Retention and runoff losses of atrazine and metribuzin in soil

Minimizing herbicide runoff and mobility in the soil and thus potential contamination of water resources is a national concern. Metribuzin [4-amino-6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3-(methylthio)-1,2,4-triazin-5(4H)-one] and atrazine [2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine] dynamics in surface soils and in runoff waters were studied on six 0.2-ha sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) plots of a Commerce silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic Fluvaquentic Endoaquept) during three growing seasons under different best management practices. Metribuzin was applied in the spring as a postemergence herbicide and atrazine was applied following winter harvest. Both herbicides were applied on top of the sugarcane rows as 0.6- or 0.9-m band width application, or broadcast application, where the entire area was treated. Maximum effluent concentrations were measured from the broadcast treatment and ranged from 600 to 1100 mug L-1 for atrazine and 250 to 450 jig L-1 for metribuzin. Atrazine runoff losses were highest for the broadcast treatment (2.8-11% of that applied) and lowest for the 0.6-m band treatment (1.9-7.6%), with a similar trend for metribuzin losses. Measured extractable herbicides from the surface soil exhibited a sharp decrease with time and were well described with a simple first-order decay model. For atrazine, estimates for the decay rate (X) were higher than for metribuzin. Results based on laboratory adsorption-desorption (kinetic-batch) measurements were consistent with field observations. The distribution coefficients (K-d) for atrazine exhibited stronger retention over time in comparison with metribuzin on the Commerce soil. Moreover, discrepancies between adsorption isotherm and desorption indicated slower release and that hysteresis was more pronounced for atrazine compared with metribuzin.