Experiments were conducted on effects of herbicides applied to soil or sprayed on shoots on CO2 uptake of 3-year-old Pinus resinosa Ait. seedlings. When applied to the soil, atrazine, monuron, EPTC, and 2,4-D at 20 lb/ac (soil surface basis) or at 4000 p.p.m. variously decreased absorption of CO2. Monuron checked gas exchange most rapidly, with no CO2 uptake measurable after 10 days. Atrazine and 2,4-D inhibited absorption of CO2 at a steady rate. EPTC caused a delayed inhibition of CO2 uptake. DCPA, CDAA, CDEC, and NPA did not affect gas exchange significantly. Monuron applied as a spray depressed CO2 uptake somewhat faster than the soil-applied herbicide. Very rapid inhibition of CO2 uptake was observed after spray application of 2,4-D or EPTC. Atrazine affected gas exchange similarly when applied as a spray or incorporated in the soil. DCPA, applied as a spray, did not affect absorption of CO2 significantly. Possible reasons for differences in CO2 uptake after spray and soil-application of certain herbicides are discussed. Inert ingredients of EPTC applied as sprays at a concentration of 4000 p.p.m. greatly reduced CO2 absorption 3 days after treatment. However, the rapid early depression of gas exchange was followed by recovery, with no obvious deleterious effects on growth up to 3 months after treatment. Some herbicides checked CO2 absorption without chlorophyll breakdown whereas others did not. Monuron completely inhibited CO2 uptake long before any changes in leaf color were evident. In contrast, depression of CO2 absorption by atrazine and 2,4-D rather closely paralleled development of toxicity symptoms, especially chlorosis. These observations suggested that some herbicides such as monuron affected the photosynthetic mechanism more directly than others such as atrazine, 2,4-D, and EPTC.
Morphology, gas exchange, and chlorophyll content of longleaf pine seedlings in response to rooting volume, copper root pruning, and nitrogen supply in a container nursery
