Effect of Acrolein on Potamogeton pectinatus L. in irrigation channels

BENTIVEGNA D. J.; SABBATINI M. R.; CURVETTO N. R.; FERNANDEZ O. A.

Lisbon

Simposio; 10th EWRS International Symposium on Aquatic Weeds; 1998

European Weed Research Society and Asociacion Portuguesa de Recursos Hidricos

The herbicide acrolein is used for the control of P. pectinatus in the irrigated area of the lower valley of Rio Colorado, Argentina (62° 37’ W, 39° 23’ S). The aim of this study was to improve treatment evaluation using a field-lab routine protocol. Two irrigation channels stretches were treated with acrolein at normal dosage rate in late summer. Plants samples were harvested at 400, 1500 and 3000 m downstream from the application point and the control at 50 upstream, one day before and one week after treatments. The effect of acrolein on plants was evaluated through changes in above-ground biomass, plant length and weight, chlorophyll content and ionic tissue moiety. Acrolein significatively reduces biomass between 41,7 % and 96,7%, chlorophyll content between 26.0 and 83.6 % and ionic tissue moiety from 13.2 % to 38 % . The analysis of individual plants surviving treatments showed no significative differences in plant length, total weight and leaf/stem ratio. It is conclude that (a) Acrolein produced an important biomass reduction after treatments and (b) plants collected before and after its application were not morphologically different, but treated plants showed a clear physiological damage.