Translocation of Dicamba in Canada Thistle

Abstract
The foliage and roots of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) readily absorbed 2-methoxy-3,6-dichlorobenzoic acid (dicamba) after which it was translocated by both phloem and xylem. The results are in harmony with a source-to-sink system of dicamba translocation in the phloem. Following foliar application, small amounts of dicamba were exuded by the roots into surrounding soil. Dicamba tended to accumulate in young, growing leaves following both foliar or root uptake. Leaves, but not roots, retained a substantial portion of the dicamba taken up. After 54 days, 63.1% of the recovered radioactivity in the treated leaf was still in the form of unaltered dicamba. The remaining 36.9% was in the form of an unidentified product. In other plant parts, much less change occurred. During a 54-day period, one-fifth of the dicamba applied was recovered as radioactive CO2.