A Microradioautographic Study of ¹⁴C-Diuron Absorption by Cotton

The techniques of cryostat sectioning, freeze-drying, and microradioautography were adapted to study the absorption and translocation of radio-labeled 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea ( 14 C-diuron) in root-treated cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L., var. Coker 201) plants. Diuron appeared to move primarily in the apoplast and to be transported acropetally and laterally in the transpiration stream. Radioactivity was observed to accumulate in striking concentrations in the lysigenous, or pigment, glands and the trichomes of the cotton plant. This accumulation is postulated to be a major factor in lowering the effective concentration of the herbicide in the leaves of cotton as compared to leaves of more susceptible plants, and thus may be a significant factor in the tolerance of cotton to diuron.