Movement of pesticides to surface waters from a heavy clay soil

Abstract

AbstractA field experiment at Cockle Park, Northumberland on a clay loam soil (Dunkeswick series) cropped with winter wheat investigated the effects of drainage and season of application on pesticide movement. Isoproturon, mecoprop, fonofos and trifluralin were applied in two consecutive seasons at normal agricultural rates to three hydrologically isolated plots each of 0.25 ha. Two of the plots were mole‐drained and the third was an undrained control. Surfacelayer flow and drainflow from each plot were monitored at 10‐min intervals. Samples of flow were analysed for pesticides to evaluate transport of applied chemicals from the site. Despite widely differing properties (Koc 20–8000 ml g−1, t1/2 10–60 days), all four pesticides were found in surface‐layer flow and mole drainflow from the site. Maximum concentrations of pesticides in flow ranged from 0.1 to 121 μg litre−1 (aqueous phase) and < 0.2 to 48 μg litre−1 (particulate phase). Over two contrasting seasons, total losses of pesticides in flow followed total amounts of flow and were approximately four and five times larger, respectively, in 1990/91 than in 1989/90. The maximum loss occurred from the undrained plot and was 2.8 g isoproturon (0.45% of that applied). Total losses of autumn‐applied pesticides from an undrained plot were up to four times greater than losses from a mole‐drained plot. Mole drainage decreased movement of pesticides from this slowly permeable soil by reducing the amount of surfacelayer flow. Maximum concentrations of mecoprop and isoproturon in drainflow were 10–20 times larger following spring application than after application in autumn. Bypass flow down soil cracks was an important process by which pesticide was lost from the site, with transport to the drainage system via mole channels (55 cm depth) after less than 0.5 and 6.7 mm net drainage in the two winters.