Adding organic matter (compost, manure) to farm soil significantly speeds up the breakdown of two common wheat herbicides, reducing how long they persist and how deeply they leach — potentially lowering contamination risk for groundwater and neighboring plants.
1
Organic amendments significantly reduced herbicide half-life compared to unamended soil, accelerating degradation of both mesosulfuron-methyl and iodosulfuron-methyl.
2
Organically amended soils showed measurably reduced leaching behavior, meaning herbicides moved less deeply through the soil profile toward groundwater.
3
Organic amendments triggered increased soil microbial activity and biochemical responses, suggesting microbes are the primary driver of faster herbicide breakdown.
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