COMPARATIVE RATES OF SAFENER AND ACETANILIDE MOVEMENT IN 2 SOIL TYPESUNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS

The relative mobility of two thiazolecarboxylic acid safeners and alac hlor was examined in columns of two loam soils under laboratory condit ions to determine the potential of the thiazolecarboxylates as tank mi x safeners. Test compounds were leached through 6.4 cm x 6.0 mm column s of either Muscatine loam or Dupo silt loam soil with 20 ml of water. Column effluent was collected using a fraction collector and quantita tion performed via HPLC. Flurazole, a seed applied safener, did not el ute from either of the two soil types tested. The parent acid 2-chloro -4-(trifluoro-methyl)-5-thiazolecarboxylic acid) of flurazole eluted w ith the void volume well in advance of alachlor. Data suggest that und erstanding the physical properties of safeners relative to their soil mobility is essential in predicting their efficacy as tank mixture or seed treatment safeners.