Residues in blackcurrants, fodder peas, spinach and potatoes treated with sublethal doses of 2,4,5-T to simulate wind drift damage

Blackcurrants, treated with 0.1 kg of 2,4,5-T ha-1 (as esters of mixed C4-C6 alcohols; Tormona 80), contained 0.1 mg of 2,4,5-T residues kg-1 in the berries at ripeness 29 days after treatment. Total residues in the berries were not reduced during growth and ripening, although the residue concentrations declined in the same period due to growth dilution.

In spinach leaves from old plants, treated with 0.1 kg ha-1, 0.05 mg of 2,4,5-T kg-1 was found 14 days after treatment. Fodder peas showed no residues (<0.002 mg kg-1) at harvest 62 days after treatment with 2,4,5-T esters. After application of 0.1 kg ha-1 on potato plants, the disappearance of 2,4,5-T was rapid during the first month, but residues were translocated into the tubers and reached a constant level of 0.02 mg kg-1 after 1 month until harvest at 108 days after treatment.

In all crops, visible effects were observed after treatment with 0.1 kg ha-1. After the application at 0.01 kg ha-1, phytotoxic effects were observed only in blackcurrants, but negligible residues were found in all the test crops.