title: A novel role of ethephon in controlling the noxious weed Ipomoea cairica (Linn.) Sweet.
abstract: Several auxin herbicides, such as 2, 4-D and dicamba, have been used to eradicate an exotic invasive weed Ipomoea cairica in subtropical China, but restraining the re-explosion of this weed is still a challenge. Since ethylene is one of the major intermediate functioning products during the eradication process, we explored the possibility, mechanism and efficiency of using ethephon which can release ethylene to control Ipomoea cairica. The results of the pot experiment showed that 7.2 g /L ethephon could totally kill Ipomoea cairica including the stems and roots. The water culture experiment indicated that ethephon released an abundance of ethylene directly in leaves and caused increases in electrolyte leakage, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), abscisic acid (ABA) and H2O2 and decreases in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity, finally leading to the death of Ipomoea cairica. The field experiment showed that the theoretical effective concentration of ethephon for controlling Ipomoea cairica (weed control efficacy, WCE = 98%) was 4.06 g/L and the half inhibitory concentration (I50) was 0.56 g/L. More than 50% of the accompanying species were insensitive to the phytotoxicity of ethephon. Therefore, ethephon is an excellent alternative herbicide for controlling Ipomoea cairica.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors.forename: Tai-Jie
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1] Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China [2] State Key Laboratory of Bio-control, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Quan
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, ACTON, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Wah Soon
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors.forename: Jia-Qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bio-control, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Shao-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Lian
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D027741:Ipomoea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010641:Phenotype; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D057685:Plant Weeds / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005030:Ethylenes; D006540:Herbicides; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; C036216:ethylene; C005073:ethephon