The objective of this work was to evaluate the leaching of pre-emerging herbicides recommended for sugarcane in clayey and medium soils. The experiments consisted in spraying ametryn + clomazone (1500 + 1000 g ha-1), isoxaflutol (187.5 g ha-1) and diuron + hexazinone (1170 + 330 g ha-1) on top of PVC columns filled with soil. After spraying, simulated rainfall of 10, 20, 40 and 80 mm was applied to the top of the columns. Three days later, Cucumis sativus and Sorghum bicolor were used in bioassays to detect herbicide leaching. The herbicide mixture ametryn + clomazone applied on clayey soil was detected at depths of 20 and 35 cm in applications of 10 and 80 mm of water, respectively. In soil with medium texture, a greater herbicide effect was observed in all the rainfall simulations. With application of 40 and 80 mm water, the herbicide was detected up to 35 cm depth in clayey soil. The herbicide isoxaflutole in clayey soil caused albinism in the aerial part of the plants up to 15 and 25 cm of depth with rainfall of 10 and 80 mm, respectively. In soil with medium texture, the highest rainfall simulations made possible to detect this herbicide up to 30 cm. With rainfall simulation of 80 mm, the herbicide mixture diuron + hexazinone was found at the depth of 30 cm in both soils, causing toxic effects of 25 and 60% on the bio-indicator plants in clayey and medium soil, respectively. It was concluded that all the herbicides assessed show a tendency to be leached under rainfall or artificial irrigation influence, with more pronounced effects in medium soils with lower organic matter content.
herbicides; bioassays; rainfall; sugarcane
