Fluridone

Fluridone is an herbicide.^1,2,3,4 It inhibits phytoene desaturase (K_i = 0.03 µM), an enzyme involved in carotenoid biosynthesis.¹ Fluridone (50 and 100 µM) decreases β-carotene (Item No. 16837) levels and induces accumulation of phytofluene and phytoene in T. aestivum seedlings grown in the dark.² It reduces levels of the plant hormone abscisic acid (Item No. 10073) in hydrated and dehydrated V. faba leaves when used at a concentration of 10 µM.³ Fluridone is cytotoxic to the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans (LC₅₀ = 0.125 µM) and has acute toxicity against several species of invertebrates and fish (median LC₅₀s = 4.3 and 10.4 mg/L, respectively).^1,4 Formulations containing fluridone have been used as aquatic herbicides.

WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.

1. Chamovitz, D., Sandmann, G., and Hirschberg, J. Molecular and biochemical characterization of herbicide-resistant mutants of cyanobacteria reveals that phytoene desaturation is a rate-limiting step in carotenoid biosynthesis. The Journal of Biological Chemisty 268(23), 17348-17353 (1993).

2. Bartels, P.G., and Watson, C.W. Inhibition of carotenoid synthesis by fluridone and norflurazon. Weed Sci. 26(2), 198-203 (1978).

3. Popova, L.P., and Riddle, K.A. Development and accumulation of ABA in fluridone-treated and drought-stressed Vicia faba plants under different light conditions. Physiol. Plant. 98(4), 791-797 (1996).

4. Hamelink, J.L., Buckler, D.R., Mayer, F.L., et al. Toxicity of fluridone to aquatic invertebrates and fish. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 5(1), 87-94 (1986).