Purpose Persistence of herbicides in soil is a major concerning world issue due to their negative impacts on environment and human health. Laboratory and bioassay experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of municipal waste compost (MC) and sheep manure (SM) on metribuzin degradation and phytotoxicity of this herbicide. Methods In degradation studies, soil samples were mixed separately with amendments at a rate of 2.5% (w/w) and metribuzin at a concentration of 5 mg kg −1 soil was used for fortification of selected samples. A liquid extraction method was chosen and final extracts were analyzed by HPLC. In bioassay study, the phytotoxic effects of different concentrations of metribuzin (0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1 mg kg −1 soil) on oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) were evaluated. Results The results indicated 88.8% degradation of metribuzin in MC during 120-day period followed by SM recording 72.2%, compared to non-amended soil where 59.8% of metribuzin were removed. The half-life was 119.48 days in nonamended soil as compared to 87.72 and 103.43 days in MC and SM application, respectively. MC was the most efficient treatment to accelerate metribuzin dissipation from the soil. Bioassay results showed that metribuzin residues had a negative effect on root and shoot biomass of oilseed rape. However, the root parameter was more sensitive than the shoot. Conclusions It could be concluded that application of organic amendments to agricultural soils is an eco-friendly strategy to improve soil conditions and non-target crop protection as well as the removal of herbicide residues from soil environment.

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The efficacy of reduced (411.5 and 617.2 a.i. ha-1) and recommended (823.0 g a.i. ha-1) rates of phenmedipham + desmedipham + ethofumesate on the control of Amaranthus retroflexus, Amaranthus blitoides, Chenopodium album, and Tribulus terrestris in sugar beet field was investigated when they were tank-mixed with and without Adigor (0.5% v/v), Ammonium sulphate (2% v/v), Citogate (0.2% v/v), D-Octil (0.3% v/v), Hydro-Max (0.5% v/v), and Volck (0.5% v/v). When the herbicide was applied alone, there was no significant difference between the rates of 617.2 and 823.0 g a.i. ha-1 for reduction of total weed density and biomass. Significantly, the adjuvants decreased total weed density and biomass. However, there was no significant difference among the performance of adjuvants. The sugar beet root and sucrose yields were increased significantly by increasing herbicide rate as a result of an improvement in weed control. Although herbicide efficacy was influenced in a similar manner by all the adjuvants, the best results were found as follows: root yield was increased up to 9.66% (71.31 Mg ha-1) by applying the recommended rate of phenmedipham + desmedipham + ethofumesate plus Adigor compared to weed-free check (64.68 Mg ha-1) whereas sucrose yield was increased up to 26.48% (13.21 t ha-1) by applying the recommended rate of phenmedipham + desmedipham + ethofumesate plus HydroMax compared to weed-free check (10.45 t ha-1). From an economic and ecological standpoint, these two adjuvants can be suggested to optimize the recommended rate of phenmedipham + desmedipham + ethofumesate in weed management.

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