Primary Site of Action of Amitrole in Arabidopsis thaliana Involves Inhibition of Root Elongation but Not of Histidine or Pigment Biosynthesis

Interference with histidine metabolism, inhibition of pigment biosynthesis, or both have been the principal candidates for the primary site of action of 3-amino 1,2,4-triazole (amitrole). Arabidopsis thaliana is sensitive to 1,2,4-triazole-3-alanine, a feedback inhibitor of histidine biosynthesis, and this effect is reversed by histidine. The combination of triazolealanine and histidine, however, does not reverse the herbicidal effect of amitrole. This indicates that amitrole toxicity is not caused by histidine starvation, nor is it caused by the accumulation of a toxic intermediate of the histidine pathway. Amitrole inhibits root elongation at lower concentrations than it causes pigment bleaching in the leaves. In contrast, fluridone, a known inhibitor of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway does not block root elongation. Fluridone also inhibits carotenoid accumulation in etiolated seedlings in the dark, but amitrole does not. Last, gabaculine and acifluorfen, but not amitrole, prevent chlorophyll accumulation in greening etiolated seedlings of Arabidopsis. These experiments cast doubt on pigment biosynthesis as the primary site of action of amitrole.