Mercury content of sprouts and harvested roots from treated sweet potato mother roots. [Ipomoea batatas]

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1972 · Phytopathology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5603983

Huisingh, D; Nielsen, L W

Mercury containing fungicides have been used extensively for seed and root disease control, but data on the fate of the mercury (Hg) are scarce. Experiments were designed to see if Hg applied to propagative sweet potato roots increased the Hg-content of edible roots. Roots were treated with Semesan Bel(hydroxymercurinitrophenol + hydroxymercurichlorophenol), Mertect (Thiabendazole: 2-(4-Thiazolyl)-benzimidazole), or Botran (2,6-Dichloro-4-nitroanaline) at recommended rates or with water. Treated roots were bedded into sandy loam soil, and the plants were harvested at 2 and 3 months after bedding. Some sprouts transplanted at 2 months were grown to maturity, and the harvested roots were analyzed. Hg analyses were performed by flameless atomic absorption. Roots treated prior to planting with Semesan Bel, Mertect, Botran, and water contained 23.0, 0.05, 0.03 and 0.03 ..mu..g/g dry wt, respectively. At the 2-month harvest, the leaves and stems of the Semesan Bel-treated plants contained 5 times more Hg than those of the other treatments. By the 3-month harvest, the amount of Hg in plant leaves and stems from Hg-treated roots was 2 to 3 times that of the others. Fall harvested fleshy roots contained 0.03, 0.02, 0.03, and 0.03 ..mu..g/g dry wt Hg for the Semesan Bel, Mertect, Botran, and water treatments, respectively. This demonstrates that the Hg applied to the mother root was translocated to the new plant, but little if any was translocated to the new fleshy roots.

• Research Organization: North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh
• OSTI ID: 5603983
• Journal Information: Phytopathology; (United States), Journal Name: Phytopathology; (United States) Vol. 62:7; ISSN PHYTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
FUNGICIDES
HERBS
LEAVES
MERCURY
METALS
PESTICIDES
PLANT STEMS
PLANTS
ROOT ABSORPTION
ROOTS
SPROUTING
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
UPTAKE