Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns

1. Manual E, Chapter 9:Environmental concerns Dr. Vera Krischik Department of Entomology University of Minnesota

2. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Learning objectives • Understand the environmental benefits of healthy turf. • Identify first steps to avoid misapplication of fertilizer. • Develop an awareness of environmental hazards associated with misuse of pesticides.

3. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Learning objectives • Explain the difference between “transportation” and “transformation” • Understand how following appropriate principles can reduce environmental hazards • Utilize he book to continue your professional development.

4. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Terms to know • Transportation: The movement of a pesticide away from its intended site. • Transformation: When a pesticide’s chemical structure is altered. • Volatilization: When a pesticide changes from a solid or liquid phase to a gaseous phase.

5. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Introduction • Water contamination from grass is a big concern. • Dense healthy turf with thatch will absorb fertilizers before they migrate off the grass. Dense turf reduces the velocity of runoff.

6. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns The benefits of turfgrass • Produces per 25 sg ft enough oxygen for one person for a day. • Absorbs gaseous pollution such as carbon dioxide from vehicles, lowering greenhouse gases. • Controls dust and pollen in air, which can cause allergic reactions.

7. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns The benefits of turfgrass • Provides significant cooling. • Reduces noise by absorbing, deflecting, refracting sounds • Reduces discomfort from glare and light reflection.

8. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Use fertilizers responsibly • Provides significant growth of turf • Must be used responsibly. • Use a soil test to determine fertilization needs.

9. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Use pesticides responsibly • Overuse or misuse of pesticides results in: • Reduction of bird populations • Appearance of detectable residue in aquatic systems • Implication of pesticides as a carcinogen

10. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Use pesticides responsibly • Long term contamination of persistent pesticides • Destruction of nontarget organisms • Evolution of pest resistant strains

11. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Environmental influence • The fate of pesticides can be grouped into two classes: • Transportation processes result in movement away from the intended site. Leaching and runoff potential may affect water quality. Volatilization, Adsorption, plant absorption • Transformation processes result in an alteration in chemical structure.

12. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Environmental influence • The fate of pesticides can be grouped into two classes: • Transformation processes result in an alteration in chemical structure. Photodecomposition, microbial decomposition, chemical degradation

13. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Environmental influence • Transportation processes: • Leaching: downward movement of pesticides and nutrients into soil • Runoff: Precipitation rate exceeds he rate of water infiltration into the soil. Movement from row crops to bare soil. Dense turf grass can reduce runoff.

14. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Environmental influence • Transportation processes: • Volatilization: Change in form from solid to gaseous. Vapor pressure is where solids vaporize into liquids which evaporate. Broadleaf herbicides formulated as esters volatilize more than amine formulations. So don not use ester above 80 to 85degrees F. • Absorption: Movement of pesticide into plant or mulch to be broken down

15. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Environmental influence • Transformation processes: • Photo decomposition: Sunlight brakes down pesticides for further degradation by microbes. Dinitroanline herbicides (benefin, trifluralin, pendimethalin, prodiamine) • Microbial decomposition: Warm, moist soils, ph 6.5 to 9.0 encourage microbial decomposition. • Chemical degradation: The hydrolysis of pesticide and water.

16. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Pesticide application practices • Determine the economic threshold. • Read the label. • Timing • Post application irrigation • Application water volume

17. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Application practices • Never apply chemicals to waterways. • Clean up spills. Never wash spills into the street or hard surfaces that might lead to sewers. • Drop spreaders are more precise than rotary spreaders. Near lakes do not use rotary spreaders. Buffer zones of native plants absorb nutrients.

18. Manual E, Chapter 9: Environmental concerns Application practices • Avoid fertilizers moving into natural drainage. • Return grass clippings to lawns to decompose. • Do not blow clippings onto hard surfaces.