New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Persistence of sodium monofluoroacetate (1080), pindone, cholecalciferol, and
brodifacoum in possum baits under simulated rainfall
L. H. BOOTH
S. C. OGILVIE
C. T. EASON
Landcare Research
P. O. Box 69
Lincoln, New Zealand
Abstract Possums are responsible for major damage to native
forests in New Zealand and several baits are available to control this pest.
However, there are no data on the persistence of the toxicants in these baits
during periods of rain. Four commonly used possum cereal baits were exposed to
simulated rainfall to investigate weathering of bait, persistence of toxicant
in the bait, and the rate of leaching and persistence of toxicant in the soil.
The water-soluble toxicant 1080 was rapidly leached from bait into soil.
Leaching began after only 20 mm of rainfall. Soil concentrations under baits
reached a maximum concentration in soil after 100 mm rainfall and declined to
near the limit of detection after 250 mm. Pindone concentration in baits
declined by 23% after 400 mm of rainfall, but no pindone was found in the soil.
Cholecalciferol and brodifacoum concentrations in bait did not decline at all,
but trace amounts of cholecalciferol were found in soil under baits. These
results demonstrate that if baits containing hydrophobic toxicants, such as
brodifacoum, are hand-laid or spilt from bait stations, they will remain
hazardous to livestock and non-target species, even after exposure to
substantial amounts of rainfall.
Keywords toxicant persistence; bait leaching; pest
management
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1999, Vol. 42: 107-112
0028-8233/99/4201-0 107 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1999
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