title: Microbial response to bensulfuron-methyl treatment in soil.
abstract: A laboratory incubation study was conducted to evaluate the effect of bensulfuron-methyl treatment on soil microbial biomass and N-mineralization of a loamy sand soil. The herbicide was applied at 0 (control), 0.01 (field rate), 0.1, and 1.0 microg g(-1), and soil microbial biomass carbon (C(mb)), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (N(mb)), and N-mineralization rate (k) were measured at different times after herbicide treatment. Compared to the untreated soil, C(mb) and N(mb) decreased significantly (p < or = 0.05) within the first 7 days after herbicide treatment at 0.1 and 1.0 microg g(-1), and the impact was greater for N(mb) than for C(mb). Nitrogen mineralization was significantly suppressed during the first 5 days of incubation when the soil was treated with bensulfuron-methyl at 0.1 and 1.0 microg g(-1). The overall impact of bensulfuron-methyl to the soil microbial communities was closely related to the application rate in the range of 0.01-1.0 microg g(-1). This effect, however, was found to be transitory, and significant impact occurred only at high application rates.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: El-Ghamry
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gan
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D012987:Soil; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D002244:Carbon; C071475:methyl bensulfuron; D009584:Nitrogen