Disruption of chloroplast structure is known to occur following applications of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to the leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris. Although chloroplasts which had been extracted from treated tissue in an aqueous medium were free from 2,4-D and its metabolites, those extracted from freeze-dried tissue in organic solvents are the principal cell components to contain the herbicide.