Chapter 11 - Modulation of soil microbiome and related alterations in response to pesticides

Abstract

The application of pesticides is extensively increasing in arable lands to minimize the impact of pests on crop yields. However, these unmanaged agricultural practices significantly affect the soil characteristics, and therefore the xenobiotic nature of the pesticides is a growing threat to the soil micro-fauna. Of the different soil microbes, beneficial soil microorganisms perform principal roles in biodegradation, nutrient recycling, soil structural stability, nitrogen fixation, plant growth promotion, disease bio-control, and other biochemical transformation. As a result, the adverse effect of pesticides on the soil micro-biota significantly altered the soil characteristics, which ultimately reduced the growth and yield of the crop plants. Since the effects of different pesticides (organochlorines, organophosphorus, carbamates, pyrethrin, and pyrethroids) on different microbes (bacteria, fungi, and microalgae) were varied; it is essential to know the action of pesticides on microbial population and biochemical transformation processes. The major focus of this work is to analyze the effects of pesticides on microbial growth and activity. The information from this study would help in choosing specific pesticides for specific agricultural lands. For a sustainable agricultural ecosystem, it is essential to maintain the proliferation of soil microbes, and this article elaborates on different strategies to create a sustainable agroecosystem with minimum utilization of agrochemicals, which supports the growth of beneficial soil microorganisms.