Effect of Alachlor on PEG6000Uptake, Root Osmotic Potential, and Root Leakage

Sweet corn (Zea maysL.rugosa'Seneca Scout’) and soybeans (Glycine maxL. Merr. ‘Kanrich’) were grown in nutrient solutions containing alachlor [2-chloro-2′,6-diethyl-N-(methoxymethyl)acetanilide] at 2.36 × 10-5M, polyethylene glycol MW 6000 (PEG6000) at −2.5 bars osmotic potential, alachlor at 2.36 × 10-5M plus PEG6000at −2.5 bars osmotic potential or with no additions. Sweet corn and soybean roots exposed to alachlor plus PEG6000accumulated significantly more PEG6000than roots exposed to PEG6000alone; increased shoot uptake occurred only in soybean. Alachlor was also shown to significantly increase root osmotic potential and decrease root electrolyte leakage.