Effects on the electron transport rate of weeds after amicarbazone application

Amicarbazone is one of the most important herbicides registered for weed control in sugarcane. It must be absorbed, translocated, and reach the chloroplasts of leaf cells to act on its binding site in the photosystem II. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of applying amicarbazone on the electron ltransport rate (ETR) of Ipomoea grandifolia, Brachiaria decumbens and Digitaria horizontalis. The response of these weeds to ETR, was verified when submitted to amicarbazone in solution and in sequence to the solution without herbicide, by ETR readings on adult and young leaves, using a portable fluorometer. Water consumption by the weeds was also verified by daily weighing of the containers with the solution and the plants. Thus, the experiment showed that the reduction of the ETR values may be used to indicate the level of intoxication in the weeds studied. The weeds I. grandifolia, B. decumbens and D. horizontalis showed different responses when exposed to herbicide-free solution after the solution with amicarbazone. I. grandifolia was more sensitive to amicarbazone due to the greater difficulty in recovering the initial ETR values, besides showing effects on young leaves after completion of the herbicide application.. Water intake can explain this behavior of I. grandifolia, since this species consumed the most water, thus absorbing amicarbazone the most. For B. decumbens and D. horizontalis, there was less water absorption, and, consequently, the old leaves had a better electron transport recovery, and the young leaves, no intoxication.

ETR; fluorescence; fluorometer; intoxication