Effect of organic amendments on the retention and mobility of imazaquin in soils

The influence of two organic amendments consisting of an urban waste compost (SUW) and a commercial amendment from olive mill wastes (OW) was assessed on the sorption properties and leaching of the ionizable herbicide imazaquin on four soils with different physicochemical characteristics. A loamy sand soil (CR), a loam soil (P44), a silt loam soil (AL), and a clay soil (TM), with low-medium organic matter contents, were chosen. Sorption-desorption experiments were performed on the original soils and on a mixture of these soils with the organic amendments at a rate of 6.25% (w/w). These mixtures were used just after preparation and after aging for 3 months. Imazaquin adsorption was higher on AL soil because of its high content of amorphous iron oxides, whereas it was related to the soils' organic matter (OM) contents on TM and CR soils and to acid pH on P44 soil. Addition of exogenous OM to soils caused a decrease in the adsorption of the herbicide with the only exception of CR soil, due to blocking of adsorptive surfaces and/or equilibrium pH rise. The extent of this decrease was dependent only on the nature of the added amendment on AL soil. The adsorbed amounts of imazaquin on aged organic fertilized soils were usually fairly close to that on original soils. Results of soil column experiments indicate that addition of exogenous organic matter cannot be considered as a regular practice for retarded movement of imazaquin.