Limited survival of Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3 in bulk soils and composts from Egypt

Survival of Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (phylotype II sequevar 1) in Egyptian soils and compost was studied under laboratory and field conditions. Survival of the pathogen under laboratory conditions varied with temperature, water potential and soil type, with temperature being the major determinant of survival of the pathogen. The effects of temperature and moisture content were variable between different experiments, but survival was generally longer at 15°C than at 4, 28 and 35°C respectively. Survival was also longer when moisture levels were constant compared with varying moisture levels at all temperatures. In experiments to compare the effects of progressive drying in sandy and clay soils there was a difference in survival times between the two soil types. In sandy soils, the pathogen died out more rapidly when soil was allowed to dry out than in controls where the soil was kept at constant water potential. In clay soils there was little difference between the two treatments, possibly due to the formation of a hard impermeable outer layer during the drying process, which retarded water loss from within. Survival in mature composts at 15°C was of the same order of magnitude as in soils but shorter at 28°C, possibly owing to increased biological activity at this temperature, or a resumption of the composting process, with concomitant higher temperatures within the compost itself. The maximum survival time recorded over all soil types and conditions during in vitro studies was around 200 days. In field studies, the maximum survival time in both bare sand and clay was around 85 days at depths up to 50 cm. The survival time was reduced in field experiments carried out in summer to less than 40 days and in one study when the ground was flooded for rice cultivation, the bacterium could not be detected 14 days after flooding. The maximum survival time of R. solanacearum in infected plant material or in infested soil samples incorporated into compost heaps was less than 2 weeks. At the culmination of field soil and compost experiments, no infection was detected in tomato seedlings up to 10 weeks after transplanting into the same soils or composts under glasshouse conditions at a temperature of 25°C.     

Sorption and desorption of flumioxazin to soil, clay minerals and ion-exchange resin

Flumioxazin adsorption kinetics were described using a Greenville sandy clay loam soil. Adsorption kinetics experiments showed that 72% of total herbicide was absorbed after 1 h of continuous shaking and continued to increase to 78% after 72 h. Flumioxazin adsorption was then tested on seven agriculturally important soils throughout the southern USA. Adsorption isotherms for all soils had K(f) (Freundlich distribution coefficient) values that ranged from 8.8 to 0.4, with many near 1.5. Soil organic matter content was the parameter most highly correlated with flumioxazin adsorption (r(2) = 0.95, P < 0.001). Sorption to clay minerals had K(f) values ranging from 50 for bentonite to 4.7 for kaolinite. However, normalizing K(f) for sorbent surface area revealed that aluminum hydroxide (gibbsite) possessed the greatest flumioxazin sorption per unit area. Sorption to anionic exchange resin (K(f) 676) was greater than cationic exchange resin (K(f) 42). Molecular model calculations were performed to elucidate why sorption was greater to anionic exchangers. These calculations indicated that a region of dense electronegativity exists on the 3-dione moiety of the molecule. This would lead to greater flumioxazin sorption by positively charged surface sites. Desorption isotherms from soil exhibited no effect of hysteresis. Desorption from clay minerals was very rapid and flumioxazin in solution was undetectable after three desorption steps. From these data it was concluded that flumioxazin can become readily available in soil solution with increase in soil water content.     

Testing MACRO (version 5.1) for pesticide leaching in a Dutch clay soil

Testing of pesticide leaching models against comprehensive field-scale measurements is necessary to increase confidence in their predictive ability when used as regulatory tools. Version 5.1 of the MACRO model was tested against measurements of water flow and the behaviour of bromide, bentazone [3-isopropyl-1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)-one-2,2-dioxide] and imidacloprid [1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine] in a cracked clay soil. In keeping with EU (FOCUS) procedures, the model was first calibrated against the measured moisture profiles and bromide concentrations in soil and in drain water. Uncalibrated pesticide simulations based on laboratory measurements of sorption and degradation were then compared with field data on the leaching of bentazone and imidacloprid. Calibrated parameter values indicated that a high degree of physical non-equilibrium (i.e. strong macropore flow) was necessary to describe solute transport in this soil. Comparison of measured and simulated bentazone concentration profiles revealed that the bulk of the bentazone movement in this soil was underestimated by MACRO. Nevertheless, the model simulated the dynamics of the bentazone breakthrough in drain water rather well and, in particular, accurately simulated the timing and the concentration level of the early bentazone breakthrough in drain water. The imidacloprid concentration profiles and its persistence in soil were simulated well. Moreover, the timing of the early imidacloprid breakthrough in the drain water was simulated well, although the simulated concentrations were about 2-3 times larger than measured. Deep groundwater concentrations for all substances were underestimated by MACRO, although it simulated concentrations in the shallow groundwater reasonably well. It is concluded that, in the context of ecotoxicological risk assessments for surface water, MACRO can give reasonably good simulations of pesticide concentrations in water draining from cracking clay soils, but that prior calibration against hydrologic and tracer data is desirable to reduce uncertainty and improve accuracy.     

[14C]Glyphosate transport in undisturbed topsoil columns

Although glyphosate (N‐(phosphonomethyl)glycine) is one of the most frequently used herbicides, few controlled transport experiments in undisturbed soils have been carried out to date. The aim of this work was to study the influence of the sorption coefficient, soil‐glyphosate contact time, pH, phosphorus concentration and colloid‐facilitated transport on the transport of [¹⁴C]glyphosate in undisturbed top‐soil columns (20 cm height × 20 cm diameter) of a sandy loam soil and a sandy soil. Batch sorption experiments showed strong Freundlich‐type sorption to both soil materials. The mobility of glyphosate in the soil columns was strongly governed by macropore flow. Consequently, amounts of glyphosate leached from the macroporous sandy loam soil were 50–150 times larger than from the sandy soil. Leaching rates from the sandy soil were not affected by soil‐glyphosate contact time, whereas a contact time of 96 h strongly reduced the leaching rates from the sandy loam soil. The role of pH and phosphorus concentration in solution was relatively unimportant with respect to total glyphosate leaching. The contribution of colloid‐facilitated transport was <1 to 27% for the sandy loam and <1 to 52% for the sandy soil, depending on soil treatment. The risk for glyphosate leaching from the top‐soils seems to be limited to conditions where pronounced macropore flow occurs shortly after application. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of soil pH and contents of organic carbon and clay on the volatilization of [14C]fenpropimorph after application to bare soil

The behaviour of the morpholine fungicide fenpropimorph applied to soil was investigated in a laboratory chamber. The volatility and metabolism of a ¹⁴C-labelled fenpropimorph formulation (Corbel^®) was studied after application to three soils (sandy loam, loamy clay and loamy sand), simulating a four-day weather scenario in the volatilization chamber. Additional experiments were conducted under standard climatic conditions over a period of 24 h using sandy soils with different pH values. The results of the first experiments showed that most of the radioactivity applied remained in the soils as unchanged fenpropimorph four days after application. In the experiments with the sandy loam and loamy clay, less than 5% of the applied radioactivity was removed by volatilization whereas 11·4% volatilized from the surface of the loamy sand. The comparatively higher volatilization of the fungicide from the loamy sand was confirmed by the later experiments indicating that higher soil pH favoured volatilization of [¹⁴C]fenpropimorph from sandy soils. Thus 5·6% (pH 5·0), 18·9% (pH 5·8) and 28·3% (pH 6·6) of the radioactivity applied volatilized within one day after application. The overall recoveries were between 93·8% and 111·3% in these experiments. © 1998 SCI     

Effect of soil physical and chemical properties on the sorption-desorption hysteresis of the diketonitrile metabolite of isoxaflutole

Isoxaflutole, [4-(2-methanesulfonyl-4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl)-5-cyclopropyl isoxazole] is a relatively new pre-emergence herbicide which undergoes rapid conversion to a diketonitrile metabolite in soil. The half-life of isoxaflutole is very short but the half-life of diketonitrile is much longer and hence, diketonitrile remains for a extended period of time in soil. Sorption-desorption studies were conducted with five soils varying in physical and chemical properties. The batch equilibration technique was used for the sorption experiments, while completely mixed batch reactor systems with the decant and refill method was used for the desorption experiments. Four subsequent desorptions were examined after the sorption process in each soil with an equilibration period of seven days. An apparent sorption-desorption hysteresis was observed in all five soils. Organic matter content and the clay content of the soils were the two determining factors for hysteresis. In soils with high organic matter content, the sorption-desorption hysteresis was mainly governed by organic matter content, but in soils with low organic matter clay content played an important role. With the exception of the Chelsea soil, which had a very high organic matter content (57.4%), all other soils exhibited a high correlation between the clay content and hysteresis index (HI) values calculated at 0.75 ( r ² = 0.960), 25 ( r ² = 0.934) and 150 mg L⁻¹ ( r ² = 0.928). In conclusion, the potential for leaching through soil and crop injury due to isoxaflutole and its metabolite would decrease as soil organic matter and clay content increases.     

低分子量有机酸对二氯喹啉酸在土壤中吸附-解吸的影响

采用高效液相色谱仪及批量平衡试验方法,研究了乙酸、苹果酸、酒石酸、草酸、丁二酸和柠檬酸6种低分子量有机酸对麻沙泥和第四纪红土红壤吸附-解吸二氯喹啉酸的影响。结果表明:低分子量有机酸可推迟二氯喹啉酸在土壤中的吸附平衡时间,其吸附动力学过程可用准二级动力学方程描述。Linear和Freundlich方程能较好地拟合二氯喹啉酸在供试两种土壤中的吸附等温线;二氯喹啉酸在麻沙泥中的吸附能力(lg Kf值)从大到小依次为苹果酸柠檬酸草酸=乙酸丁二酸酒石酸,在第四纪红土红壤中为苹果酸丁二酸乙酸草酸柠檬酸酒石酸;低分子量有机酸浓度对二氯喹啉酸解吸的影响因有机酸种类和供试土壤的不同而差异较大,6种供试有机酸均促进了第四纪红土红壤对二氯喹啉酸的解吸,且其解吸率均明显高于麻沙泥对二氯喹啉酸的解吸率,但在麻沙泥中呈现不同的影响模式。     

鱼藤酮在3种土壤中的吸附-解吸附特性

为了综合评价鱼藤酮在土壤环境中的吸附-解吸附特性,采用批量平衡法,系统研究了鱼藤酮在砂壤土、黏壤土及壤土3种农业土壤中的吸附-解吸附行为。结果表明,鱼藤酮在3种土壤中的吸附-解吸附行为符合Freundlich模型 (R2≥0.946 8),吸附常数 (K_f-ads) 在1.52~11.39之间,吸附能力为:黏壤土 > 砂壤土 > 壤土;而解吸附常数 (K_f-des) 在1.02~4.55之间,解吸附强弱次序为壤土 > 黏壤土 > 砂壤土。鱼藤酮在砂壤土、黏壤土和壤土3种土壤中有机碳吸附常数 (K_OC) 分别为982、101 7和219,而滞后系数 (H) 分别为0.687 3、0.556 9和0.892 3,表明鱼藤酮在黏壤土及砂壤土中移动性较弱,有正迟滞作用,而在壤土中移动性较强,无迟滞作用。该研究将对鱼藤酮的环境风险评估具有一定的理论指导意义。     

Sorption–desorption of 'aged' isoxaflutole and diketonitrile degradate in soil

Isoxaflutole is a relatively new herbicide used for weed control in maize. The objective of this research was to increase the understanding of the behaviour and environmental fate of isoxaflutole and its diketonitrile (DKN) degradate in soil, including determination of the strength of sorption to soil and whether sorption is affected by ageing. In sandy loam (SL) and silty clay (SiCl) soils, ¹⁴C‐isoxaflutole was found to dissipate rapidly after application to soil; recovery ranged from ～42% to 68% at week 0, and recovery had decreased to <10% at week 12. Decreases in ¹⁴C isoxaflutole residues over time in SL and SiCl soils are consistent with hydrolysis of isoxaflutole and formation of bound DKN residues in the soil. DKN recovery from freshly treated SiCl and SL soils was 41% to 52%. After a 12‐week incubation in SL soil at pH 7.1 and 8.0, recoveries were similar, ～40%. However, at week 12 in SL soil pH 5.7, DKN recovery decreased to ～28%. DKN recovery in SiCl soil at week 12 was <10%. Increases in sorption of DKN in SL at pH 5.7 and SiCl soil over time indicate that the DKN degradate is tightly bound to the soil and sorption is affected by soil pH and soil type. Sorption of ¹⁴C‐DKN in the SiCl soil more than doubled with ageing compared with the lower K_d sorption coefficient values of the SL soils. In the SiCl soil at time 0, the K_d was 0.6; at 1 week, K_d increased to 2; and at the end of the 12‐week incubation period, K_d was 4.5. This strong binding of DKN to the soil may be due to chelate formation in the interlayer of the clay.     

Rate of bentazone transformation in four layers of a humic sandy soil profile with fluctuating water table

The rate of transformation of a pesticide as a function of the depth in the soil is needed as an input into computations on the risk of residues leaching to groundwater. The herbicide bentazone was incubated at 15 °C in soil materials derived from four layers at depths of up to 2.5 m in a humic sandy soil profile with a fluctuating water table (0.8 to 1.4 m), while simulating the redox conditions existing in the field. Gamma‐irradiation experiments indicated that bentazone is mainly transformed by microbial activity in the soil. The rate constant for transformation was highest in the humic sandy top layer; it decreased with depth in the sandy vadose subsoil. However, material from the top of the phreatic aquifer had a higher rate constant than that from the layers just above. The presence of fossil organic material in the fluviatile water‐saturated sediment probably stimulated microbial activity and bentazone transformation. The changes in the transformation rate constant with depth showed the same trend as those in some soil factors, viz organic carbon content, water‐extractable phosphorus and microbial density as measured by fluorescence counts. However, the (low) concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the top of the aquifer did not fit the trend. The rate constant for bentazone transformation in the layers was higher at lower initial contents of the herbicide. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characterization of triadimefon sorption in soils using supercritical fluid (SFE) and accelerated solvent (ASE) extraction techniques

Sorption–desorption of the fungicide triadimefon in field‐moist silt loam and sandy loam soils were determined using low‐density supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The selectivity of SFE enables extraction of triadimefon from the soil water phase only, thus allowing calculation of sorption coefficients (K_d) at field‐moist or unsaturated conditions. Triadimefon sorption was influenced by factors such as soil moisture content and temperature; sorption increased with increased moisture content up to saturation, and decreased with increased temperature. For instance, K_d values for triadimefon on the silt loam and the sandy loam soils at 40 °C and 10% water content were 1.9 and 2.5 ml g⁻¹, respectively, and at 18% water content, 3.3 and 6.4 ml g⁻¹, respectively. Isosteric heats of sorption (ΔH_i) were −42 and −7 kJ mol⁻¹ for the silt loam and sandy loam soils, respectively. Sorption–desorption was also determined using an automated accelerated solvent extraction system (ASE), in which triadimefon was extracted from silt loam soil by 0.01 M CaCl₂. Using the ASE system, which is basically a fast alternative to the batch equilibration system, gave a similar ΔH_i value (−29 kJ mol⁻¹) for the silt loam soil (K_f = 27 µg^{1 − 1/n} ml^1/n g⁻¹). In order to predict transport of pesticides through the soil profile more accurately on the basis of these data, information is needed on sorption as a function of soil water content. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Activity,adsorption, mobility and field persistence of sulfosulfuron in soil

Petri dish bioassays, based on root response of corn grown in soil or in perlite, were used to study the activity, adsorption, mobility and field persistence of sulfosulfuron in a silty clay loam and a sandy loam soil. Both bioassays indicated that activity of sulfosulfuron increased with increasing herbicide concentration, and to a slightly greater degree in sandy loam soil than in silty clay loam soil. More sulfosulfuron was adsorbed on the sandy loam (not biologically available) than on the silty clay loam soil. Consequently, slightly greater amounts of sulfosulfuron were leached through the silty clay loam than through the sandy loam soil. Biologically available sulfosulfuron was not detected at depths below 40 cm after application in sandy loam, but this was not the case for the silty clay loam soil. In 2002, all sulfosulfuron rates showed field persistence of less than 5 months. On the other hand, in 2003, biologically available sulfosulfuron was detected in the 0–10-cm soil depth 150 days after application. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 6, 2004.     

Movement of dieldrin through soils: II.—In sloping troughs and soil columns

A glass-lined trough was divided into six compartments by vertical transverse partitions and filled with soil to a height of 5 cm above the top of each partition. The base of the box and the surface of the soil sloped forwards one end with a gradient of 1 in 3·7. Dieldrin was applied (22 kg active ingredient/ha) to the soil surface in the uppermost compartment and the movement of dieldrin into leachate and down the slope was followed for 17 weeks. During this time 19·5 cm of rain fell. Less than 0·02% of the dieldrin appeared in the leachate and 99% of this was collected during the first 9 weeks, mainly from the uppermost compartment. Very little dieldrin moved down the slope and it was not detected in the leachate from compartments other than the treated one during 9–17 weeks after treatment. In other experiments, 3 cylinders were filled respectively with sandy loam, heavy clay loam and peat which were transferred from the field as intact cores. Three other cylinders were filled with soils of the same types but broken up. Approximately 2% of the dieldrin leached through one column but usually it was much less than 0·1%. The largest amounts of dieldrin were leached down columns of heavy clay loam, intermediate amounts down columns of peat, and least through sandy loam. Ten times as much dieldrin leached down the columns of intact soil as through those with broken soil. The results indicate that the movement of dieldrin from treated soil into water systems by leaching is limited and is unlikely to be a major pathway for the contamination of water.     

基于HYDRUS-1D的不同质地土壤入渗过程数值模拟

基于HYDRUS-1D软件,对不同土质(淤泥、粉砂壤土、砂质粘壤土)的灌溉方案进行了系统的数值实验,模拟灌溉结束时及灌溉结束24 h之后的土壤剖面含水量和土壤湿润锋的变化情况。结果表明:在不产生径流的情况下,灌溉结束24 h后土壤的含水量分布和湿润深度只与土壤种类和灌溉量有关,与灌溉速度无关;对透水性较好的土质,灌溉水分重分布明显,以粉砂壤土灌溉速率0.7 cm·h~(-1)和灌溉时间3 h为例,灌溉结束时和灌溉24 h后土壤湿润深度分别为9.2 cm和20.6 cm,有55.3%的灌溉水参加了水分重分布;土壤湿润深度与灌溉量之间存在线性关系,拟合直线的斜率介于5.15(淤泥)和5.95(砂质黏壤土)之间。     

Degradation of the pyrethroid cypermethrin NRDC 149 (±)-α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (±)-cis,trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate and the respective cis-(NRDC 160) and trans- (NRDC 159) isomers in soils

The degradation of the pyrethroid insecticide cypermethrin and the geometric isomers NRDC 160 (cis-) and NRDC 159 (trans-) in three soils has been studied under laboratory conditions. Samples of the insecticides labelled separately with ¹⁴C in the cyclopropyl and benzyl rings were used. The rate of degradation was most rapid on sandy clay and sandy loam soils, 50% of the NRDC 160 and NRDC 159 applied to both soils being decomposed in 4 weeks and 2 weeks respectively. The major degradative route in all soils was hydrolysis of the ester linkage leading to the formation of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid and 3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid; soil treated with the cis-isomer (NRDC 160) was found to contain both cis- and trans-isomer forms of the cyclopropanecarboxylic acid. Further degradation of these carboxylic acids was evident since ¹⁴CO₂ was released from cyclopropyl- and benzyllabelled cypermethrin in amounts equivalent to 24 and 38% of the applied radioactivity over a 22 week period. A minor degradative route was ring-hydroxylation of the insecticide to give an α-cyano-3-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)benzyl ester followed by hydrolysis of the ester bond. Under waterlogged conditions the rate of hydrolysis of cypermethrin on sandy loam soil was slower than under aerobic conditions and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid accumulated in the anaerobic soil.     

The behavior of clomazone in the soil environment

BACKGROUND: Clomazone is a herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds and grasses. Clomazone use in agriculturally important crops and forests for weed control has increased and is a potential water contaminant given its high water solubility (1100 µg mL^?1). Soil sorption is an environmental fate parameter that may limit its movement to water systems. The authors used model rice and forest soils of California to test clomazone sorption affinity, capacity, desorption, interaction with soil organic matter and behavior with black carbon. RESULTS: Sorption of clomazone to the major organic matter fraction of soil, humic acid (HA) (K_d = 29–87 L kg^?1), was greater than to whole soils (K_d = 2.3–11 L kg^?1). Increased isotherm non‐linearity was observed for the whole soils (N = 0.831–0.893) when compared with the humic acids (N = 0.954–0.999). Desorption isotherm results showed hysteresis, which was greatest at the lowest solution concentration of 0.067 µg mL^?1 for all whole soils and HA extracts. Aliphatic carbon content appeared to contribute to increased isotherm linearity. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that clomazone does not sorb appreciably to sandy or clay soils. Its sorption affinity and capacity is greater in humic acid, and consequently clomazone has difficulty desorbing from soil organic matter. Sorption appears to follow processes explained by the dual‐mode model, the presence of fire residues (black carbon) and a recently proposed sorption mechanism. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

考虑水分再分布的沟灌入渗模拟与春小麦垄作沟灌合理垄宽

垄作沟灌技术具有显著的节水增产作用,但在春小麦种植中应用尚缺乏参数设计方面的理论支撑。本研究采用粉砂质粘壤土与粘土两种典型土壤实测水分运动参数和HYDRUS软件,模拟了梯形灌水沟不同垄宽情况下的土壤水分运动和停水后水分再分布,研究了不同灌水量时湿润锋推进过程和水分再分布后的湿润体变化,分析了设计灌水定额下适宜作物生长湿润体范围,提出了粉砂质粘壤土和粘土宜采用的合理垄宽为20～50 cm和20～35 cm,这一结果为干旱区春小麦垄作沟灌技术推广提供了技术支撑。     

Availability and biodegradation of metribuzin in alluvial soils as affected by temperature and soil properties

Herbicide degradation in soils is highly temperature‐dependent. Laboratory incubations and field experiments are usually conducted with soils from the temperate climatic zone. Few data are available for cold conditions and the validation of approaches to correct the degradation rate at low temperatures representative of Nordic environments is scarce. Laboratory incubation studies were conducted at 5, 15 and 28°C to compare the influence of temperature on the dissipation of metribuzin in silt/sandy loam soils in southern and northern Norway and in a sandy loam soil under temperate climate in France. Using ¹⁴C‐labelled metribuzin, sorption and biodegradation were studied over an incubation period of 49 days. Metribuzin mineralisation and total soil organic carbon mineralisation rates showed a positive temperature response in all soils. Metribuzin mineralisation was low, but metabolites were formed and their abundance depended on temperature conditions. The rate of dissipation of ¹⁴C‐metribuzin from soil pore water was strongly dependent on temperature. In Nordic soils with low organic content, metribuzin sorption is rather weak and biodegradation is the most important process controlling its mobility and persistence.     

Persistence and mobility of tebufenozide in forest litter and soil ecosystems under field and laboratory conditions

A field microcosm study was conducted to determine persistence of tebufenozide, an insect growth regulator, in sandy litter and soil. Litter and soil plots (c. 4·5 m² each) were sprayed with an aqueous suspension concentrate formulation of tebufenozide at rates of 35, 70 and 140 g AI ha^-1. Samples were collected at intervals up to 408 days after spraying, and analyzed for tebufenozide residues. The data were subjected to regression analysis and half-life (DT₅₀, the time required for 50% of the initial residues to disappear) values were computed. The DT₅₀ was c. 62 days for both substrates treated with the two lower dosage rates. At the highest dosage rate, the DT₅₀ was 115 days for the litter and c. 52 days for the soil, indicating irregular variations in persistence. Downward movement in soil occurred only in trace amounts, suggesting strong adsorption. Laboratory microcosm studies were conducted to investigate the relative importance of rainfall, exposure to light and volatilization on persistence. Vertical movement occurred in litter and soil (both sandy and clay types) during rainfall. The amount moved increased with the amount of rainfall, but decreased with the rain-free period. The larger the rain droplets, the greater the downward movement. When the rainwater could move laterally along the surface of the substrate (as would occur on a slope), more lateral movement than vertical movement of tebufenozide occurred. The photolysis study indicated that disappearance of tebufenozide was directly related to the duration of exposure to radiation and radiation intensity. Volatilization of tebufenozide depended upon the ambient temperature and the duration of air passing through the substrates. Nonetheless, the amount lost by volatilization was much lower than the amount lost after rainfall or exposure to radiation, thus indicating the greater influence of rainfall and sunlight on persistence. In the laboratory microcosm studies, more tebufenozide was lost from the sandy substrates than from the clay substrates. This behaviour was attributed to the greater adsorptive capacity of the clay substrates, thus providing a greater protection against downward mobility and loss due to radiation. © 1997 SCI     

Application of the pesticide transport assessment model to a field study in a humic sandy soil in Vredepeel,The Netherlands

The Pesticide Transport Assessment model (PESTRAS) is a process-oriented model to simulate the fate and movement of water and pesticides in a cropped field soil. The model was evaluated using field data for bromide, ethoprophos and bentazone, collected from a field experiment in a humic sandy soil near Vredepeel, the Netherlands. Model predictions were generally within the 95% confidence intervals of the observations when site-specific model inputs were used. If generic parameter values were used, the model predictions sometimes deviated strongly from the observed data. This was especially true for pesticide degradation properties. The bromide simulations showed that preferential flow was not an important process for this field soil. A significant fraction of the applied ethoprophos disappeared by surface volatilization. The downward movement of this pesticide was slightly overestimated, due to not considering sorption kinetics. The depth-dependence of pesticide transformation was atypical: an important fraction of the applied bentazone was transformed under micro-aerobic to anaerobic conditions in the subsoil. © 1998 SCI