ABSTRACT
Herbicides are an essential part of modem techniques in horticultural and agricultural production systems. A majority of the herbicides used today are applied directly to the soil, a common medium for growth of weed and crop plants. Several methods have been tried to prevent leaching of herbicides in soil. One of these approaches is the use of alternative herbicides, which are less mobile in soil. Adjuvants have been used extensively to alter the activity of herbicides on plants. This chapter presents an investigation to determine the effect of a synthetic polymer on herbicide efficacy and leaching in soil. To better understand the effect of STAY-TEC on the efficacy of the herbicides, the effect of the polymer was investigated on adsorption and desorption of the herbicides. Adsorption and leaching are two of the most important physicochemical factors that affect herbicide efficacy in soil. Besides reducing herbicide efficacy, low adsorption and high leaching of chemicals in the soil can cause groundwater contamination.
