Uptake Studies on a Fluorescein-Labelled Seed Oil Adjuvant in Abutilon theophrasti, Sinapis arvensis and Beta vulgaris

Publication Type

Journal contribution (peer reviewed)

Authors

Heini, Julia and Rueda Ayala, Victor and Walker, Frank and Mainx, Hans-Georg and Gerhards, Roland

Year of publication

2012

Published in

Gesunde Pflanzen

Editor

Springer Berlin/Heidelberg

Band/Volume

64/4

DOI

10.1007/s10343-012-0285-y

Page (from - to)

167--174

Though adjuvants are abundant in almost every pesticide solution, their mode of action is still not completely clear. Studies on their way through the cuticle are quite difficult due to a lack of radiolabelled surfactants. In this study we want to present the results of an experiment conducted to evaluate the mode of action of an ethoxylated soybean oil (ESBO) adjuvant. To evaluate the route of ESBO through the cuticle it was labelled with fluorescein and applied to one leaf of different test species ( Abutilon theophrasti , Sinapis arvensis and Beta vulgaris ). Treated leaves were harvested and rinsed with either deionised water, methanol/water or chloroform. The fluorescein content of washed leaves and the solution in which they were washed were analysed with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with an UV detector. Results lead to the assumption that ESBO passed through the cuticle. If this holds true, ESBO was able to reach the underlying cell tissue where it might have been
metabolised or even translocated to other plant parts. Though a lot of research has to be conducted on the mechanism and mode of action of adjuvants, this study gives an approach to investigate the behavior of foliar applied adjuvants.