Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural Soils
Pesticide residues pose risks to the environment and human health. Little is known about how tillage and straw management affect herbicide behavior in soil. This study investigated the effects of different tillage practices under varying straw incorporation scenarios on the degradation of five commo...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Yanan Chen Feng Zhang Qiang Gao Qing Ma |
| author_facet | Yanan Chen Feng Zhang Qiang Gao Qing Ma |
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| description | Pesticide residues pose risks to the environment and human health. Little is known about how tillage and straw management affect herbicide behavior in soil. This study investigated the effects of different tillage practices under varying straw incorporation scenarios on the degradation of five commonly used herbicides in a long-term experimental field located in the maize belt of Siping, Jilin Province. Post-harvest soil samples were analyzed for residual herbicide concentrations and basic soil physicochemical properties. A human health risk assessment was conducted, and a controlled incubation experiment was carried out to evaluate herbicide degradation dynamics under three management systems: straw incorporation with traditional rotary tillage (ST), straw incorporation with strip tillage (SS), and no-till without straw (CK). Residual concentrations of atrazine ranged from not detected (ND) to 21.10 μg/kg (mean: 5.28 μg/kg), while acetochlor showed the highest variability (2.29–120.61 μg/kg, mean: 25.26 μg/kg). Alachlor levels were much lower (ND–5.71 μg/kg, mean: 0.34 μg/kg), and neither nicosulfuron nor mesotrione was detected. Soil organic matter (17.6–20.89 g/kg) positively correlated with available potassium and acetochlor residues. Health risk assessments indicated negligible non-cancer risks for both adults and children via ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation. The results demonstrate that tillage methods significantly influence herbicide degradation kinetics, thereby affecting environmental persistence and ecological risks. Integrating straw with ST or SS enhanced the dissipation of atrazine and mesotrione, suggesting their potential as effective residue mitigation strategies. This study highlights the importance of tailoring tillage and straw management practices to pesticide type for optimizing herbicide fate and promoting sustainable agroecosystem management. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-6f008c2abd2744b8a3f7e77f9d8009832025-07-25T13:12:30ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-07-011514784010.3390/app15147840Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural SoilsYanan Chen0Feng Zhang1Qiang Gao2Qing Ma3College of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, ChinaCollege of Jilin Emergency Management, Changchun Institute of Technology, Changchun 130012, ChinaPesticide residues pose risks to the environment and human health. Little is known about how tillage and straw management affect herbicide behavior in soil. This study investigated the effects of different tillage practices under varying straw incorporation scenarios on the degradation of five commonly used herbicides in a long-term experimental field located in the maize belt of Siping, Jilin Province. Post-harvest soil samples were analyzed for residual herbicide concentrations and basic soil physicochemical properties. A human health risk assessment was conducted, and a controlled incubation experiment was carried out to evaluate herbicide degradation dynamics under three management systems: straw incorporation with traditional rotary tillage (ST), straw incorporation with strip tillage (SS), and no-till without straw (CK). Residual concentrations of atrazine ranged from not detected (ND) to 21.10 μg/kg (mean: 5.28 μg/kg), while acetochlor showed the highest variability (2.29–120.61 μg/kg, mean: 25.26 μg/kg). Alachlor levels were much lower (ND–5.71 μg/kg, mean: 0.34 μg/kg), and neither nicosulfuron nor mesotrione was detected. Soil organic matter (17.6–20.89 g/kg) positively correlated with available potassium and acetochlor residues. Health risk assessments indicated negligible non-cancer risks for both adults and children via ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation. The results demonstrate that tillage methods significantly influence herbicide degradation kinetics, thereby affecting environmental persistence and ecological risks. Integrating straw with ST or SS enhanced the dissipation of atrazine and mesotrione, suggesting their potential as effective residue mitigation strategies. This study highlights the importance of tailoring tillage and straw management practices to pesticide type for optimizing herbicide fate and promoting sustainable agroecosystem management.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/14/7840straw returntillagesoil pollutionherbicideshuman health riskdegradation |
| spellingShingle | Yanan Chen Feng Zhang Qiang Gao Qing Ma Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural Soils Applied Sciences straw return tillage soil pollution herbicides human health risk degradation |
| title | Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural Soils |
| title_full | Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural Soils |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural Soils |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural Soils |
| title_short | Impacts of Different Tillage and Straw Management Systems on Herbicide Degradation and Human Health Risks in Agricultural Soils |
| title_sort | impacts of different tillage and straw management systems on herbicide degradation and human health risks in agricultural soils |
| topic | straw return tillage soil pollution herbicides human health risk degradation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/14/7840 |
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