Wonsook Ha, Univ. of Florida, 2169 McCarty A, Gainesville, FL 32611, Craig Stanley, University of Florida-GCREC, 14625 CR 672, Wimauma, FL 33598, Husein A. Ajwa, UC Davis c/o USDA-ARS, 1636 E. Alisal St., Salinas, CA 93905, and Robert Mansell, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
Adequate estimation of non-isothermal fate and transport of agrochemicals such as MITC (Methyl isothiocyanate) is fundamental to understand interactions between raised soil temperature induced by solar radiance and water/chemical transport, and to manage chemical use during soil fumigation in agricultural fields. Spatial and temporal variations in soil temperature affect pesticide fate and transport, heat and water flow regimes, and physicochemical soil and chemical properties. Application of selected pesticides and soil fumigants through drip tapes under plastic-mulched soil beds is common in California and Florida for the production of vegetables and horticultural plants. It is expected that a small amount of water applied via drip tubes is heated by relatively high soil temperature observed near the top of the soil bed. This poster presents numerical simulations of non-isothermal fate and transport of MITC after drip-application of metam sodium. A numerical model was developed to incorporate temperature-dependent processes of pesticide fate and transport. Drip fumigation studies with metam sodium were carried out on a Handford sandy loam soil at the USDA-ARS, Parlier, CA in 1999. Metam sodium was applied through one drip tape located at the center of the bed beneath clear plastic mulch. Field data and simulated data of soil temperature, water content, and contaminant concentration were compared for one day. Non-isothermal soil conditions had a significant impact on water flow and solute transport in raised plastic-mulched soil beds.
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