Action of Simazine in Increasing Plant Protein Content

Application of 10-8M 2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-s-triazine (simazine) to the roots of 10-day old barley (Hordeum vulgareL. ‘Coho’) seedlings grown in nutrient cultures increased the water-soluble protein content when grown at 20 C day, 15 C night with 3 mM nitrate nitrogen. The water-soluble carbohydrate content decreased with increases in water-soluble protein. In a time-course study simazine increased14C-leucine incorporation into protein prior to increasing nitrate uptake, indicating that simazine may have a direct influence on protein synthesis. The nonherbicidal metabolite of simazine, 2-hydroxy-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-s-triazine (hydroxysimazine), did not affect14C-leucine incorporation into protein.