Impact of soil water regime on degradation and plant uptake behaviour of the herbicide isoproturon in different soil types

The environmental fate of the worldwide used herbicide isoproturon was studied in four different, undisturbed lysimeters in the temperate zone of Middle Europe. To exclude climatic effects due to location, soils were collected at different regions in southern Germany and analyzed at a lysimeter station under identical environmental conditions. 14C-isoproturon mineralization varied between 2.59% and 57.95% in the different soils. Barley plants grown on these lysimeters accumulated 14C-pesticide residues from soil in partially high amounts and emitted 14CO2 in an extent between 2.01% and 13.65% of the applied 14C-pesticide. Plant uptake and 14CO2 emissions from plants were inversely linked to the mineralization of the pesticide in the various soils: High isoproturon mineralization in soil resulted in low plant uptake whereas low isoproturon mineralization in soil resulted in high uptake of isoproturon residues in crop plants and high 14CO2 emission from plant surfaces. The soil water regime was identified as an essential factor that regulates degradation and plant uptake of isoproturon whereby the intensity of the impact of this factor is strongly dependent on the soil type.

Research highlights
► Soils react in a very different way onto identical climatic conditions.
► Native microbial capabilities can be affected dramatically.
► Food plants can be involved in the mineralization of a pesticide.
► Plants can compensate lacking degrading capabilities of soils.