Persistence of pendimethalin residues in Swiss chard

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the persistence of pendimethalin and its impact on Swiss chard, as the succeeding crop in the crop rotation, using the bioassay method, by means of the morphological parameters measurement. In applying the tested concentrations of pendimethalin from 0.2475 to 3.96 ppm, the inhibition of certain measured parameters of the Swiss chard tested plants was demonstrated: root growth suppression in the range of 3.91 to 55.47 %, root fresh weight reduction from 5.56 to 55.56 %, reduction of shoot fresh weight from 2.2 to 44.35 % and the reduction of fresh weight of the whole plant in the range of 2.5 to 46.17 %. Inhibition of the fresh root weight a the most sensitive parameter in relation to the applied rates of the herbicide, was demonstrated, while the shoot fresh weight is a parameter that was not sensitive enough. Significant growth inhibition of all measured parameters was observed at pendimethalin concentrations above 0.99 ppm.

Keywords

• pendimethalin
• inhibition
• persistence
• chard