Abstract
The management of large volumes of organic residues generated in different livestock, urban, agricultural and industrial activities is a topic of environmental and social interest. The high organic matter content of these residues means that their application as soil organic amendments in agriculture is considered one of the more sustainable options, as it could solve the problem of the accumulation of uncontrolled wastes while improving soil quality and avoiding its irreversible degradation. However, the behavior of pesticides applied to increase crop yields could be modified in the presence of these amendments in the soil. This review article addresses how the adsorption–desorption, dissipation and leaching of pesticides in soils is affected by different organic residues usually applied as organic amendments. Based on the results reported from laboratory studies, the influence on these processes has been evaluated of multiple factors related to organic residues (e.g., origin, nature, composition, rates, and incubation time of the amended soils), pesticides (e.g., with different use, structure, characteristics, and application method), and soils with different physicochemical properties. Future perspectives on this topic are also included for highlighting the need to extend these laboratory studies to field and modelling scale to better assess and predict pesticide fate in amended soil scenarios.
Highlights
The use of large quantities of pesticides in today’s intensive agricultural systems is a widespread practice for controlling pests, diseases and weeds
This review evaluates how the dynamics of pesticides in soil is modified by the application of organic residues as soil amendments
By focusing on the main processes that govern the fate of pesticides in soils, the review highlights the complexity of extrapolating the behavior from some pesticides to others in the presence of different organic residues, even in the same soil
Summary
The use of large quantities of pesticides in today’s intensive agricultural systems is a widespread practice for controlling pests, diseases and weeds. The contamination of water by pesticides is increasing in agricultural areas across different countries, and a broad range of pesticide concentrations has been found, in some cases exceeding the limit established for drinking water by European Union (EU) legislation (0.1 μg·L−1 ) [24,25,26] These environmental contamination data highlight the need to roll out strategies to optimize agricultural sustainability by maximizing crop productivity and reducing or preventing soil and water contamination by pesticides. This has been widely addressed in recent years due to the requirement to meet European Community regulations [27]. Future perspectives on the joint application of pesticides and organic amendments are included
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.