How to Overcome the Problem of Herbicidal Residual Toxicity in the Soil and Water
1) Use of optimum doses of herbicides: Application of herbicides in optimum dose as per-recommendation to the particular crop is helpful for minimizing herbicide residue in the soil. Do not apply herbicide in excess dose.
2) Leaching of herbicide residues by frequent irrigations from surface layer of the soil.
3) Addition of organic matter and frequent tillage of the field for increasing microbial degradation or bio-degradation of the herbicide residue in soil.
4) Use of herbicide tolerant crops: Maize and Sorghum are very good consumes of atrazine and simazine or grow herbicide tolerant crops in the rotation for minimizing herbicide residues in the soil.
5) Use of Surfactants with herbicides need lower dose of herbicides and increase absorption of herbicide and residual phyto-toxicity to the crop in rotation is reduced.
6) Use of less persistent herbicides like paraquat or diquat for control of aquatic weed for reducing toxic hazards in irrigation water.
7) Use of 2,4-D if concentration is less than 2 ppm, the treated water may be used for irrigation.
8) Simazine can be used safely for algal control in fishponds.
9) Fish from treated ponds should not be used for at least 3 to 5 days after application of herbicides.