The redistribution of fungicides on plants

Abstract

SUMMARYIn field trials amounts of soluble copper were found in rain water collected form apple trees sprayed with copper fungicides, but the copper was relatively non‐toxic. The solution of copper did not appear to be correlated with the number of micro‐organisms on the leaves. Rain washings phate. Some evidence for beneficial redistribution by solution is presented.By contrast, in a greenhouse experiment small amounts of copper were washed by very light rain from coffee seedlings sprayed with copper oxychloride and Bordeaux mixture. The soluble fraction of these washings was generally small and did not vary with ageing of the deposit up to 32 days. There was no changes in the toxicity of the washings from deposits aged up to 32 days.Under static laboratory conditions more copper was usually solubilized form standardized deposits of Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride, and cuprous oxide on leaves than on glass. The amount of copper solubilized varied with the leaf used, the nature of the deposit, the presence of adjuvants and the length of time water was left in contact with the deposit. Deposits of Bordeaux mixture and Bordeaux mixture was equally toxic on a leaf surface which caused solution and one which did not. Soluble copper extracts leaves were less toxic than equivalent quantities of copper supplied as copper sulphate.