Residual phytotoxic activity of pethoxamid in soil and its concentration in soil water under different soil moisture conditions

The relationship between the residual phytotoxic activity of pethoxamid (2-chloro-N-[2-ethoxyethyl]-N-[2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propenyl] acetamide) on rice (Oryza sativa cv. Kiyohatamochi) seedlings and its behavior in soil was investigated under different moisture conditions. The phytotoxic activity of pethoxamid on the shoot growth of rice seedlings in soil was higher in 80% soil moisture content than in 70% and 60% soil moisture contents. The phytotoxic activity in soil in 70% and 80% soil moisture conditions decreased with the increasing time after application, but the phytotoxic activity was slight in 50% soil moisture conditions at any given time after application. The residues of pethoxamid in soil water, the amount adsorbed on soil solid, and the amount in total soil was reduced with the time after application in a similar manner among these soil moisture conditions. The residual phytotoxic activity of pethoxamid on the shoot growth of rice seedlings in soil was more highly correlated with the concentration in soil water than with the amounts adsorbed on soil solid and in total soil. The partition coefficients between the amounts of pethoxamid adsorbed on soil solid and its concentration in soil water were similar among the soils with different moisture conditions at each day, and the partition coefficient increased with the time after application. These results suggested that the residual phytotoxic activity of pethoxamid in soil depends on the decreasing concentration of pethoxamid in soil water with time, except in low soil-moisture conditions, which were insufficient for seedling growth.