The effect of some herbicides on microbes and their activity in soil

Abstract

Fertility of the soil is greatly influenced by the activity of soil-living microorganisms. Agricultural engineering (manuring, fertilising, cultivation, plant protection) directly or indirectly influences soil properties, thus affecting the activity of microbes of the soil. Taylor-Lovell et al. (2002) revealed that the degradation of isoxoflutol in the soil is accelerated by microbes. Angerer et al. (2004) studied the effects of new type herbicides on microbes in model experiments in which herbicides were used in doses as applied in agricultural practice and in higher doses. The results of these experiments show that microorganisms display different sensitivity to different doses of herbicides. Bird et al. (2002) showed that N-fixing bacteria are the most sensitive group in this sense. The results of experiments carried out on calcareous chernozem soil suggest that during the vegetation period the herbicide Acenit caused significant changes in the number and enzyme activity of soil-living microbes (K&tai, 1998). Katai et al. (2003) found that herbicides containing acetochloric-atrasin generally increased the number of bacteria and microscopic fungi and enhanced CO2 production. Experimental results about the other herbicides used in our investigation cannot be found in the literature. The aim of our study was to reveal the effects of herbicides used in maize lands on soil-living microorganisms and their activity.