Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T21:15:34.310Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Application Technology and Best Management Practices for Minimizing Herbicide Runoff

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

James L. Baker  and
Steven K. Mickelson
James L. Baker
Affiliation:
Dep. Agric. and Biosystems Eng., Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA 50011
Steven K. Mickelson
Affiliation:
Dep. Agric. and Biosystems Eng., Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA 50011
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The fate of field-applied herbicides, including losses in surface runoff with water and sediment, is highly dependent on herbicide properties. The two most important properties are soil adsorption and persistence. Adsorption affects the potential for a herbicide to be lost primarily with sediment, runoff water, or possibly leaching water. Solubility, often though not always inversely correlated with adsorption, is of secondary importance, although low solubility can limit transport with water. Persistence affects the time available to be lost in runoff. Studies have shown that for soil-applied herbicides; extraction into runoff water or movement with sediment takes place from a thin soil layer at the surface. In addition, for herbicides studied, there is little interaction between surface crop residue and applied herbicides, and washoff from the residue readily occurs with small amounts of rainfall. Runoff loss equals the volume of carrier (water or sediment) times the concentration in that carrier; therefore, practices that reduce either, or both, can reduce losses. Rate of application has been directly related to concentration and therefore loss. Reducing rate, such as by banding, soil incorporation, and avoidance of application to crop residue reduce losses. The choice of herbicide and herbicide formulation, in conjunction with application technology, as they affect properties, rate, and placement, play a large role in determining runoff loss. Runoff losses of herbicides that are strongly adsorbed and therefore transported mainly with sediment can be reduced by erosion control; runoff volume reduction can reduce losses with water of moderately to weakly adsorbed herbicides. Conservation tillage has potential to reduce both runoff and erosion. Timing of application relative to expected intense storms, both in the short and long term, can reduce the potential for runoff. If possible to determine thresholds, herbicide use could be avoided if weed infestation is below the economic effect level. Buffer or filter strips have the potential to reduce transport of herbicides lost from fields to surface water resources.

Keywords

Environmental fateleachingsoil incorporationbandingatrazinealachlorcyanazinemetribuzinmetolachlor
Type
Symposium
Information
Weed Technology , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , December 1994 , pp. 862 - 869
Copyright
Copyright © 1994 Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Assmussen, L. E., White, A. W. Jr., Hauser, E. W., and Sheridan, J. M. 1977. Reduction of 2,4-D load in surface runoff down a grassed waterway. J. Environ. Qual. 6:159–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Baker, J. L. 1980. Agricultural areas as non-point sources of pollution, p. 275–310 in Overcash, M. R. and Davidson, J. M. [eds.] Environmental Impact of Nonpoint Source Pollution. Ann Arbor Sci. Publ., Inc., Ann Arbor, MI.Google Scholar
3. Baker, J. L. 1987. Hydrologic effects of conservation tillage and their importance relative to water quality, p. 113–124 in Logan, T. J., Davidson, J. M., Baker, J. L., and Overcash, M. R., eds., Effects of Conservation Tillage on Groundwater Quality, Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, MI.Google Scholar
4. Baker, J.L. 1989. The goals, strategy, and possible effectiveness of the Iowa Groundwater Protection Act of 1987, p. 89–99 in Proceedings, ASAE National Symposium on Non-Point Water Quality Concerns—Legal and Regulatory Aspects, New Orleans, LA, December 1989.Google Scholar
5. Baker, J. L. and Johnson, H. P. 1979. The effect of tillage systems on pesticides in runoff from small watersheds. Trans. ASAE 22:554–559.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Baker, J. L. and Laflen, J. M. 1979. Runoff losses of surface-applied herbicides as affected by wheel tracks and incorporation. J. Environ. Qual. 8:602–607.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Baker, J. L. and Mastbergen, B. 1986. Fate of broadcast herbicides used with conservation tillage systems—Part II. Completion Report No. 1 NCRPIAP 281, North Central Region Pesticide Impact Assessment Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.Google Scholar
8. Baker, J. L. and Shiers, L. E. 1989. Effects of herbicide formulation and application method on washoff from corn residue. Trans. ASAE 32:830–833.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Baker, J. L., Laflen, J. M., and Hartwig, R. O. 1982. Effects of corn residue and herbicide placement on herbicide runoff losses. Trans. ASAE 25:340–343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Baker, J. L., Laflen, J. M., and Johnson, H. P. 1978. Effect of tillage systems on runoff losses of pesticides, a rainfall simulation study. Trans. ASAE 21:886–892.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Barnett, A. P., Hauser, E. W., White, A. W., and Holladay, J. H. 1967. Loss of 2,4-D in washoff from cultivated fallow land. Weeds 15:133–137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12. Bovey, R. W., Richardson, C., Burnett, B., Merkle, M. G., and Meyer, R. E. 1978. Loss of spray and pelleted picloram in surface runoff water. J. Environ. Qual. 7:178–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Burt, G. W. 1974. Volatility of atrazine from plant, soil, and glass surfaces. J. Environ. Qual. 3:114–117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Dawelbeit, M. I. 1983. Design and evaluation of a corn residue managing machine for conservation tillage systems. Unpublished H.P. Dissertation, Library, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. 188 p.Google Scholar
15. Everts, C. J., Kanwar, R. S., Alexander, E. C., and Alexander, S. C. 1989. Comparison of tracer mobilities under laboratory and field conditions. J. Environ. Qual. 18:491–498.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Goolsby, D. A., Battaglin, W. A., and Thurman, E. M. 1993. Occurrence and transport of agricultural chemicals in the Mississippi River basin, July through August 1993. U.S.G.S Circular 1120-c. 22 p.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. Hall, J. K., Pawlus, M., and Higgins, E. R. 1972. Losses of atrazine in runoff water and soil sediment. J. Environ. Qual. 1:172–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18. Hall, J. K., Hartwig, N. L., and Hoffman, L. K. 1983. Application mode and alterative cropping effects on atrazine losses from a hillside. J. Environ. Qual. 12:336–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Hall, J. K., Hartwig, N. L., and Hoffman, L. D. 1984. Cyanazine losses in runoff from no-tillage corn in ‘living’ and dead mulches vs. unmulched, conventional tillage. J. Environ. Qual. 13:105–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20. Hallberg, G. R. 1988. Agricultural chemicals in ground water: Extent and implications. Am. J. Alternative Agric. 2:3–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21. Johnson, H. P. and Baker, J. L. 1982. Field-to-stream transport of agricultural chemicals and sediment in an Iowa watershed: Part I. Data base for model testing (1976-1978). EPA-600/S3-82-032, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C. Google Scholar
22. Johnson, H. P. and Baker, J. L. 1984. Field-to-stream transport of agricultural chemicals and sediment in an Iowa watershed: Part I. Data base for model testing (1979-1980). EPA-600/S3-84-055, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C. Google Scholar
23. Kanwar, R. S., Stoltenburg, D. E., Pfieffer, R., Karlen, D. L., Colvin, T. S., and Honeyman, M. 1991. Long-term effects of tillage and crop rotation on the leaching of nitrate and pesticides to shallow ground water. Proceedings, 1991 National Conference on Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. Honolulu, HI.Google Scholar
24. Laflen, J. M., and Colvin, T. S. 1981. Effects of crop residue on soil loss from continuous cropping. Trans. ASAE. 24:505–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25. Lemke, D. W., Baker, J. L., and Melvin, S. W. 1993. Agricultural drainage well annual report. Iowa Dept. Agric. Land Steward., Des Moines, IA. 66 pp.Google Scholar
26. Martin, C. D., Baker, J. L., Erbach, D. C., and Johnson, H. P. 1978. Washoff of herbicides applied to corn residue. Trans. ASAE 21:1164–1168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27. Mickelson, S. K., and Baker, J. L. 1991. Band injection of herbicide. Paper no. 911542, International Winter Meeting, ASAE, Chicago, IL, December 1991.Google Scholar
28. Mickelson, S. K. and Baker, J. L. 1993. Buffer strips for controlling herbicide runoff losses. Paper no. 93-2084, Summer Meeting, ASAE, Spokane, WA, June 1993.Google Scholar
29. Monsanto Agricultural Company. 1990. News for release. Public Relations Department. Monsanto Agricultural Company, St. Louis, MO. July 30, 1990.Google Scholar
30. Muir, D. C. and Baker, B. E. 1976. Detection of triazine herbicides and their degradation products in tile-drain water from fields under intensive corn (maize) production. J. Agric. Food Chem. 24:122–125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31. Rhode, W. A., Assmussen, L. E., Hauser, E. W., Wauchope, R. D., and Allison, H. D. 1980. Trifluralin movement in runoff from a small agricultural watershed. J. Environ. Qual. 9:37–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32. Solie, J. B., Wittmuss, H. D., and Burnside, O. C. 1983. Improving weed control with a subsurface jet injector system for herbicides. Trans. ASAE 26:1022–1029.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33. Taylor, A. W., Glotfelty, D. E., Turner, B. C., Silver, R. E., Freeman, H. P., and Wiess, A. 1977. Volatilization of dieldrin and heptachlor residues from field vegetation. J. Agric. Food Chem. 25:524–548.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34. Tremwel, T. K. 1985. Fate of broadcast herbicides used with conservation tillage systems. Unpublished M.S. Thesis, Library, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. 94 p.Google Scholar
35. Triplett, G. B., Conner, B. J., and Edwards, W. M. 1978. Herbicide runof from conventional and no-tillage cornfields. Ohio Rep. Res. Dev. 63,70-73.Google Scholar
36. U.S. EPA. 1990. National survey of pesticides in drinking water wells. EPA-570/9-9-015. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. Google Scholar
37. Wauchope, R. D. 1978. The pesticide content of surface water draining from agricultural fields—a review. J. Environ. Qual. 7:459–472.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38. White, A. W., Barnett, A. P., Wright, B. G., and Holladay, J. H. 1967. Atrazine losses from fallow land caused by runoff and erosion. Environ. Sci. Technol. 1:740–744.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed