Metribuzin mobility in soil columns as affected by urea fertiliser

Application of urea fertilisers to soils influences the soil solution characteristics and thus may affect the sorption of soil‐applied herbicides. The present investigation reports the influence of urea co‐application on sorption and leaching of metribuzin, a triazine herbicide. Urea application at 60 and 120 kg N ha −1 increased metribuzin sorption in soils over that in untreated natural soil. The K f (Freundlich adsorption coefficient) values of metribuzin for natural, 60 and 120 kg N ha −1 treatments were 0.43, 0.46 and 0.84 µg 1 − 1/ n g −1 ml 1/ n respectively. Downward mobility of metribuzin was studied in packed soil columns (300 mm length × 59 mm i.d.) at two irrigation intensities, 720 m 3 ha −1 (72 mm) and 3600 m 3 ha −1 (360 mm). After 720 m 3 ha −1 irrigation, metribuzin did not leach out of any column and was not detected in the leachate. Urea amendment slowed the leaching of metribuzin by 20 and 40% in 60 and 120 kg N ha −1 urea‐treated columns respectively. Also, following urea application, greater amounts of metribuzin were retained in the application zone. Upon increasing the irrigation intensity fivefold, urea application did not have any effect on metribuzin mobility, and its breakthrough from both natural and urea‐amended columns occurred after 126 mm irrigation. However, there was a marked difference in the maximum concentration of metribuzin in the breakthrough curves obtained from natural and urea‐amended columns. The study indicated that co‐application of metribuzin and urea fertiliser is a safe practice as far as leaching of herbicide is concerned. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry