Degradation kinetics of glucosinolates in soil

Glucosinolates are compounds produced by all cruciferous plants. They can be hydrolyzed to several biologically active compounds and, as such, may serve as naturally produced pesticides. To optimize the pesticidal (biofumigation) effect and to assess the risk of glucosinolate leaching and spread in the environment, the degradation in soil of glucosinolates has been studied. The kinetics of degradation of four glucosinolates, two aliphatic (but‐3‐enyl and 2‐hydroxy‐but‐3‐enyl) and two aromatic (benzyl and phenethyl), in four soils was largely independent of the specific glucosinolate structure. Degradation followed logistic kinetics. Degradation was much faster in a clayey soil (half‐life, 3.5–6.8 h) than in a sandy soil (half‐life, 9.2–15.5 h). Degradation was much slower or nonexistent in the subsoil (