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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #219137
Title: Influence of Quinclorac Drift on the Accumulation and Movement of Herbicide in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Plants

Author
item LOVELACE, MICHAEL - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item TALBERT, RONALD - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item Hoagland, Robert
item SCHERDER, ERIC - AGRIGOLD HYBRIDS

Submitted to: Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/24/2009
Publication Date: 7/22/2009
Citation: Lovelace, M.L., Talbert, R.E., Hoagland, R.E., Scherder, E.F. 2009. Influence of Quinclorac Drift on the Accumulation and Movement of Herbicide in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Plants. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 57:6349-6355.

Interpretive Summary: Drift of quinclorac, a commonly used herbicide in rice, has been suspected of causing injury to off-target tomato fields in Arkansas. Studies evaluated the effects of simulated quinclorac drift rates on tomato growth and development. Quinclorac residue levels, half-life, injury, and yield reduction in tomato plants increased as the application rate and number increased. Movement of the herbicide in vegetative and flowering tomato plant tissues was similar, with most of the absorbed quinclorac retained in the treated leaves. The flowering cluster of the tomato plant contained 1% of the total absorbed herbicide, indicating a potential for quinclorac translocation into tomato fruit. More research will be required to determine the total potential impacts quinclorac drift may have on tomato fruit contamination.

Technical Abstract: Quinclorac is a commonly used herbicide in rice and drift of this compound has been suspected of causing injury to off-target tomato fields throughout Arkansas. Studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of simulated quinclorac drift on tomato growth and development. Data indicated that residues extracted from injured tomatoes treated with 0.42 g ai ha-1 were below the detection limit of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Quinclorac residue levels and half-life in tomato tissue increased as the application rate and number of applications increased. 14C-quinclorac movement in vegetative and flowering tomato plant tissues was similar. In both plants, most of the absorbed 14C-quinclorac was retained in the treated leaf. Of the 14C-quinclorac that translocated out of the treated leaf, the greatest movement was in the acropetal direction. The flowering cluster of the tomato plant contained 1% of the total absorbed 14C-quinclorac, which indicates a potential for quinclorac translocation into tomato fruit. More extensive research will be required to understand the potential impacts quinclorac may have on tomato fruit contamination.