A Quick Test for Herbicide Carryover in the Soil

Herbicide residues may persist in the soil and affect susceptible crops for years after application. Crop sensitivity depends on the specific crop-herbicide combination. Herbicide labels often provide guidelines on intervals between herbicide application and the planting of sensitive crops. However, there may be situations where it is important to assess the level of herbicide residue in a soil prior to planting a crop, either because a label does not provide guidelines or previous experience indicates a potential for injury to occur.