Abstract
Losses of pesticides from soil by leaching may only amount for less than 1% of the application yet the impact of the process can cause considerable environmental concern. Increasing interest in groundwater protection and the need to protect non-target organisms has initiated more stringent data requirements from regulatory authorities. The magnitude and frequency of leaching events must be characterised in order that a full assessment of their potential impact can be made. Since leaching processes are dynamic in time and space it is necessary to understand the nature and properties of soils and their associated hydrological characteristics. Sorption and degradation kinetics determine the availability of pesticide for leaching but soil properties such as organic matter content, texture and structure determine the pathways that water, solutes and suspended particles follow. Cultivation practices such as tillage and drainage treatments which change the soil's intrinsic properties can also influence leaching mechanisms. Mathematical models are continuously being developed to account for complex leaching processes in order that pesticide fate can be predicted for all intended soil and agroclimatic scenarios.
Published Version
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