Sorption, desorption and leaching potential of sulfonylurea herbicides in Argentinean soils

The sulfonylurea (SUs) herbicides are used to control broadleaf weeds and some grasses in a variety of crops. They have become popular because of their low application rates, low mammalian toxicity and an outstanding herbicidal activity. Sorption is a major process influencing the fate of pesticides in soil. The objective of this study was to characterize sorption-desorption of four sulfonylurea herbicides: metsulfuron-methyl (methyl 2-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)carbamoylsulfamoyl)]benzoate), sulfometuron-methyl (methyl 2-[(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)carbamoylsulfamoyl]benzoate), rimsulfuron (1-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)-3-(3-ethylsulfonyl-2-pyridylsulfonyl)urea) and nicosulfuron (2-[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)carbamoylsulfamoyl]-N,N-dimethylnicotinamide) from different soil horizons of different landscape positions. Sorption was studied in the laboratory by batch equilibration method. Sorption coefficients (K(d-SE)) showed that rimsulfuron (K(d-SE) = 1.18 to 2.08 L kg(-1)) and nicosulfuron (K(d-SE) = 0.02 to 0.47 L kg(-1)) were more highly sorbed than metsulfuron-methyl (K(d-SE) = 0.00 to 0.05 L kg(-1)) and sulfometuron-methyl (K(d-SE) = 0.00 to 0.05 L kg(-1)). Sorption coefficients (K(d-SE)) were correlated with pH and organic carbon content. All four herbicides exhibited desorption hysteresis where the desorption coefficients (K(d-D)) > K(d-SE). To estimate the leaching potential, K(oc) and ground-water ubiquity score (GUS) were used to calculate the half-life (t1/2) required to be classified as "leacher" or "nonleacher". According to the results, rimsulfuron and nicosulfuron herbicides would be classified as leachers, but factors such as landscape position, soil depth and the rate of decomposition in surface and subsurface soils could change the classification. In contrast, these factors do not affect classification of sulfometuron-methyl and metsulfuron-methyl; they would rank as leachers.

Alternaria toxins in wheat during the 2004 to 2005 Argentinean harvest

The natural occurrence of Alternaria mycotoxins in Argentinean wheat from the zone 5 South during the 2004 to 2005 harvest was investigated in 64 wheat samples. All samples were highly contaminated with a wide range of fungal species. Alternaria was found as the main component of the mycota, with an infection percentage of 100%. Three mycotoxins produced by species of Alternaria were determined in wheat: alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, and tenuazonic acid. Alternariol was detected in 4 (6%) of 64 samples, with a range of 645 to 1,388 microg/kg (mean of 1,054 microg/kg); alternariol monomethyl ether, with a range of 566 to 7,451 microg/kg (mean of 2,118 microg/kg) in 15 (23%) of 64 samples; and tenuazonic acid in 12 (19%) of 64 samples, with a range of 1,001 to 8,814 microg/kg (mean, 2,313 microg/kg). Alternariol monomethyl ether was the predominant toxin, but tenuazonic acid was detected in higher concentrations. Alternariol was present in fewer samples and in lower levels than were the other toxins. Tenuazonic acid and alternariol monomethyl ether occurred together in four samples, while tenuazonic acid and alternariol co-occurred in one sample. This the first report of the natural occurrence of Alternaria mycotoxins in Argentinean wheat. Toxin levels were high, probably due to the heavy infection with Alternaria species found in the samples.

Mycotoxin production by Alternaria strains isolated from Argentinean wheat

The toxigenic potential of Alternaria strains isolated from Argentinean wheat was investigated. A total of 123 strains were assayed for the production of tenuazonic acid (TA), alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). All but one of the isolates were able to produce at least one of the three mycotoxins. TA was produced by 72% of the strains (1-14782 mg/kg), AOH by 87% (4-622 mg/kg) and AME by 91% (7-2625 mg/kg). The average level of TA detected for all strains (1757 mg/kg) was higher than the average level of both alternariols (162 mg/kg for AOH and 620 mg/kg for AME). TA was the toxin produced at the highest concentration but in lower frequency. Most of the strains were able to synthesize more than one toxin: 74 isolates (60%) were positive for all three toxins, 30 (24%) for both AOH and AME, 5 (4%) for both TA and AME, and 2 (2%) for TA and AOH. The widespread occurrence of Alternaria in wheat and its ability to produce mycotoxins suggests the possible occurrence of its toxins in wheat naturally infected with this fungus.