Residual effect of metribuzin in the soil on the growth of garlic, onion and beans

Abstract

Metribuzin is an herbicide widely used in the control of weeds in crops such as soybean, potato and tomato. However, there is suspicion of intoxication in crops cultivated in succession due to the residual effect of the product in the soil. As such, our goal was to evaluate the residual effect of metribuzin in the soil on the growth of garlic, onion and beans plants. Three experiments were conducted in a greenhouse, in a randomized block design, with four replications. Each experiment corresponded to the evaluated crop: garlic, onion or beans. The treatments consisted of different metribuzin concentrations in the soil (0; 6; 12; 24; 48; 96; 144; 192; 240 and 480 ppb). Visual intoxication was evaluated at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after emergence (DAE) of the crops and dry matter at 28 DAE. Intoxication was identified in the garlic and bean plants at metribuzin concentration of 96 ppb, with maximum impact of 55 and 63%, respectively, at 28 DAE. In the onion crop, symptoms of intoxication arose at 40 ppb, and from 14 DAE onwards, plant death was noted at herbicide concentrations from 240 to 480 ppb. The dry matter of the bean and onion plants was reduced by the presence of herbicide in the soil, while garlic plant growth was not affected. Residues of metribuzin in the soil can hinder successive planting of garlic, onion or bean crops. It was concluded that garlic, onion and bean plants are sensitive to the residual effect of metribuzin in the soil.