Influence of glyphosate on amino acid composition of Egyptian broomrape.

The parasitic plant broomrape is entirely dependent on its host for reduced carbon and nitrogen and is also susceptible to inhibition by glyphosate that is translocated to the parasite through a host. Studies were conducted to examine the effect of broomrape parasitism on amino acid concentrations of two hosts: common vetch that is tolerant of low levels of glyphosate and oilseed rape that has been genetically engineered for glyphosate resistance. The influence of glyphosate on the amino acid content of broomrape and the two hosts was also examined. Amino acid concentrations in leaves and roots of parasitized common vetch plants were generally similar to those of the corresponding tissues of nonparasitized plants. Amino acid concentrations in broomrape were lower than those of the parasitized common vetch root. For common vetch, glyphosate applied at rates that selectively inhibited broomrape growth did not alter individual amino acid concentrations in the leaves, but generally increased amino acid levels at 0.18 kg ha-1. Glyphosate application also increased the amino acid concentrations, with the exception of arginine, of broomrape growing on common vetch and did not generally influence concentrations in leaves or roots of common vetch. In oilseed rape, parasitization by broomrape generally led to higher amino acid concentrations in leaves but lower concentrations in roots of parasitized plants. Broomrape had higher amino acid concentrations than roots of the parasitized oilseed rape. Glyphosate applied at 0.25 and 0.5 kg ha-1 generally increased the amino acid concentrations in oilseed rape leaves, but the 0.75 kg ha-1 application caused the amino acid concentrations to decrease compared to those of untreated plants. In oilseed rape root the general trend was an increase in the concentration of amino acids at the two highest rates of glyphosate. Individual amino acid concentrations in broomrape attachments growing on oilseed rape were generally increased following glyphosate application of 0.25 kg ha-1. These results indicate that low rates of glyphosate alter amino acid profiles in both host and broomrape and raise questions about the regulation of amino acid metabolism in the parasite.