A novel role of ethephon in controlling the noxious weed Ipomoea cairica (Linn.) Sweet.

Zhong-Yu Sun,Jia-Qin Liu,Tai-Jie Zhang,Wei-Hua Li,Jin-Quan Su,Shao-Lin Peng,Wah Soon Chow,Chang-Lian Peng,Li-Ling Chen

doi:10.1038/srep11372

Abstract

Several auxin herbicides, such as 2, 4-D and dicamba, have been used to eradicate an exotic invasive weed Ipomoea cairica in subtropical China, but restraining the re-explosion of this weed is still a challenge. Since ethylene is one of the major intermediate functioning products during the eradication process, we explored the possibility, mechanism and efficiency of using ethephon which can release ethylene to control Ipomoea cairica. The results of the pot experiment showed that 7.2 g /L ethephon could totally kill Ipomoea cairica including the stems and roots. The water culture experiment indicated that ethephon released an abundance of ethylene directly in leaves and caused increases in electrolyte leakage, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), abscisic acid (ABA) and H2O2 and decreases in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity, finally leading to the death of Ipomoea cairica. The field experiment showed that the theoretical effective concentration of ethephon for controlling Ipomoea cairica (weed control efficacy, WCE = 98%) was 4.06 g/L and the half inhibitory concentration (I50) was 0.56 g/L. More than 50% of the accompanying species were insensitive to the phytotoxicity of ethephon. Therefore, ethephon is an excellent alternative herbicide for controlling Ipomoea cairica.

Highlights

Several auxin herbicides, such as 2, 4-D and dicamba, have been used to eradicate an exotic invasive weed Ipomoea cairica in subtropical China, but restraining the re-explosion of this weed is still a challenge
It have been revealed that these four herbicides mentioned above shared the same mode of action of auxin herbicides, in which the biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene are two major steps[4]
The results showed that low concentrations of herbicides, namely, 0.005 g/L of 2, 4-D, 0.01 g/L of dicamba and 0.14 g/L of ethephon did not have obvious effect on controlling Ipomoea cairica

Summary

Introduction

Several auxin herbicides, such as 2, 4-D and dicamba, have been used to eradicate an exotic invasive weed Ipomoea cairica in subtropical China, but restraining the re-explosion of this weed is still a challenge. Ipomoea cairica (Linn.) Sweet is a perennial vine belonging to convolvulaceae, one of the most noxious invasive weeds in south China[1] This weed is considered to be a typical plant killer that is often seen heavily covering other plants in scenic spots, parks and wild lands. Dicamba and fluroxypyr have shown significant efficacies in controlling the weed[3] These four herbicides mentioned above are used, retraining the re-explosion of Ipomoea cairica is still a challenge in south China. Some research indicates that high concentrations of ethephon are phytotoxic and can cause damage to plants[24,25]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion