title: Development and employment of slow-release pendimethalin formulations for the reduction of root penetration into subsurface drippers.
abstract: Subsurface drip irrigation supplies water directly to the root zone and is an efficient irrigation technology. One of the main challenges is preventing plant roots from clogging the drippers. With the aim of inhibiting root penetration, slow-release pendimethalin formulations based on its solubilization in micelles adsorbed and unadsorbed to clay were developed. In the past unadsorbed micelles were considered inadequate for slow release, because release was too fast. In contrast, the advantage of a two-mode release formulation, composed of adsorbed and unadsorbed micelles, is demonstrated. A bioassay to study pendimethalin leaching at a refined scale of 1-2 cm was developed and reduced leaching from the micelle-clay formulations in comparison to the commercial formulation (Stomp) was exhibited. In a greenhouse study the application of the formulations by injection into an irrigation system was extremely efficient with 0-10% root penetration in comparison to 100% penetration upon Stomp injection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil and Water Science and ‡Institute of Plant Science and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Yifat
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zait
authors.forename: Dekel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Segev
authors.forename: Avraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: Yaakov
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goldwasser
authors.forename: Baruch
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Yael G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Mishael
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D057914:Agricultural Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry; D006540:Herbicides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008823:Micelles; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000814:Aniline Compounds; D006540:Herbicides; D008823:Micelles; D012987:Soil; D001546:Bentonite; C030856:pendimethalin
keywords: drippers; herbicide; leaching; micelle−clay formulations; pendimethalin; slow-release formulations; subsurface irrigation