Abstract
The absorption, translocation and metabolism of 14C-orbencarb [S-(2-chlorobenzyl-U-14C) N, N-diethylthiocarbamate] were studied in soybean plants. The absorption and translocation of radioactivity derived from 14C-orbencarb, which was applied onto the soil surface at a rate of 5kg/ha, increased as the plants grew. The plants at the flowering, green seed and mature stages absorbed 0.8, 9.3 and 9.1% of the applied radioactivity, respectively. The radioactivity absorbed was highest in the leaves and lowest in the seeds, 14C-Orbencarb was rapidly transformed to water-soluble metabolites in the plant. The major metabolites identified were 2-chlorobenzyl alcohol and 2-chlorobenzoic acid in both free and conjugated forms, 2-chlorobenzylsulfonic acid and methyl 2-chlorobenzylsulfone, and the minor metabolites were orbencarb sulfoxide, monodesethyl-orbencarb, didesethyl-orbencarb, N-ethyl-N-vinylorbencarb, 4-hydroxy-orbencarb, 5-hydroxy-orbencarb and methyl 2-chlorobenzylsulfoxide.
