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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #219573
Title: Pesticide Runoff in a Turfgrass Environment: Evaluating the Potential of Turf Management Practices to Mitigate Pesticide and Nutrient Loads with Runoff from Fairway Turf

Author
item Rice, Pamela
item HORGAN, BRIAN - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2007
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Environmental surveys have detected chemical pollutants in surface waters of urban and rural areas. As a result, attempts are being made to identify the sources of these compounds and reduce their inputs. The use of fertilizers and pesticides in highly managed turf systems has raised questions concerning the contribution of runoff from managed turf. To address these questions we designed experiments to measure the quantity of fertilizers and pesticides transported with runoff from turf plots maintained as a golf course fairway, and to evaluate the ability of management practices to reduce the transport of applied chemicals with runoff. In the initial study, half of the plots were aerated with solid tines while the remaining plots were aerated using hollow tines. Fertilizer (18-3-18 [N, P2O5, K2O]) and commonly utilized herbicides (2,4-D; MCPP), insecticide (chlorpyrifos), and fungicide (flutolanil) were applied to all plots prior to the initiation of simulated precipitation. Hollow tine aerification increased rainfall infiltration, reduced runoff volumes and chemical transport with runoff. The addition of vertical mowing to hollow tine aerification further reduced runoff volumes and the off-site transport of nutrients and pesticides with runoff. This research provides information that will allow for informed decisions on management practices that offer quality turf and are environmentally responsible. Understanding pesticide and fertilizer transport with runoff and identifying strategies that reduce off-site transport of applied chemicals will increase their effectiveness at intended sites of application and minimize potential undesirable effects to surrounding areas.