Adsorption and degradation of thiazopyr in compost‐amended and non‐amended soils

Adsorption and degradation of thiazopyr on two unamended soils and a soil amended annually during 8 years with compost were studied under laboratory conditions and compared with the results obtained on soils amended with fresh sewage sludge compost. The adsorption isotherms fitted the Freundlich equation well and a marked sorption increase was found in amended soils. Degradation data followed first‐order kinetics and thiazopyr had a half‐life of about 75 days at 25 °C and 60% water‐holding capacity of soil. The addition of fresh compost markedly decreased the rate of thiazopyr degradation, whereas the compost mineralised in the field after annual additions had only a small influence. Incubation studies with sterile soils showed a very significant decrease of the degradation rate, indicating that degradation by micro‐organisms was the main pathway of thiazopyr degradation in the soils studied. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Enhancement of thiazopyr bioefficacy by inhibitors of monooxygenases

The preceding paper described inhibition of thiazopyr metabolism in plant seedlings by inhibitors of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, and the lack of inhibition by esterase inhibitors. We now describe greenhouse evaluation of the effects of these metabolic inhibitors on the bioefficacy of thiazopyr. Inhibitors of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT), metyrapone (MET) and tetcyclacis (TET), all enhanced the bioefficacy of thiazopyr against pigweed and other plant species. In contrast, inhibitors of esterases, tributyl phosphate (TBP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPP), produced only slight enhancement of thiazopyr activity. The effect of PBO was dose-dependent and was demonstrated against barnyardgrass, grain sorghum, redroot pigweed, seedling johnsongrass, and giant foxtail. PBO demonstrated no enhancement of thiazopyr activity in velvetleaf, tall morningglory, cotton, or soybeans. Bioefficacy was most enhanced via exposure of seedling shoots to PBO and thiazopyr. The combination of results from the present and the preceding papers suggests that PBO enhances thiazopyr bioefficacy by effectively inhibiting thiazopyr metabolism in plants.     

Inhibition of thiazopyr metabolism in plant seedlings by inhibitors of monooxygenases

Metabolism of the herbicide thiazopyr [methyl 2-(difluoromethyl)-5-(4, 5-dihydroO-lhiazo!vt)-4-(2-methylpropy!)-6-(trinuorornethyl)-3-pyridinecarboxy-late] was examined in young seedlings of redroot pigweed, grain sorghum, sunflower, corn and soybean. As previously observed with rat liver microsomes plants predominantly metabolized thiazopyr via oxidation reactions. Sulfur and carbon atoms in the thiazoline ring were the primary sites of plant oxygenases. De-esterification was also identified as an important pathway of transformations in plants. Although similar pathways of thiazopyr metabolism were observed among plants, our data indicated species differences in rates of thiazopyr degradation. Among species examined, pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) showed the fastest metabolism. Thiazopyr metabolism in pigweed was significantly inhibited by several cytochrome P450 monooxygenase inhibitors, among which tetcyclacis (TET) and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were the most inhibitory. Thiazopyr metabolism in pigweed was not inhibited by organophosphates, known inhibitors of esterases. The results suggest that thiazopyr metabolism in plants is predominantly mediated via plant mono-oxygenases.