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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #360243
Title: Trends of atrazine loss in NE Indiana at the catchment scale from 2006-15

Author
item Gonzalez, Javier

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/13/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Pesticides control weeds, insects, and fungi to maintain productivity in agricultural systems to supply food and fiber to the growing population of the world; however, some pesticides may impair the environment. The trends of atrazine loss, the most common herbicide to control broadleaf weeds in corn in the US Midwest, was studied in a 193 km2 watershed in NE Indiana with 74% of the area dedicated to agriculture. From 2006 to 2015, daily samples were collected and analyzed for atrazine. The results show that the annual loading of atrazine decreased by 8.5 kg/year (p=0.067). However, the flow-weighted mean concentration (FWMC) of atrazine did not change (p=0.390). Also, the results indicated that the monthly FWMC exceeded the atrazine Maximum Concentration Level (3 ppb) in May and June, when the herbicide is applied.