title: Effects of the herbicide alachlor on soil microbial activities.
abstract: : A study was made of the effects of one selected acetanilide herbicide, alachlor, at concentrations of 2.0-10.0 kg ha(-1) on bacterial populations, fungi, dinitrogen fixation bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, nitrifying bacteria, nitrogenase activity, acid and alkaline phosphatases, arylsulfatase and deshydrogenase. The presence of 2.0-10.0 kg ha(-1) of alachlor in the soil increased the total number of bacteria and fungi. The population of denitrifying bacteria increased significantly at concentrations of 5.0-10.0 kg ha(-1). However, aerobic dinitrogen fixing bacteria and nitrogenase activity decreased at alachlor concentrations of 3.5-10.0 kg ha(-1). Acid and alkaline phosphatases, arylsulfatase and dehydrogenase activity decreased significantly initially at concentrations of 5.0-10.0 kg ha(-1), but recovered to levels similar to those in the control. Nitrifying bacteria were not affected as a consequence of the addition of the herbicide to agricultural soil.
authors.affiliation: Group of Nitrogen Fixation, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, E-18071, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pozo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salmeron
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodelas
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Martinez-Toledo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Lopez