Incubator, laboratory, greenhouse, and field studies were conducted on the effects of procaine (2-diethy-laminoethyl p-aminobenzoate, tradename Novocaine) on the performance of several plant species from 1987 to 1990. Procaine is a well-known medical anesthetic.

Incubator studies (effects on germination of radish seeds (Raphanus sativus L.) indicated that procaine HCl (PúHCl) was significantly more active (P<.01) than procaine-free base at concentrations (conc.'s) of 1 ppm (. 001 mg/ml) and 10 ppm (.01 mg/ml). Effects of PúHCl conc.'s of 0, 1, 10, 100, 1000, and 10,000 ppm on radish seed radicle length were compared. The 10 ppm conc. was significantly better (p<.01) than the other treatments. Radicle length ranged from 39.0 mm for 10,000 ppm to 63.7 mm for 10 ppm conc.'s. A summary of 6 incubation experiments, with respective controls, indicated that radish seed treatment with 10 ppm of Pú HCl increased radicle length. As a mean of the 6 experiments, the 10 ppm PúHCL conc. increased radicle length 20.6 mm, or a 35.6% increase as compared with that of the control mean. Statistical significances of the 6 experiments were:3 at P<.001, 1 at P<.0l, 1 at P<.10, and 1 not significant.