Two novel herbicide candidates affect Arabidopsis thaliana growth by inhibiting nitrogen and phosphate absorption.

Both 2-[(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetoxy](methy)lmethyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinan-2-one (termed as IIa) and 2-[(4-chloro-2-methyl-phenoxy)-acetoxy](methyl)methyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinan-2-one (termed as IIr) are novel herbicide candidates that positively affect herbicidal activity via the introduction of a phosphorus-containing heterocyclic ring. This report investigated the mechanism of IIa and IIr on weed control in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana at physiological, ultrastructural and molecular levels. IIa and IIr significantly inhibited the growth of A. thaliana and altered its root structure by inhibiting energy metabolism and lipid or protein biosynthesis. These compounds also significantly affected the absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus by down-regulating the transcripts of nitrate transporter-related genes, ammonium transporter-related genes and phosphorus transporter-related genes.