Olive mill waste and glyphosate‐based herbicide addition to olive grove soils: effects on microbial activities and their responses to drying–rewetting cycles

Abstract

AbstractThe objective of this experimental study was to determine the effect of agronomic practices usually implemented in olive groves (addition of olive mill waste and herbicides) on soil microbial communities and to test whether drought enhanced such effects. For that purpose, mesocosms containing soil cores from olive groves were incubated for 5 months under either of the three treatments: (i) addition of olive mill waste (OMW), (ii) addition of glyphosate‐based herbicide (Gly treatment) and (iii) both treatments. Half of the mesocosms were subjected or not (controls) to drying–rewetting cycles (D/Rw) for 1 month (1 D/Rw) or 3 months (3 D/Rw). In the controls, 2 months after the Gly treatment, higher lipase activities were observed compared with no practice treatment as well as a significant change in catabolic profiles of cultivable microbial communities. Three months later, lipase activities significantly decreased under the Gly treatment. Addition of OMW together with Gly treatment counteracted the negative effect of the herbicide on lipase activities. After three D/Rw cycles, Gly treatment modified catabolic profiles and induced a decrease in functional diversity. Overall, the combination of glyphosate‐based herbicide with OMW was a conservative practice that maintained soil functioning and led to a better response to D/Rw cycles.