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Title: Exudation of mesotrione from potato roots injures neighboring plants

Author
item Boydston, Rick
item AL-KHATIB, KASSIM - KANSAS STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Weed Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/22/2008
Publication Date: 11/1/2008
Citation: Boydston, R.A., Al-Khatib, K. 2008. Exudation of mesotrione from potato roots injures neighboring plants. Weed Science. 56: 852-855.

Interpretive Summary: Mesotrione is an effective herbicide for volunteer potato control but kills several crops, including onion and carrot. In order to control potato without injury to onion and carrots, mesotrione was applied to potato using wiper application. Surprisingly, nontreated potatoes growing adjacent to mesotrione treated plants exhibited injury symptoms. Additional field trials confirmed injury to nontreated potatoes growing near treated plants. Greenhouse bioassays confirmed that mesotrione applied to potato leaves moved down through the treated plant, was expelled from the potato roots, and was able to injure plants when applied to roots. In 14C tracer studies, about half of the mesotrione applied to potato leaves was absorbed into the potato plant by 2 weeks and 15% of the absorbed herbicide was exuded into the soil and soil leachate. Mesotrione applied to potato by wiper application method has the potential to injure neighboring susceptible plants from root uptake of exuded mesotrione.

Technical Abstract: Mesotrione is an effective herbicide for volunteer potato control but is not selective in several crops, including onion and carrot. Studies were conducted in 2006 to evaluate the effectiveness of wiper applied mesotrione for control of volunteer potato in a potato crop. Surprisingly, nontreated potatoes growing adjacent to mesotrione treated plants exhibited bleaching symptoms resembling mesotrione injury. Additional field trials confirmed injury to nontreated plants growing within 26 cm of potatoes treated with mesotrione applied with a wiper at 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% (v/v) solutions. Greenhouse bioassays confirmed that mesotrione applied to potato leaves moved down through the plant and was exuded into perlite potting medium in sufficient quantities to injure potato plants that were exposed to the leachate from the perlite pots. In tracer studies, 52% of 14C-labeled mesotrione applied to potato leaves was absorbed into the potato plant by 15 days and 15% of the absorbed 14C-mesotrione was exuded into the soil and soil leachate. Mesotrione applied to potato by wick application method has the potential to injure neighboring susceptible plants from root uptake of exuded mesotrione.