Metabolism of 2,4-DB by White Clover (Trifolium repens) Cell Suspension Cultures

The metabolism of 2,4-DB [4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)butyric acid] in cell suspension cultures of white clover (Trifolium repensL. ‘Regal Ladino’) was investigated using (ring)-14C 2,4-DB. The herbicide and its14C-labeled metabolites were isolated from treated cells and medium after 48 h by partition and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The major portion of the radiolabel was in the glycoside fraction (47%) and incorporated into the cell structural material (34%). The remainder of the14C remained either as the parent herbicide (8%) or an amino acid conjugate of 2,4-DB (10%).