Senescence of Attached Bean Leaves Accelerated by Sprays of Silicone Oil Antitranspirants

During an investigation into the use of oil emulsions in foliar sprays, it was found that silicone oil emulsions accelerated the senescence of the primary leaves of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants. It was shown that accelerated senescence was not a result of the reduced transpiration rates found in silicone-sprayed leaves. Furthermore, the silicone oil emulsions did not induce leakiness in plant cell membranes. The senescence-enhancing effect seems to be connected with the ability of the silicone oil emulsions to penetrate into the leaf interior.