Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Investigating Potential Water Quality Impacts of Fungicides Used to Combat Soybean Rust in Indiana

Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Asian soybean rust (ASR) is a foliar plant disease caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi that is potentially devastating for US soybean production. It was first detected in soybean fields in the Midwestern US in October 2006 but did not cause any damage to soybean production then because most of that year’s crop had been harvested by the time it appeared. In coming years, it is possible that ASR might enter soybean fields in the Midwest during the growing season and cause significant damage. The only current option for managing soybean rust is to use fungicides, many of which have been approved for use on soybeans by the US Environmental Protection Agency under emergency conditions. Since soybean fields traditionally have not received widespread applications of fungicides, it is important to understand the potential environmental impacts of using large quantities of fungicides to combat a potential ASR outbreak. Currently, the impacts of the fungicides used to combat soybean rust on surface and groundwater resources and on “off target” species are not fully known. In this study the National Agricultural Pesticide Risk Analysis hydrologic/water quality model was used to predict fungicide concentrations at edge of field and soil water concentrations at bottom of the root zone as a result of fungicide applications to control soybean rust in Indiana. It was also used to evaluate the likelihood of exceeding threshold chronic exposure concentrations of concern for human and aquatic organism health and identify areas of Indiana that are most vulnerable to contamination by fungicides. The model outputs for the different fungicides show spatial variations of fungicide losses in edge of field runoff and to bottom of root zone soil water or shallow groundwater at 5%, 10%, 25%, and 50% probability of exceedence, indicating that some fungicides may be present in concentrations above threshold ‎values of concern for fish and humans. This provides a basis for developing approaches to minimize potential environmental impacts of fungicides, such as prioritizing implementation of best management practices in the most vulnerable areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  • Adeuya, R. K., Lim, K. J., Engel, B. A., & Thomas, M. A. (2005). Modeling the average annual nutrient losses of two watersheds in Indiana using GLEAMS-NAPRA. Transactions of the ASAE, 48, 1739–1749.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asante-Duah, D. K. (1993). Hazardous waste risk assessment. Boca Raton: Lewis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Battaglin, W. A., & Sandstrom, M. W. (2007). Relations among the use, occurrence, and flux of azoxystrobin, propiconazole, and other fungicides in US streams, 2005–06. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2007 at San Francisco.

  • Balderacchi, M., Di Guardo, A., Vischetti, C., & Trevisan, M. (2008). The effect of crop rotation on pesticide leaching in a regional pesticide risk assessment. Environmental Science & Technology, 42(21), 8000–8006.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beigel, C., Barriuso, E., & Di Pietro, L. (1997). Time dependency of Triticonazole fungicide sorption and consequences for diffusion in soil. Journal of Environmental Quality, 26, 1503–1510.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beigel, C., Charnay, M. P., & Barriuso, E. (1999). Degradation of formulated and unformulated triticonazole fungicide in soil: effect of application rate. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 31, 525–534.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapin, L. J. G., Wang, Y., Lutton, E., & Gardener, B. B. M. (2006). Distribution and fungicide sensitivity of fungal pathogens causing anthracnose-like lesions on tomatoes grown in Ohio. Plant Disease, 90, 397–403.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cryer, S. A., Rolston, L. J., & Havens, P. L. (1998). Utilizing simulated weather patterns to predict runoff exceedence probabilities for highly sorbed pesticides. Environmental Pollution, 103, 211–218.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daberkow, S. (2004). Economic risks of soybean rust in the U.S. vary by region. Available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/September04/pdf/findings_resources&environmentsept2004.pdf. Accessed 14 October, 2006; verified 31 January 2009. USDA-Economic Research Service, Washington, DC.

  • Del Ponte, E. M., Godoy, C. V., Li, X., & Yang, X. B. (2006). Predicting severity of Asian soybean rust epidemics with empirical rainfall models. Phytopathology, 96, 797–803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dillard, H. R., & Cobb, A. C. (1997). Disease progress of black dot on tomato roots and reduction in incidence with foliar applied fungicides. Plant Disease, 81, 1439–1442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EPA (2005). Pesticide news story: Soybean rust pesticides. http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/csb_page/updates/soybean_rust.htm#section3. Accessed 15 November 2006; verified 31 January 2009. USEPA, Washington, DC.

  • EPA. (1998). Guidelines for ecological risk assessment. Risk Assessment Forum, April 1998. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/630/R-95/002F.

  • Hamm, P. B., & Clough, H. (1999). Comparison of application methods on deposition and redistribution of chlorothalonil in a potato canopy and potential for control of late blight. Plant Disease, 83, 441–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hrivna, L. (2003). The effect of a fungicide application on the yield and quality of barley grain and malt. Plant Soil and Environment, 49, 451–456.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jamet, P., & Eudeline, V. (1992). Assessment of the movement of triazole fungicides by soil thin-layer chromatography. Science of the Total Environment, 123, 459–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, G. L., Hanson, C. L., Hardegree, S. P., & Ballard, E. B. (1996). Stochastic weather simulation: Overview and analysis of two commonly used models. Journal of Applied Meteorology, 35, 1878–1896.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiewnick, S., Jacobsen, B. J., Braun-Kiewnick, A., Eckhoff, J. L. A., & Bergman, J. W. (2001). Integrated control of Rhizoctonia crown and root rot of sugar beet with fungicides and antagonistic bacteria. Plant Disease, 85, 718–722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, I. S., Shim, J. H., & Suh, Y. T. (2003). Laboratory studies on formation of bound residues and degradation of propiconazole in soils. Pest Management Science, 59, 324–330.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kreuger, J. (1998). Pesticides in stream water within an agricultural catchment in southern Sweden, 1990–1996. Science of the Total Environment, 216, 227–251.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krupa, S., Bowersox, V., Claybrooke, R., Barnes, C. W., Szabo, L., Harlin, K., et al. (2006). Introduction of Asian soybean rust urediniospores into the Midwestern United States—A case study. Plant Disease, 90, 1254–1259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonard, R. A., Knisel, W. G., & Still, D. A. (1987). GLEAMS: Groundwater loading effects of agricultural management systems. Transactions of ASAE, 30, 1403–1418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, K. J., Engel, B. A., & Tang, Z. (2006). Identifying regional groundwater risk areas using a WWW GIS model system. International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, 6, 316–329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim, K. J., & Engel, B. A. (2003). Extension and enhancement of national agricultural pesticide risk analysis (NAPRA) WWW decision support system to include nutrients. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 38, 227–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livingston, M., Johansson, R., Daberkow, S., Roberts, M., Ash, M., & Breneman, V. (2004). Economic and policy implications of wind-borne entry of Asian soybean rust into the United States. http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/OCS/Apr04/OCS04D02/OCS04D02.pdf. Accessed 31 October 2006; verified 31 January 2009. USDA-Economic Research Service, Washington, DC.

  • Nelson, E. B., Huang, H. C., & Acharya, S. N. (2003). Biological control of turfgrass diseases. p. 19–51. In H. C. Huang (Ed.), Advances in plant disease management. Kerala, India: Research Signpost.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicks, A.D., Lane, L.J., & Gander, G.A. (1995). Weather generator. In D.C. Flanagan & M.A. Nearing (eds.) Technical documentation: USDA-Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), NSERL Report No. 10, Ch 2, West Lafayette, Indiana.

  • NRCS (1992). National Soil information System (NASIS). http://soils.usda.gov/technical/nasis/. Accessed 15 January 2007; verified 31 January 2009. NRCS, Washington, DC.

  • NRCS (1994). U.S. General Soil Map (STATSGO) for Indiana. http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov. Accessed 15 January 2007; verified 31 January 2009. NRCS, Washington, DC.

  • Ogle, H. J., Byth, D. E., & McLean, R. (1979). Effect of rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) on soybean yield and quality in Southeastern Queensland. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 30, 883–893.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plotkin, S., Bagdon, J. K., & Hesketh, E. S. (2006a). Human drinking water toxicity threshold database. Amherst, MA: USDA Natural Resources Conservaton Service and University of Massachusetts Extension.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plotkin, S., Bagdon, J. K., & Hesketh, E. S. (2006b). Fish toxicity threshold database. Amherst: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and University of Massachusetts Extension.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potter, T. L., Strickland, T. C., Joo, H., & Culbreath, A. K. (2005). Accelerated soil dissipation of tebuconazole following multiple applications to peanut. Journal of Environmental Quality, 34, 1205–1213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Potter, T. L., Wauchope, R. D., & Culbreath, A. K. (2001). Accumulation and decay of chlorothalonil and selected metabolites in surface soil following foliar application to peanuts. Environmental Science & Technology, 35, 2634–2639.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Purdue University (2006). Indiana rust occurrence too late to injure 2006 soybean crop. http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/2006/061018ShanerRust.html. Accessed 30 October 2006; verified 31 January 2009. Purdue University News Service, West Lafayette, IN.

  • Riise, G., Lundekvam, H., Wu, Q. L., Haugen, L. E., & Mulder, J. (2004). Loss of pesticides from agricultural fields in SE Norway—runoff through surface and drainage water. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 26, 269–276.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, R. W., Hollier, C. A., Whitam, H. K., Palm, M. E., McKemy, J. M., Hernandez, J. R., et al. (2005). First report of soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi in the continental United States. Plant Disease, 89, 774–774.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaner, G. E., Alexander, C., Christmas, E., Conley, S. P., Dobbins, C. L., Hurt, C. A., Patrick, G. F., Rane, K. K., & Ruhl, G. E. (2005). Preparing for Asian Soybean Rust. Available at http://www.ncpdn.org/Library/ViewDocument.pdf?filetype=pdf&DocumentId=914. Accessed 15 January 2007; verified 31 January 2009. Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, West Lafayette, IN.

  • Sinclair, J. B., & Hartman, G. L. (1999). Soybean rust. In R. Harman, et al. (Eds.), Compendium of soybean diseases (pp. 25–26). St. Paul, MN: Phytopathological Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. H., & Littrell, R. H. (1980). Management of peanut foliar diseases with fungicides. Plant Disease, 64, 356–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorensen, P. B., Bruggemann, R., Carlsen, L., Mogensen, B. B., Kreuger, J., & Pudenz, S. (2003). Analysis of monitoring data of pesticide residues in surface waters using partial order ranking theory. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 22, 661–670.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stromqvist, J., & Jarvis, N. (2005). Sorption, degradation and leaching of the fungicide iprodione in a golf green under Scandinavian conditions: measurements, modeling and risk assessment. Pest Management Science, 61, 1168–1178.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, J. C., James, T. D. W., & Rowell, P. M. (1986). Botcast—A forecasting system to time the initial fungicide spray for managing botrytis leaf-blight of onions. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 18, 123–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • USDA (2008). Track the movement of SBR in US. http://sbr.ipmpipe.org/cgi-bin/sbr/public.cgi. Accessed 15 December 2008. USDA, Washington, DC.

  • USDA-Economic Research Service (ERS) (2008). Soybean industry statistics. http://www.ers.usda.gov/News/SoyBeanCoverage.htm. Accessed 14 October 2008.

  • USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) (2006). Agricultural Statistics Database. http://www.nass.usda.gov/Data_and_Statistics/. Accessed 7 March 2007. USDA-NASS, Washington, DC.

  • US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (1998). PRZM-3, a model for predicting pesticide and nitrogen fate in the crop root and unsaturated soil zones: Users manual for release 3.0. Athens: National Exposure Research Laboratory.

  • Vincelli, P. (2004). Simulations of fungicide runoff following applications for turfgrass disease control. Plant Disease, 88, 391–396.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wauchopel, R. D., Potter, T. L., & Culbreath, A. K. (2003). Relating field dissipation and laboratory studies through modeling: Chlorothalonil dissipation after multiple applications in peanuts. In E. L. Arthur, A. C. Barefoot, & V.E. Clay (eds.), Amer Chemical Soc, pp. 287–303.

  • Wu, Q. L., Riise, G., & Kretzschmar, R. (2003). Size distribution of organic matter and associated propiconazole in agricultural runoff material. Journal of Environmental Quality, 32, 2200–2206.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, Q. L., Riise, G., Pflugmacher, S., Greulich, K., & Steinberg, C. E. W. (2005). Combined effects of the fungicide propiconazole and agricultural runoff sediments on the aquatic bryophyte Vesicularia dubyana. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24, 2285–2290.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yorinori, J. T., Paiva, W. M., Frederick, R. D., Costamilan, L. M., Bertagnolli, P. F., Hartman, G. E., et al. (2003). Establishment of Soybean Rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) in Brazil and Paraguay from 2001 to 2003. Plant Disease, 89, 675–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Debjani Deb.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Deb, D., Engel, B.A., Harbor, J. et al. Investigating Potential Water Quality Impacts of Fungicides Used to Combat Soybean Rust in Indiana. Water Air Soil Pollut 207, 273–288 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0135-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0135-4

Keywords

Navigation