Residues of 14C-metsulfuron-methyl in Chinese paddy soils

Metsulfuron-methyl is widely used for controlling many annual grasses and broadleaf weeds in cereal crops. Nonetheless, increasing evidence has demonstrated that even extremely low levels of metsulfuron-methyl residues in soil can be toxic to subsequent crops or non-target organisms. The behavior of herbicides in soils is mostly related to their residual forms. The intent of the present study was to investigate the dynamics of extractable residues (ERs) and non-extractable residues (NERs) of (14)C-metsulfuron-methyl in twelve Chinese paddy soils and their relationships to soil properties.

ERs decreased gradually after application, whereas NERs increased rapidly during the initial 28 days, and gradually decreased thereafter. ERs and NERs were respectively 10.1-67.9% and 5.6-28.7% of applied radioactivity in soils at 224 days after application. ERs correlated positively with soil pH and silt fractions, and negatively with microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and clay fractions, but the opposite was observed for NERs.

Both ERs and NERs may be present in the soil at the time of planting following rice crops, and the risk of phytotoxic effects needs to be considered. Soil pH, MBC and clay/silt fractions were the main factors in affecting the amounts of both ERs and NERs of metsulfuron-methyl in the tested soils.