Fluometuron adsorption and dissipation under field and laboratory cond
itions, and distribution within the soil profile was determined in 3 s
oils from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia that are representative
of the cotton-growing regions of the southeastern United States. Fluom
eturon adsorption was correlated with organic matter, but not with cla
y content or soil pH. First-order kinetics explained fluometuron dissi
pation under field and controlled conditions (r(2) greater than or equ
al to 0.82). Field dissipation of fluometuron was slower under dry con
ditions. Fluometuron was not detected below 15 cm in the soil profile
in any soil, and concentrations in the 8- to 15-cm soil zone were < 15
ppbw 112 d after treatment. Fluometuron dissipation was more rapid in
soil from the 0- to 8-cm depth in Tennessee soil than in Mississippi
soil under controlled conditions. Dissipation was more rapid under fie
ld conditions than under laboratory conditions at 2 of 3 locations. Fl
uometuron half-lives in soils from the 0- to 8-cm depth ranged from 9
to 28 d under field conditions and from 11 to 43 d in the laboratory.
Fluometuron dissipation in soils from 30- to 45- and 60- to 90-cm dept
hs was not different among soils, with half-lives ranging from 58 to 9
9 d under laboratory conditions. Fluometuron half-life was positively
correlated with soil depth and inversely correlated with organic matte
r. These data indicate that organic matter, soil depth, and environmen
tal conditions affect fluometuron dissipation.