Slow release of the herbicide terbuthylazine from biochar-based formulations

Abstract

Objectives • Preparation of two complexes of terbuthylazine (TA) based on biochar (BC) obtained from olive oil mill waste at two different pyrolysis temperatures (350 and 700ºC); • Assessment of persistence, leaching and bioefficacy of TA applied to soil as BC-TA complexes. Highlights • TA slowly releases from BC-TA formulations when applied to soil; • TA degrades equally in all treatments; • Leaching of TA is reduced and retarded when the herbicide is applied as BC-TA formulations as compared with the application of the herbicide in a readily available form; • Bioassays demonstrated similar phytotoxicity of the prepared formulations in controlling the growth of Lepidum sativum respect to the free-TA.