PERSISTENCE OF IMIDAZOLINONES IN SOILS UNDER A CLEARFIELD SYSTEM OF RICE CULTIVATION

Abstract

ABSTRACT The commercial mixture of imazethapyr and imazapic herbicides has been used for the control of red rice and several other species of weeds found in rice crops; this system called Clearfield. However, its use may limit the succession of non-tolerant crops for long residual activity. The research objective with this work was to determine the persistence of imazethapyr, imazapic and their mixture in three soils in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. Three experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications, each corresponding to the evaluated soil (Haplic Plinthosol (FX), red-yellow Latosol (LVA) and Haplic Gleysol (GX)). The treatments were arranged in a split plot design, with the allocated plots herbicides (imazethapyr and imazapic alone and commercial mixture) and the plots allocated the 11 evaluation times (1, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135, 150 days after treatment (DAT)), and a control without application. Contacted up long residual effect of imazethapyr and commercial mixture of imazethapyr and imazapic, regardless of assessed soil. After 150 days of applying herbicides or the commercial mixture, their residues in the soil also inhibited approximately 94% of the mass of the dry matter accumulation of the indicator plants. When imazapic was applied alone, there was a higher dry matter accumulation of the indicator plants, indicating less residual effect of this herbicide in the soil and this was attributed to the lower dose of this herbicide applied. The attributes of the soil pH, texture and iron oxides were what most affected the persistence of the herbicides. It can be concluded that the persistence of imazethapyr and imazapic is too long in the Brazilian state of Tocantins soils and the use of these herbicides in the region should be avoided due to the high risk of the occurrence of carryover,or be well planned, as land use in rotation for susceptible crops.