Abstract
PurposeThe use of glyphosate in agriculture raises a lot of controversy because research concerning its impact on the soil provides contradictory information. However, despite these negative opinions, glyphosate is still used in agricultural practice. Therefore, for a more complete assessment, the authors carried out research using traditional microbiological methods and a modern method of metabolic profile analysis in glyphosate-treated soil.MethodsThe study was carried out on the soil witch was sown with six cultivars of rapeseed. Seven days before harvest, the plants were sprayed with the herbicide. The analyses consisted in determining the number of selected groups of microorganisms, biochemical and enzymatic activity, and differentiation of the catabolic potential of soil microbial communities.ResultsThe results showed significant changes in the analyzed parameters. Respiratory activity and ammonification processes were stimulated in the treatments with rapeseed cultivation treated with the herbicide. Changes in the enzymatic activity were generally positive. The EcoPlate assessment of microbial community catabolism showed that the highest activity was recorded in the soil sown with the cultivars Belinda, Tamarin, and Sw svinto. Concurrently, these soils were characterized by the highest correlations between rapeseed cultivar and metabolic activity.ConclusionCultivation of specific plant varieties that reduce the negative effect of herbicides used in agriculture may be one of the methods to prevent soil degradation. In our research, Belinda turned out to be a cultivar, under the cultivation of which an increase in the activity of microorganisms was recorded most frequently compared to soil not sown with rapeseed.
Highlights
Herbicides are biologically active compounds that prevent growth of competitive plants in crop cultivation when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, thereby providing the desired plants with better growth and yielding conditions
An important role is played by crop plants, in particular their rhizosphere, which is a site of three-way interactions between the plant, roots, and microorganisms [19, 33]
Studies show that glyphosate is biodegraded by soil microorganisms
Summary
Herbicides are biologically active compounds that prevent growth of competitive plants in crop cultivation when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, thereby providing the desired plants with better growth and yielding conditions. Plants exert an effect on the local microclimate and soil properties as well as soil microbiological diversity. In consequence, they have a significant impact on C and N transformations and C O2 emission [55]. Studies show that glyphosate is biodegraded by soil microorganisms. This process requires appropriate conditions, including C abundance and adequate soil pH [28]. The effect of glyphosate on soil microorganisms and its bioavailability and biodegradability depends on microbiome composition as well as soil properties and the type of preparation applied [6, 17]
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