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.
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Pozo, C., Salmeron, V., Rodelas, B. et al. Effects of the herbicide alachlor on soil microbial activities. Ecotoxicology 3, 4–10 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00121384
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00121384