Chapter 17 - Impact of pesticides on microbial diversity

Abstract

Agricultural productivity as well as soil health heavily relies on the microbial activities in the soil. In fact, the microbial diversity has always been regarded as an important parameter in assessing the soil health and fertility. Pesticides on the other hand have acquired an important position in agriculture, especially in case of the intensive agriculture. However, excessive use of chemical pesticides has been found to be detrimental for the fertility and health of soil, human health, and the environment in general. From the point of view of micro-organisms, while higher doses of pesticides have been mostly been associated with decrease in microbial population and activity, the lower concentrations of pesticides have been found to be stimulatory for certain microbes. So, in depth analysis of different types of chemical pesticides on microbial growth and diversity becomes imperative for understanding the microbe-soil-plant interactions. This in turn will help in gaining maximum benefits from the environmental resources without adversely impacting Mother Nature.