Considering the lack of information on sulfentrazone and imazapic leaching in Brazilian soils, this work aimed to evaluate leaching and persistence of these herbicides. Leaching of sulfentrazone (800 g a.i. ha-1) and imazapic (210 g .a.i. ha-1) was evaluated under simulated rainfall equivalent to 40 and 80 mm at different depths (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 cm) and soil pH of a Dystroferric Red Latosol and Dystrophic Red Latosol. The persistence assay consisted of sulfentrazone (600 and 800 g ha-1 ) and imazapic (190 and 210 g ha-1 ) application during weed pre-emergence, as well as a weeded check. Soil samples were collected for herbicide persistence determination at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 210 days after application and were subsequently placed in a phytotron for bioindicator Cucumis sativus growth. Herbicide leaching was more pronounced as simulated rainfall was increased. Residual activity of sulfentrazone under 80 mm rainfall simulation was verified up to 40 cm depth, being more pronounced in medium textured rather than clayey soils, independently of soil pH. In relation to imazapic under 80 mm rainfall, herbicide activity was observed up to 40 cm depth. In the clayey soil with pH 6.0, leaching was higher at all depths, compared to leaching of the same soil with pH 4.7. As for persistence, sulfentrazone and imazapic were found to present similar residual activity up to 45 DAA; however, from 60 to 150 DAA, imazapic presented lower residual activity in the soil, and after this period (150 to 210 DAA), sulfentrazone presented a marked residual reduction.
bioassay; residual effect; mobility; soil
