title: Effect of systemic herbicides on N2-fixing and phosphate solubilizing microorganisms in relation to availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in paddy soils of West Bengal.
abstract: A field experiment has been conducted with four systemic herbicides viz., butachlor [N-(butoxymethyl)-2-chloro-2',6'-diethyl-acetanilide], fluchloralin [N-(2-chloroethyl)-(2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-4-trifluoromethyl) aniline], oxadiazon [5-terbutyl-3-(2,4-dichloro-5-isopro poxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-one] and oxyfluorfen [2-chloro-1-(3-ethoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzene] at their recommended field rates (2.0, 1.5, 0.4 and 0.12kga.i.ha(-1), respectively) to investigate their effects on growth and activities of aerobic non-symbiotic N(2)-fixing bacteria and phosphate solubilizing microorganisms in relation to availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in the rhizosphere soils as well as yield of the rice crop (Oryza sativa L cv. IR-36). Application of herbicides, in general, highly stimulated the population and activities of the target microorganisms, which resulted in a greater amount of atmospheric nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization in the rhizosphere soils of the test crop. The greater microbial activities subsequently augmented the mineralization and availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil solution, which in turn increased the yield of the crop. Among the herbicides, oxyfluorfen was most stimulative followed by fluchloralin and oxadiazon in augmenting the microbial activities in soil. Butachlor also accentuated the mineralization and availability of nitrogen due to higher incitement of non-symbiotic N(2)-fixing bacteria in paddy soil. The grain and straw yields of the crop were also significantly increased due to the application of oxyfluorfen (20.2% and 21%) followed by fluchloralin (13.1% and 15.4%) and butachlor (9.1% and 10.2%), respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur 741 252, West Bengal, India. acdas2@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Amal Chandra
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Anjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debnath
mesh_terms: D000083:Acetanilides / Q000633:toxicity; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007194:India; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012275:Oryza; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000633:toxicity; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000083:Acetanilides; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006540:Herbicides; D008903:Minerals; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; D010710:Phosphates; D012987:Soil; C016027:oxyfluorofen; C054409:butachlor; C012322:fluchloralin; C012466:oxadiazon; D009584:Nitrogen