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Effects of Low Levels of Atrazine on Some Mineral Constituents and Forms of Nitrogen in Zea mays L. 1
Author(s) -
Hiranpradit H.,
Foy C. L.,
Shear G. M.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1972.00021962006400030003x
Subject(s) - atrazine , chemistry , zea mays , nitrogen , nutrient , nitrate , chlorophyll , amino acid , dry weight , zoology , carbohydrate , phosphorus , agronomy , horticulture , biochemistry , pesticide , biology , organic chemistry
Sublethal concentrations of s‐triazine herbicides are known to increase the protein in plants. Conceivably, the effect may be related to increased nutrient accumulation or to stimulation of enzymes involved in nitrate reduction and/or carbohydrate utilization for amino acid and protein synthesis. A study was undertaken to determine the effects of subtoxic levels of atrazine (2‐chloro‐4‐(ethylamino)‐6‐(isopropylamino)‐s‐triazine) on the mineral constituents, forms of N, and growth of 28‐day‐old corn ( Zea mays L. ‘Cribfiller’) plants Corn was grown in soil containing various levels of atrazine under greenhouse conditions and analyzed after 28 days. Atrazine at 1.5 ppm (7.0 µM) concentration did not significantly affect plant dry weight, but significantly increased percentages of N and K compared with untreated controls. Total amounts of N, P, K, and Ca per plant were significantly increased over the untreated controls by 18.9, 14.9, 16.4, and 13.8%, respectively. The treated plants contained significantly more nitrate‐N, protein‐N + nucleic acid‐N, and chlorophyll‐N + lipid‐N than the untreated controls. The increases were 14.2, 39.0, and 31.2%, respectively. Total amounts of acid soluble‐N and ammonium‐N were not significantly increased. Overall, there was an increase in amino acids that form the constituents common to nearly all protein, molecules.