Movement of seed- and soil-applied fluopyram in soil columns

The movement of seed- and soil-applied fluopyram was evaluated in soil columns. The nematicide was sampled at three soil depths and used in a nematode motility bioassay. Based on Meloidogyne incognita mortality, the downward movement of soil-applied fluopyram was affected by soil type and application method. No nematode-toxic levels of soil-applied fluopyram were detected past 5 cm depth in sandy loam soil compared to 10 cm depth in sandy soil. A slower rate of water infiltration had little impact on the movement of soil-applied fluopyram in sandy soil, but did affect the movement of soil-applied abamectin. In the seed-applied nematicide experiments, a greater effect on nematode mortality was observed at the 0 to 5 cm depth in sandy soil with fluopyram- than abamectin-treated cotton seed, whereas a similar effect was observed with soybean seed. No effect on nematode motility was observed with other seed-applied nematicides, thiodicarb, and Bacillus firmus. Overall, soil-applied fluopyram had a greater effect on M. incognita mortality at 10 cm depth in sandy soil than seed-applied fluopyram. These data provide a better understanding as to the movement of fluopyram as affected by soil type, water infiltration rates, and application methods.