Effects of Imazamox Applications on Stem Anatomy in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Cultivars

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of different doses of imazamox, an imidazolinone (IMI) group herbicide commonly used in sunflower agriculture, on the stem anatomical structure of sunflower cultivars. In this study, four different sunflower cultivars were used as SN:8 which is unresisting to IMI and resistant groups to IMI which are SN:9, SN:10 and SN:14. Seedlings coming to 4-6 leaf stage were applied with 3 different doses of herbicides (1 dose (3.125 ml/l), 2 doses (6.25 ml/l) and 3 doses (9.375 ml/l). When the cross sections of stem samples taken 7 days after the herbicide application were examined under light microscope, decreases in epiderma cell sizes due to dose increase, increases and decreases in collenchymavlayer thicknesses and cell lines, decreases in cortex parenchyma layer thicknesses, sclerenchymal layer thicknesses and significant increases and decreases were observed between the groups and doses in trachea cells. According to these data, it can be concluded that both the effects of herbicide dose changes and anatomical changes in stem sections can be used to determine resistant cultivars.