Reducing Herbicide Residues from Agricultural Runoff and Seepage Water

Abstract

Herbicide use while being of a great benefit in controlling weeds in agricultural systems can also pose a threat to environmental quality due to off-target and off-site impacts. The increasing concern about risks associated with agricultural chemicals and specifically their impact on surface and groundwater quality is a national and international concern. In Kentucky, herbicide off-site movement occurs, allowing them to enter the Kentucky River watershed and impact surface and groundwater quality. Accordingly, it is necessary to assess the distribution and degradation/dissipation of herbicides in agricultural soils and runoff water after field application and develop management practices and/or remediation techniques to mitigate environmental pollution by agrochemicals. The overall goal of the best management practices is to develop sustainable agricultural techniques that strike an acceptable balance between crop production benefits and ecological conservation by reducing herbicide impact on environmental quality to 1) protect watersheds by reducing the mobility of herbicides from soil into runoff and seepage water using binding agents; 2) enhance soil microbial activity that mineralizes herbicides in soil; and 3) enhance growers' knowledge about bioremediation techniques (soil amendments, biofilters, biochar, and soil microorganisms) that could be implemented to reduce herbicide mobility and protect natural water resources.

The Impact of Organic, Inorganic Fertilizers, and Biochar on Phytochemicals Content of Three Brassicaceae Vegetables

“…Among the phytochemicals that provide health benefits in human nutrition are polyphenols, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, anthocyanins, phytoestrogens, terpenoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, limonoids, phytosterols, glucosinolates, isothiocyanates (ITCs), and fibers. However, some animal manures, such as SS, are sometimes associated with inorganic and organic toxic compounds, such as heavy metals and pesticides [62,63] that when incorporated into soil establish a pollution problem and consequently cause toxic effects to soil microorganisms, which reduces the nutrients available to plants. Accordingly, the monitoring of soil enzymes secreted by the variety of soil microorganisms and the antioxidant contents of plants grown in animal manure-amended soil is suggested when using animal dung for growing vegetables and other edible plants.…”

Yield and Quality of Lettuce, Pumpkin, and Watermelon Varieties Grown Under Five Soil Management Practices

“…Synthetic commercial fertilizers contain nutrients designed to be rapidly released to growing plants once applied to soil. This fast availability to crops increases nutrient mobility into surface runoff and infiltration water following rainfall events, whereas the organic N fraction in biosolids, such as SS, reduces the availability and mobility of nutrients into runoff and infiltration water [11], due to SS slow release of nutrients. SS has shown promise for growing many field crops, such as sorghum, maize, and forage grasses and vegetables, such as cucumbers, cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, and beans [12,13].…”