Leaching of imidazolinones in soils under a clearfield system

Herbicides with high mobility can leach to deeper layers of the soil and to contaminate underground aquifers. The potential of herbicide leaching in soil can be monitored by chromatography or bioassay methods. This study evaluated the leaching of imazethapyr, imazapic and its commercial mixture (imazethapyr + imazapic) in three tropical soils via a bioassay method. The herbicides were applied in a polyvinyl chloride column and an 80 mm rainfall was simulated. The bioindicator species sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) BRS 655 was sown. Imazethapyr, imazapic and the commercial herbicide mixture showed high leaching in the soils. The presence of imazethapyr and the commercial mixture was detected up to 25 cm deep in Haplic Plinthosol and Oxisol. Imazapic showed less leaching to tree soil, being found at depth 10–15 cm. The pH, texture and iron oxide amount levels affected herbicide leaching. The mobility of the herbicides imazethapyr and imazapic in the Haplic Plinthosol and the Oxisol at depth 25 cm indicates a high risk of groundwater contamination.     

Effect of water deficit on morphoagronomic traits of black common bean genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with contrasting drought tolerance

Brazil is the world's largest producer of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Drought stress harms the morphological and agronomic traits of beans. This study evaluates the reaction to water deficit in five genotypes of black beans. The experiment was conducted in the IDR-IAPAR-EMATER in Londrina-PR, Brazil. A split-plot design was used, with three replications. The genotypes were included in the subplots and the treatments with or without water deficit in the plots. Water deficit was induced on the pre-flowering stage and maintained for 20 days in the plots submitted to drought stress. For the growth analysis, plants were collected at 35, 54 and 70 days after emergence. At the stage of physiological ripeness, several morphological and yield traits were evaluated. The genotypes IPR Uirapuru and BRS Esplendor can be considered tolerant and used as a tolerant source to water deficit in common bean germplasm banks. The line LP 08-90 has morphological and agronomic adaptations efficient to overcome water deficit's effects, presenting a higher grain yield in both crop conditions, which indicates the success of black beans breeding to deal with water deficit.