Residues of atrazine, simazine, linuron and diuron after repeated annual applications in a peach orchard

Annual applications of the herbicides atrazine, simazine, linuron and diuron at 45 kg/ha were made to the same plots for 9 consecutive years from 1963 to 1971 in a peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.) orchard located on sandy loam soil near Harrow, Ontario. Soil samples from these plots were collected in late October for the last 3 years (1969–1971) and trees were cut down in December, 1969. Herbicide residues were determined by bioassays based on the fresh and dry weight of oats (Avena sativa L.) and in one year results were confirmed by chemical analysis. Significant accumulation of herbicides was not observed. The maximum residue levels measured in October over the 3 years of sampling were 7′3 kg/ha for diuron, 3–8 kg/ha for linuron, 1–6 kg/ha for simazine and 04 kg/ha for atrazine in the top 15 cm of the soil profile. Simazine and atrazine showed a rapid decrease in amount after treatment but diuron and linuron were degraded more slowly. Measurable residues of all herbicides were confined to the upper 15 cm of the soil profile and the majority of herbicide remained in the 0–5-cm soil layer. Oats were planted in the orchard plots from 1972 to 1974 to follow the disappearance of the herbicides. All herbicides caused highly significant yield decreases in 1972, atrazine causing the least (38%) and diuron the greatest (86%) reductions. Diuron reduced the yield of oats in 1973 and caused a highly significant decrease in the weight of young oat plants in 1974.     

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

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.     

Histological studies on the effects of benzoylprop ethyl and flamprop methyl on growth and development of wild oats*

Wild oats were trealed with benzoylprop eihyl and flamprop methyl alone or in combination with other herbicides and the effects on plant growth studied using histological techniques, Benzoylprop ethyl caused severe reductions in the growth of both the leaves and internodes of treated plants, Evidence was obtained which indieaies that cell division as well as cell elongalion was inhibited. The effects of flamprop methyl on plant growth were similar lo those observed for benzoylprop ethyl. Both compounds interfered with normal differentiation of vascular tissues which could account for retarded development of the higher internodes and shoot apex of treated plants. Of the various herbicides applied in combination with the wild oat herbicides, 2,4—D was more antagonistic than MCPA. while bromoxynil was the least antagonistic. Plants treated with benzoylprop ethyl plus 2.4—D had increased cell, leaf and internode lengths compared to plants treated with benzoylprop ethyl alone. Reductions in cell and internode lengths of plants treated with the herbicide combinations were not always proportional lo dry weight reductions.     

Persistence and movement of terbacil in peach orchard soil after repeated annual applications*

Terbacil (5-chloro-6-methyl-3-butyluracil) residues did not accumulate in peach orchard soil after seven consecutive annual spring applications of the herbicide at the rate of 4.5 kg/ha although carry-over of terbacil from year to year occurred. Terbacil was lost by degradation and leaching and the time required for a 50% decrease in surface soil concentration was 5–7 months in the sandy loam soil. The major part of the residues was found in the upper 15 cm of the soil profile and smaller amounts were detected to a depth of 60 cm. Terbacil leached readily in prepared columns of sandy loam soil in proportion to the amount of water added. The residual levels of terbacil in the orchard were phytotoxic to oats planted 3 years after the last application.     

Evaluation of a simulation model for prediction of herbicide movement and persistence in soil

The movement and persistence of residues of propyzamide, linuron, isoxaben and R-40244 were measured in a sandy loam soil in field experiments prepared in spring and autumn. None of the herbicides moved to depths greater than 12 cm in the soil during the winter period, following application in autumn, and none moved more than 6 cm in the soil, following application in spring. The general order of persistence of total soil residues was isoxaben > linuron = R-40244 > propyzamide. Appropriate constants to describe the moisture and temperature dependence of degradation were derived from laboratory incubation experiments and used with measurements of the strengths of adsorption of the different herbicides by the soil, in a computer model of herbicide movement. The model, in general, gave good predictions of total soil residues, but overestimated herbicide movement, particularly in winter. Measurements of herbicide desorption from the soil at intervals, during a laboratory incubation experiment, demonstrated an apparent increase in the strength of adsorption with time. When appropriate allowance was made for these changes in adsorption in the computer model, improved predictions of the vertical distribution of the herbicide residues were obtained.     

土壤湿度对三氮苯类除草剂药效的影响及优化方案

以稗草为生物测定材料,运用二次正交旋转组合设计,以土壤湿度和除草剂用量二因子为决策变量,对稗草的抑制率为目标函数,研究土壤湿度对三氮苯类除草剂药效的影响。结果表明,适当的土壤水分是三氮苯类除草剂发挥药效的重要因素,药效随土壤湿度的提高而提高。不同的土壤湿度对不同除草剂药效影响各异,高湿条件下,湿度差异对药效影响大小依次为嗪草酮、西草净、扑草净、莠去津,低湿条件下则相反。除草剂用量与土壤湿度存在最佳发挥药效的组合。     

A review of the effects of humidity, humectants, and surfactant composition on the absorption and efficacy of highly water-soluble herbicides

It is well known that environmental conditions have an important influence on herbicide efficacy. In particular, the effect of humidity on herbicide uptake has been attributed to changes in cuticle hydration and droplet drying. As early as the 1950s, it was hypothesized that humectants such as glycerol would enhance herbicide uptake by not letting droplets dry, thus maintaining the herbicide in solution, and hence making it available for uptake. Shortly thereafter, evidence was found to support this hypothesis and humectants were used successfully in warm, dry areas to increase herbicide efficacy. However, by the mid-1980s, there was little use of humectants as research on humectants gave way to investigations on the effect of ethylene oxide (EO) content on surfactant performance to improve herbicide uptake and efficacy. While ethoxylated surfactants effectively increase the uptake of both lipophilic and hydrophilic herbicides, the suggestion that long EO chains have humectant properties is misleading, since the studies that led to this suggestion were performed at high humidity, which would prevent rapid droplet drying. Furthermore, current evidence suggests that highly water-soluble, ionic herbicides may be more sensitive to low humidity and rapid drop drying than lipophilic herbicides. Therefore, an overview is presented on the interaction of water-soluble herbicides with surfactants, the cuticle, and humidity, with particular emphasis on the impact of low humidity and humectants on herbicide uptake. It was found that when one focuses on research performed at low humidity the importance of humectants emerges, which is not in keeping with what is now commonly accepted.     

莠去津土壤残留生物修复菌肥作用原理与田间应用

莠去津是玉米田应用的优秀除草剂品种,然而由于其在土壤中残留时间长,常对轮作后茬敏感作物造成严重毒害。采用生物修复菌肥做种肥、结合菌肥拌种和叶面喷施方法,研究对玉米后茬旱直播水稻生长发育及药害修复机理,对土壤中莠去津残留量、水稻生长和生理指标、土壤酶活性进行测定。结果表明:颗粒菌肥做种肥+粉剂菌肥拌种+水剂菌肥叶面喷施是莠去津土壤残留毒害修复的最佳方法,土壤中莠去津含量在喷施菌肥后7 d从施用菌肥前的0.9 mg/kg下降到0.1 mg/kg,水稻叶片叶绿素含量显著增加33.74%,超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化物酶酶活性分别显著提高23.39%和92.57%,丙二醛含量则显著降低48.01%;水稻株高、地上部鲜重、干重分别比对照显著增加22.33%、67.51%和74.80%,根系鲜重和干重分别比对照显著增加33.98%和55.43%;土壤磷酸酶、脲酶及纤维素酶含量分别显著增加49.17%、528.65%和35.21%。     

THE EFFECT OF COMPETITION FROM CEREAL CROPS ON THE GERMINATION AND GROWTH OF AVENA FATUA L. IN A NATURALLY-INFESTED FIELD

Summary. The effect of winter wheat, winter rye, winter barley, spring barley, and fallow cultivated as for a winter cereal, on germination and growth of wild oats ( A. fatua ) was investigated on a naturally-infested field. Treatments were continued for 2 years on the same plots and in the third year all plots were cropped with spring barley. Wild oats were not allowed to shed seeds.
A. fatua was controlled by a dense crop of an autumn-sown cereal. The crop genus was unimportant provided it grew well on the site; its effectiveness depended on its density when the wild oats germinated in spring. Winter wheat and winter rye were equally effective. Even in a light crop of barley, wild oats grew much less vigorously than on the fallow plots. Beyond a certain crop density dependent on soil fertility, further increase in crop did not decrease the size of wild oats. The heaviest crop did not completely suppress the wild oats.
The crop affected the wild oats mainly by decreasing growth of the seedlings, but under winter wheat and winter rye some wild oat seeds may have remained dormant, germinating in the spring barley in the third year, perhaps because the crops decreased the soil moisture content. Nitrogenous fertilizer increased the weight of both crops and wild oats. Barley was more severely affected by soil acidity than wild oats and on acid areas of barley plots the wild oats were larger than where the pH was higher. In wheat and rye which were scarcely affected by soil acidity the size of the wild oat plants was unaffected by soil pH.
L'effet du competition des céréales sur la germination et le développement d' Avena fatua dans un champ naturellement infesté .     

Influence of Compost Addition to Soil on the Behaviour of Herbicides

The transformations of eight herbicides (atrazine, simazine, terbutryn, pendimethalin, carbetamide, 2,4-D, metsulfuron-methyl and dimefuron) in soil after compost addition were monitored during long-term laboratory incubations. The herbicides were applied to soil, compost and soil-compost mixtures. Herbicide sorption, their kinetics of mineralisation and the extractability of residues were compared in the different treatments. Compost addition to soil generally decreased herbicide mineralisation and favoured the stabilisation of herbicide residues. A fraction of the stabilised residues remained extractable and potentially available. However, most of them were unextractable and formed bound residues. Sorption could be at the origin of a kinetically limited biodegradation, mainly for the most highly-sorbed herbicides (atrazine, simazine, terbutryn, pendimethalin and dimefuron). Compost addition had little effects on the less sorbed herbicides (carbetamide, 2,4-D and metsulfuron- methyl). © 1997 SCI.     

Susceptibility of a broad-leaved weed, Acanthospermum hispidum, to the grass herbicide fluazifop-butyl

Broad-leaved plants are generally resistant to aryloxyphenoxypropionate (AOPP) and cyclohexanedione (CHD) herbicides. In laboratory experiments, however, we confirmed that Acanthospermum hispidum , a Compositae weed, was susceptible to one of the AOPP herbicides, fluazifop-butyl, but tolerant to other AOPP herbicides (quizalofop-ethyl and fenoxaprop-ethyl) and a CHD herbicide (sethoxydim). The symptoms induced by fluazifop-butyl in A. hispidum (wilting and necrosis) were distinctly different from those induced in oat (chlorosis). The period required to cause seedling death of A. hispidum (48–72 h) was shorter than that of oat ( ca 15 days). The ( R )-enantiomer of fluazifop-butyl was more active on this weed. In oat, lipid biosynthesis and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) activity were inhibited, and electrolyte leakage from the shoots was increased by fluazifop-butyl and sethoxydim. In the case of A. hispidum , the membrane permeability increased and the lipid biosynthesis was inhibited only by fluazifop-butyl. These results indicate that A. hispidum is particularly sensitive to fluazifop-butyl, and its mechanism of action in the plant may be different from its mechanism of action in oat.     

Weed Control Work in Progress at the University of the West Indies - Part 3

Abstract

Results of replicated trials in dry beans and groundnuts showed that weeds could reduce yields by 5–50%. Certain herbicide treatments significantly increased or decreased seed number/pod and 100-seed weight. Two trials, one a maize herbicide trial, studied soil persistence of a number of herbicides. Preliminary experience with glyphosate is summarised and work on the control of Drymaria cordata is described.     

有限灌溉对燕麦产量和水分利用效率的影响

在防雨池栽培试验条件下,研究了有限灌溉对两个燕麦品种产量品质和水分利用效率的影响.试验为裂区设计,主区为7个灌溉处理,副区为品种(内农大莜1号,白燕7号).研究结果表明:水分过分亏缺或后期灌水过量均显著影响到燕麦干物质积累;内农大莜1号的干草产量、籽粒产量以及粗蛋白产量均为E处理(底墒水 拔节水 抽穗水)最高,而白燕7号的以上三种产量是以F处理最高;两个品种均是E处理具有最高的水分利用效率(WUE),过度干旱(处理A)或后期灌水过多(处理G)均显著影响燕麦土壤水分利用效率;内农大莜1号具有更强的抗旱性,而白燕7号则对水分更为敏感.     

Influence of Soil Moisture on Long-Term Sorption of Diuron and Isoproturon by Soil

Long-term sorption of diuron and isoproturon by a clay loam soil was investigated for nine weeks at two herbicide doses (0·6 or 3 mg kg⁻¹) and two soil moisture contents (35 or 62% w/w, i.e. 3·16 or 1 kPa) by measuring changes in herbicide concentrations in the soil solution sampled by means of glass microfibre filters in presence of sodium azide (200 mg litre⁻¹) which inhibited biodegradation for more than four weeks. After the first day equilibration period, where adsorption mainly occurred (>70% adsorbed), herbicide concentrations in the soil solution decreased (about 50% for diuron; up to 38% for isoproturon) for two weeks but equilibration required about one month. Small amounts of herbicides were sorbed during this process (<10% of the initial (24-h) adsorption). These were similar for both herbicides, although diuron was initially more adsorbed. Values of the partition coefficients of herbicides between soil and soil solution were increased (75–125% for diuron; 29–67% for isoproturon). High soil moisture enhanced sorption speed for both herbicides and increased final sorption only for diuron. Sodium azide inhibited long-term sorption of the more stable diuron and this effect was reversed by low temperature only at the low soil moisture. Sodium azide action might be complex (competition, effect on soil micro-organisms) and was not elucidated.     

Phytotoxicity of four herbicides in different synthetic soils

The relative phytotoxicity of four soil-applied herbicides, benzthiazuron, cycloate, delachlor, and pyrazon, used for sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), was tested on a dilution series of peat, Newe Ya’ar clay soil and Hamadia calcareous clay soil mixed with sand, and of Newe Ya’ar clay soil mixed with lime. The phytotoxicity was assessed with oats (Avena sativa L. cv. Mulga). Cycloate was the most potent herbicide of the four, except in soils with high organic matter ( ?11%), where delachlor was more active. Benzthiazuron was the least phytotoxic herbicide in the peat + sand mixtures, but it was more active than pyrazon in lighter soils of the Newe Ya’ar series. The addition of sand to the peat and the soils increased the phytotoxicity of all herbicides. The addition of lime to Newe Ya’ar clay soil decreased the phytotoxicity of benzthiazuron and pyrazon but not of delachlor.     

Activity, adsorption and mobility of three acetanilide and two new amide herbicides

Activity, adsorption, and mobility of emulsifiable concentrate (EC) and microencapsulated (ME) formulations of alachlor and acetochlor as well as of metolachlor, S-metolachlor, dimethenamid and flufenacet were studied. Petri-dish bioassay, based on root response of oats ( Avena sativa L.), was used for their activity in sand and in a silty clay loam soil, and for determination of herbicide concentrations in soil solution (not adsorbed) and in column leachates of the adsorption and mobility studies respectively. Flufenacet and both acetochlor formulations showed the highest activity in both soils and ME-alachlor and metolachlor the lowest; the activity of dimethenamid, EC-alachlor and S-metolachlor was intermediate. Activity of both formulations of alachlor and acetochlor decreased with increasing organic matter content, but alachlor activity was reduced more than that of acetochlor. Lower amounts of dimethenamid and S-metolachlor were adsorbed by soil compared with the other herbicides and, consequently, greater amounts of these two herbicides were leached through that soil. None of the herbicides tested was detected below 30 cm. Less alachlor and acetochlor were biologically available in soil solution after their application as ME-formulations and, therefore, lower amounts of both ME-alachlor and ME-acetochlor were leached through the soil compared with those applied as EC-formulations.     

Quantitativer Biotest zur Bestimmung von Photosynthesehemmern im Boden

A quantitative bioassay for estimation of photosynthetic inhibitors in soils A bioassay procedure for the quantitative determination of photosynthetic inhibitors in soil samples, hydroponic and staple fibres is described In detail. Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) has proved very suitable as test plant. Monolinuron and methabenzthiazuron were used to demonstrate the capability of the method for estimating herbicidal activity and plant availability, and for monitoring the total residues of herbicides in different soils. The method was found capable of assaying quantitatively concentrations as low as 0,04 ppm monolinuron. Photosynthetic inhibitors did not affect germination or seedling growth during the first 5 days after sowing: retardation of growth occurred only after food reserves in the endosperm were consumed. Therefore the content of food reserves in the cress seeds was determined in a dark-germination test and substracted from all yield results to give the dry matter yield under herbicide stress.     

Study of diuron in soil solution by means of a novel simple technique using glass microfibre filters

Retention by a glass fibre filter of the liquid phase of a clay loam soil treated with ¹⁴C-diuron provides a novel method for analysis of the herbicide in soil solution. At 26.3% (w/w) soil moisture content, less than 10% of the applied diuron was found in solution, and this percentage decreased slightly with diuron dose. The herbicide was rapidly adsorbed on soil during the first day, but adsorption continued and the concentration of diuron in solution could be further reduced by 36–50% during the following 6 days. Drying the soil after treatment, with possible crystallization of herbicide applied at high doses, tended to fix the solution concentrations. Ethanol (3% v/v) in soil water favoured herbicide dissolution. Increasing soil moisture to 36.3% (w/w) slightly decreased the concentration of the herbicide in solution, but increased the percentage held in solution. Frost and a drying-rewetting cycle had little or no subsequent effect on diuron concentration in soil solution.     

Effect of benzoylprop-ethyl on uptake, transport and metabolism of 32P in Avena fatua L. and Triticum aestivum L.

The effect of benzoylprop-ethyl on plant weight, root uptake, transport and metabolism of ³²P in wild oat and wheat plants was examined 4 h, 1,3 and 9 days after treatment. The fresh weight of wild oat plants was significantly reduced, due to herbicide action only, by day 9 after treatment. By day 3, shoot weight was decreased while root weight was significantly increased by 47%. No significant changes in plant weight were caused by benzoylprop-ethyl in wheat plants. Uptake of ³²P by treated wild oat plants decreased by 39% compared with the control, by day 9, after an initial increase; uptake of ³²P was not significantly influenced in wheat plants. By day 1 transport of ³²P to the shoots was significantly reduced in wild oat plants by 34%, whereas in wheat plants it was significantly increased by 35%. Metabolism of ³²P was already hampered in wild oat plants 4 h after treatment. The content of ³²P was reduced on the first two sampling dates in both the roots and shoots of treated plants in all fractions except in DNA in the shoots. On day 3, this decrease was apparent especially in organic, lipidic and nucleic acid fractions in the shoots; incorporation of ³²P into lipidic and RNA fractions was significantly inhibited on day 9 in both the roots and shoots of treated wild oat plants. Wheat plants responded most strongly to benzyoylprop-ethyl on day 1 after treatment, when ³²P incorporation into all fractions except DNA was hampered. Differences between treated and control wheat plants gradually levelled off on days 3 and 9 after treatment.     

Interactions between the root pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG-8 and acetolactate-synthase-inhibiting herbicides in barley

BACKGROUND: The widespread acceptance of reduced‐tillage farming in cereal cropping systems in the Pacific Northwest of the United States has resulted in increased use of herbicides for weed control. However, soil residual concentrations of widely used imidazalone herbicides limit the cultivation of barley, which is more sensitive than wheat. In addition, increased severity of the root rot disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani is associated with reduction in tillage. Many crops exhibit altered disease responses after application of registered herbicides. In this study, the injury symptoms in barley caused by sublethal rates of two acetolactate synthase (ALS)‐inhibiting herbicides, imazamox and propoxycarbazone‐sodium, were assessed in factorial combinations with a range of inoculum concentrations of the root rot pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG‐8. RESULTS: Both herbicides and pathogen had negative impacts on plant growth parameters such as root and shoot dry weight, shoot height and first leaf length, and interactions between pathogen and herbicide were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that sublethal rates of herbicides and R. solani could alter severity of injury symptoms, possibly owing to the herbicide predisposing the plant to the pathogen. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry