Biodegradation of Agricultural Fungicides
151
It should be expected that systemic fungicides would be more resistant to
biodegradation than surface protectants since the effectiveness of the latter is
more dependent on stability in plant tissue than that of the former, but there are
undoubtedly exceptions to this generalization.
From the environmental point of view it is desirable to have agricultural
fungicides that rapidly biodegrade to harmless natural products. However, this
expectation may not be wholly consistent with the objectives of fungicide application, which require that the compounds be present for a certain period to
achieve the desired effect. Meeting acceptable standards for both goals is the
challenge which must be met, and this will require, among other things, full
knowledge of the rates and pathways of fungicide degradation.
REFERENCES
Aharonson, N., and Kafkafi, U., 1975, Absorption, mobility and persistence of thiabendazole and
methyl 2-benzimidazole-carbamate in soils, J. Agric. Food Chern. 23:720.
Anonymous, 1977, Ethylenethiourea, Pure Appl. Chern. 49:675.
Ayanaba, A., Verstraete, W., and Alexander, M., 1973, Formation of dimethylnitrosamine, a
carcinogen and mutage, in soils treated with nitrogen compounds, Soil Sci. Soc. Arn. Proc.
37:565.
Bames, R. D., Bull, A. T., and Poller, R. C., 1971, Behavior oftripbenyltin acetate in soil, Chern.
Ind. (London), p. 204.
Bames, R. D., Bull, A. T., and Poller, R. C., 1973, Studies on the persistence of the organotin
fungicide fentin acetate (triphenyltin acetate) in the soil and on surfaces exposed to ligbt, Pestic.
Sci. 4:305.
Baude, F. J., Gardiner, J. A., and Han, J. C. Y., 1973, Cbaracterization of residues on plants
following foliar spray applications of benomyl, J. Agric. Food Chern. 21:1084.
Baude, F. J., Pease, H. L., and Holt, R. F., 1974, Fate ofbenomyl on field soil and turf, J. Agric.
Food Chern. 22:413.
Beck, J., and Hansen, K. E., 1974, The degradation of quintozene, pentacblorobenzene, bexacblorobenzene and pentacbloraniline in soil, P estic. Sci. 5:41.
Brown, A. W. A., 1978, Ecology of Pesticides, Wiley, New York.
Burchfield, H. P., 1959, Comparative stabilities of dyrene, 1-f1uoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, dicblone
and captan in a silt loam soil, Contrib. Boyce Thompson Inst. 20:205.
Chacko, C. I., Lockwood, J. L., and Zabik, M., 1966, Chlorinated bydrocarbon pesticides: Degradation by microbes, Science 154:893.
Clemons, G. P., and Sisler, H. D., 1969, Formation of a fungitoxic derivative from Benlate,
Phytopathology 59:705.
Davidse, L. C., 1976, Metabolic conversion of methyl benzimidazol-2-yl carbamate (MBC) in
Aspergillus nidulans, Pestic. Biochern. Physiol. 6:538.
DeBaun, J. R., Miaullis, J. B., Knarr, J., Mihailovski, A., and Menn, J. J., 1974, The fate of Ntrichloro[14(:]methylthio-4-cyclohexene-I,2-dicarboximide ([l4(:]captan) in tbe rat, Xenobiotica
4:101.
Domsch, K. H., 1958, Die Wirkung von Bodenfungiciden. II. Wirkungsdauer, Z. Pjlanzenkr.
PjUmzenschutz 65:651.
Douch, P. G. C., 1973, The metabolism of benomyl fungicide in mammals, Xenobiotica 3:367.
151
It should be expected that systemic fungicides would be more resistant to
biodegradation than surface protectants since the effectiveness of the latter is
more dependent on stability in plant tissue than that of the former, but there are
undoubtedly exceptions to this generalization.
From the environmental point of view it is desirable to have agricultural
fungicides that rapidly biodegrade to harmless natural products. However, this
expectation may not be wholly consistent with the objectives of fungicide application, which require that the compounds be present for a certain period to
achieve the desired effect. Meeting acceptable standards for both goals is the
challenge which must be met, and this will require, among other things, full
knowledge of the rates and pathways of fungicide degradation.
REFERENCES
Aharonson, N., and Kafkafi, U., 1975, Absorption, mobility and persistence of thiabendazole and
methyl 2-benzimidazole-carbamate in soils, J. Agric. Food Chern. 23:720.
Anonymous, 1977, Ethylenethiourea, Pure Appl. Chern. 49:675.
Ayanaba, A., Verstraete, W., and Alexander, M., 1973, Formation of dimethylnitrosamine, a
carcinogen and mutage, in soils treated with nitrogen compounds, Soil Sci. Soc. Arn. Proc.
37:565.
Bames, R. D., Bull, A. T., and Poller, R. C., 1971, Behavior oftripbenyltin acetate in soil, Chern.
Ind. (London), p. 204.
Bames, R. D., Bull, A. T., and Poller, R. C., 1973, Studies on the persistence of the organotin
fungicide fentin acetate (triphenyltin acetate) in the soil and on surfaces exposed to ligbt, Pestic.
Sci. 4:305.
Baude, F. J., Gardiner, J. A., and Han, J. C. Y., 1973, Cbaracterization of residues on plants
following foliar spray applications of benomyl, J. Agric. Food Chern. 21:1084.
Baude, F. J., Pease, H. L., and Holt, R. F., 1974, Fate ofbenomyl on field soil and turf, J. Agric.
Food Chern. 22:413.
Beck, J., and Hansen, K. E., 1974, The degradation of quintozene, pentacblorobenzene, bexacblorobenzene and pentacbloraniline in soil, P estic. Sci. 5:41.
Brown, A. W. A., 1978, Ecology of Pesticides, Wiley, New York.
Burchfield, H. P., 1959, Comparative stabilities of dyrene, 1-f1uoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, dicblone
and captan in a silt loam soil, Contrib. Boyce Thompson Inst. 20:205.
Chacko, C. I., Lockwood, J. L., and Zabik, M., 1966, Chlorinated bydrocarbon pesticides: Degradation by microbes, Science 154:893.
Clemons, G. P., and Sisler, H. D., 1969, Formation of a fungitoxic derivative from Benlate,
Phytopathology 59:705.
Davidse, L. C., 1976, Metabolic conversion of methyl benzimidazol-2-yl carbamate (MBC) in
Aspergillus nidulans, Pestic. Biochern. Physiol. 6:538.
DeBaun, J. R., Miaullis, J. B., Knarr, J., Mihailovski, A., and Menn, J. J., 1974, The fate of Ntrichloro[14(:]methylthio-4-cyclohexene-I,2-dicarboximide ([l4(:]captan) in tbe rat, Xenobiotica
4:101.
Domsch, K. H., 1958, Die Wirkung von Bodenfungiciden. II. Wirkungsdauer, Z. Pjlanzenkr.
PjUmzenschutz 65:651.
Douch, P. G. C., 1973, The metabolism of benomyl fungicide in mammals, Xenobiotica 3:367.