Herbicide Dissipation from Soils with Different Herbicide use Histories

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Abstract
Herbicide dissipation was monitored in soils differing in herbicide use histories. Repeated annual applications over 5 yr enhanced biodegradation of butylate [S-ethyl bis(2-methylpropyl)carbamothioate] and EPTC (S-ethyl dipropylcarbamothioate) but not alachlor {2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide}, atrazine [6-chloro-N-ethyl-N′-(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine], cyanazine {2-[[(4-chloro-6-(ethylamino)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2-methylpropanenitrile}, or metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide]. Prior application of butylate or EPTC enhanced biodegradation of the other thiocarbamate herbicide but not alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, or metolachlor. Prior application of alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, or trifluralin [2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzenamine] did not enhance biodegradation of butylate or EPTC. Dissipation of EPTC applied with dietholate (O,O-diethyl-O-phenolphosphorothioate) was not enhanced by prior application of alachlor, atrazine, or trifluralin. Prior use of EPTC, EPTC + dietholate, butylate, or cycloate, respectively, enhanced biodegradation of EPTC in 100, 100, 71, and 50% of the experiments, of EPTC applied with dietholate in 57, 100, 60, and 33% of the experiments, of butylate in 33, 40, 100, and 20% of the experiments, and of cycloate in 0, 0, 17, and 0% of the experiments. Prior thiocarbamate herbicide applications usually did not enhance cycloate biodegradation, but soils from two locations without prior pesticide use histories rapidly degraded the herbicide. Storage of soil samples at 25 C for 6 or 12 months before application of EPTC and EPTC + dietholate resulted in less herbicide degradation than storage at 15 C. Differences in prior environmental conditions such as temperature may explain why development of enhanced biodegradation varied between years even in the same field plots.