THE USE OF THREE SIMPLE, RAPID BIOASSAYS ON FORTY‐TWO HERBICIDES*

Summary Three rapid bioassays were tested on forty‐two herbicides having several different modes of action. A 50% or greater inhibition of growth was found at 1 ppm with thirty‐one herbicides in one or more of the bioassays. Of the remaining eleven herbicides, seven were detected at 10 ppm, two at 20 ppm and two at 30 ppm. The techniques used were a Chlorella bioassay, a root bioassay with sorghum, oat and cucumber and a shoot bioassay with sorghum and oat. The duration of the bioassays was 1, 2 and 4 days respectively. As a general rule, the Chlorella bioassay was especially sensitive to photosynthetic and respiratory inhibitors but not sensitive to herbicides with other modes of action, whereas the root and/or shoot bioassays were sensitive to most of the herbicides except the photosynthetic inhibitors. The use of the three bioassays simultaneously is suggested as a possible method for primary screening of herbicides.