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Bensulfuron-methyl (BSM) is usually used in weed control for rice crops. This study was conducted to investigate the dose-response to bensulfuron-methyl (BSM) for seedling growth of corn and to understand the possible mechanism of BSM tolerance occurred in inbred lines of corn. The dose-response to BSM for seven growth traits including leaf development, plant height, root length, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, of corn seedlings at 5 early growth stage including VE(coleoptile was 1 cm), VE(coleoptile was 3 cm), V1(1-leaf), V2(2-leaf) and V3(3-leaf) stages were investigated. As a result of dose-response analysis for the growth of seedlings at the VE(coleoptile was 3 cm) stage seven days after treatment, plant height was the most susceptible growth trait to BSM. Analysis of the in vitro specific activity of acetolactate synthase (ALS) in corn, cv. TNG-1, seedlings at 4 different growth stages, showed that the highest activity expressed at VE(coleoptile was 3 cm) stage. However, ALS activity was relatively declined with the growth stage. The specific activity of ALS in seedlings at V3 stage is lesser sensitive to BSM than that at early growth stage. Thus, it is suggested that the sensitivity of ALS activity to BSM might be involved in the mechanism of BSM tolerance of the corn seedlings existed at different growth stage. According to the inhibition of plant height of corn seedlings at VE(coleoptile was 3 cm) stage by BSM, inbred line SIW 35 and SIW 60 were selected and referred as a tolerant and a susceptible line, respectively. The ED50 of plant height of SIW 35 and SIW 60 was 236.7 and 0.7 μM, respectively. Further study on the absorption, translocation and metabolism of BSM, as well as sensitivity of ALS to BSM, showed that BSM was absorbed more by seedlings of TNG-1 but less by SIW 60. In addition, there was no significant difference in partition of BSM absorbed to shoot, and also found that corn seedlings of TNG-1 and SIW 35 (T) metabolized more BSM to metabolite Ι and Π as compared to SIW 60 (S). Analysis of the in vitro specific activity of ALS, showed that the ED50 of ALS activities in seedlings of SIW 35 (T) and SIW 60 (S) at VE(coleoptile was 3 cm) stage were 21 ± 12 and 3.9 ± 1.2 μM, respectively. And the in vitro activity of ALS in seedlings of TNG-1 was higher than that of SIW 35 (T) and SIW 60 (S). Therefore, it is suggested that the sensitivity of ALS to BSM was a key factor involved in regulation of BSM tolerance between tolerant and susceptible lines of corn.
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