF VELVETLEAF (ABUTILON-THEOPHRASTI MEDIC) MAY EXPLAIN ITS RHYTHMIC SENSITIVITY TO BENTAZON, Journal of plant physiology, 145(4), 1995, pp. 501-506
In order to explain the rhythmic sensitivity of velvetleaf (Abutilon t
heophrasti Medic.) to bentazon, daily changes in plant physiological p
arameters were studied. Total Chl content, Chla/Chlb ratio and leaf re
lative water content (RWC) oscillated in a circadian fashion. Cosinor
analysis of the data indicated an acrophase for leaf Chl content in th
e middle of the light span, which was synchronous with the minimum Chl
a/Chlb ratio and leaf RWC. The amplitude of leaf RWC oscillations was
greater in lower leaves than in upper ones. Decreases in RWC due to wa
ter stress were first observed in lower (i.e., older) leaves. Monitori
ng photosynthesis after spraying the plants with bentazon indicated a
protective effect of brief water stress. A correlation was found betwe
en leaf RWC and the rhythmic changes in sensitivity. The acrophase of
the RWC oscillations corresponded to that of bentazon sensitivity. The
results suggest that the naturally occurring periodic water-stress in
the middle of the light span could be responsible for the variable se
nsitivity to the herbicide, possibly via lower uptake of the herbicide
at the cuticular level.