Leaching of Atrazine, Ametryne and Prometryne in the Soil

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during 1967 to study leaching characteristics of the herbicides Atrazine, Ametryne, and Prometryne in Aguadilla, Fraternidad, Mabí, and Toa soils. Atrazine, Ametryne and Prometryne were applied at rates of 0, 4, and 20 lb./A to soil columns and leached with 1, 2, 4, and 8 inches of simulated rainfall. Of the triazine chemicals, Atrazine was found to have the greatest downward penetrativity while Prometryne showed the least. The mobility of Ametryne in soil was slightly greater than that of Prometryne. The leaching tendency of Atrazine augmented not only with the increasing rates of herbicides but also with increasing amounts of simulated rainfall. The movement or penetrativity of both Ametryne and Prometryne in the soil was not exactly a function of either rate of application or amount of water. Leaching of these herbicides was most pronounced in Aguadilla soil and least in Mabí soil.