Metabolic response of cornflower (Centaurea cyanus L.) exposed to tribenuron-methyl: one of the active substances of sulfonylurea herbicides

Abstract

Tribenuron-methyl is the active substance of the herbicide used for weed control in crops. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the metabolic response of seeds, seedlings and leaves of Centaurea cyanus L., depending on the degree of resistance to tribenuron-methyl. Changes in the values of selected biochemical and physiological parameters (germination index, chemical composition, photochemical efficiency of photosystem II and the emission spectra of blue-green fluorescence) presented herein make it possible to determine the differences between cornflower biotypes with various types of resistance to the tested herbicide. Moreover, differences in the chemical composition of dry seeds between biotypes susceptible and resistant to tribenuron-methyl were observed before using the herbicide. The degree of resistance to the herbicide-resistant or susceptible, but not the types of this resistance-mutational or metabolic, can be distinguished on the basis of the presented parameters. These findings allow for early diagnosis of the resistance of cornflower to tribenuron-methyl. Additionally, we suggest that the described parameters might be used as physiochemical markers for early estimation of weed resistance to various types of herbicide. The presented conclusions are especially important for agricultural practice.

Acetolactate Synthase-Inhibiting Gametocide Amidosulfuron Causes Chloroplast Destruction, Tissue Autophagy, and Elevation of Ethylene Release in Rapeseed

“…These evidences showed that severe destruction of rapeseed photosynthesis system and abnormal regulation of cell cycle related genes, and induction of autophagy in anther cells were associated with the CIMS. Although the relationships among ALS protein function and photosynthesis system and cell cycle are not known, the available data in our studies and previous literatures (Rost et al, 1990 ; Qian et al, 2011 ; Cheng et al, 2013 ; Li et al, 2015 ; Saja et al, 2016 ; Sun et al, 2016 ) suggested that disruption of photosynthesis and inhibition of cell cycle are two major phytotoxic effects of amidosulfuron. Down-regulation of some genes about carbohydrate metabolism and sugar transporter also intimated a possible disruption of photoassimilate translocation.…”

“…Ethylene is commonly associated with cell death, restricting cell elongation and regulation of cell division (Rogers, 2013 ). Some previous evidences suggested that valine, leucine and isoleucine may be involved in the regulation of cell division (Rost et al, 1990 ) and sulfonylurea herbicides disturbed cell division in the meristematic tissues of plants (Saja et al, 2016 ). We also found that amidosulfuron can restrain the raceme elongation (cell growth) in the first days after treatment and the pollen development was terminated before microspore mitosis (the flower bud length of 3–3.5 mm), as various sulfonylurea herbicides did in different cultivars (Yu et al, 2006 , 2009 , 2017 ; Yu and He, 2014 ; Li et al, 2015 ).…”

“…Although, plant ALS are encoded by nuclear genes, their proteins are located in plastid and chloroplast (Shimizu et al, 2008 ). Sulfonylurea derivatives do not directly inhibit the process of photosynthesis but their activity may impair the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus (Saja et al, 2016 ). We found that the amidosulfuron treatment did not severely affect plant growth but it diminished the photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content significantly.…”

“…In summary, destruction of chloroplast and incapability of photosynthesis are two main effects observed in the treatments of sulfonylurea and other ALS-inhibiting gametocides (Qian et al, 2011 ; Cheng et al, 2013 ; Li et al, 2015 ; Saja et al, 2016 ; Sun et al, 2016 ). Moreover, the down-regulation of chloroplastic PPD2 intimated structural and/or functional abnormalities of chloroplast.…”

How exposure to ALS-inhibiting gametocide tribenuron-methyl induces male sterility in rapeseed

“…SU herbicides may damage the photosynthetic apparatus [33] because plant ALS proteins are located in plastids and chloroplasts [34]. We found that the photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content were obviously affected in the several days after the sub-lethal dose of the TBM treatment, similar to the effects of another gametocide amidosulfuron [10].…”