A simulation study, using the MACRO-DB pesticide leaching model, was carried out to determine the impact of different weed control strategies on groundwater quality in a Central Italy area (Umbria) where the drinking water wells for the city of Perugia are located. The simulations considered nine representative soil profiles and two different crop rotations. Weather conditions were those of ten years. Thirty herbicides and twenty-two weed control strategies were tested for their groundwater concentrations. Two maps reporting the risk of groundwater contamination were made from simulations of the two crop rotations applying the strategy with the least groundwater pollution risk for each crop. As even the less polluting strategy in the four-crop rotation exceeds the EU Directive 414/91 limit for drinking water, only the three-crop rotation is recommended. The present findings testify that crop selection is an effective way to minimise groundwater pollution risk.
Modelling herbicide treatment impact on groundwater quality in a central Italy area
BUSINELLI, Daniela
Writing – Review & Editing
;
2001
Abstract
A simulation study, using the MACRO-DB pesticide leaching model, was carried out to determine the impact of different weed control strategies on groundwater quality in a Central Italy area (Umbria) where the drinking water wells for the city of Perugia are located. The simulations considered nine representative soil profiles and two different crop rotations. Weather conditions were those of ten years. Thirty herbicides and twenty-two weed control strategies were tested for their groundwater concentrations. Two maps reporting the risk of groundwater contamination were made from simulations of the two crop rotations applying the strategy with the least groundwater pollution risk for each crop. As even the less polluting strategy in the four-crop rotation exceeds the EU Directive 414/91 limit for drinking water, only the three-crop rotation is recommended. The present findings testify that crop selection is an effective way to minimise groundwater pollution risk.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
