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Influence of fungicides on bacterial and fungal populations in ecuadorian potato (Solanum tuberosum) cultivated soils

Abstract:

Due to enormous use of pesticides leads to a severe contamination of the soil environment and thereby it affects the soil microbial biodiversity and its activities. Hence there is an urge to assess the microbial populations of soils in the biosphere. In this study two pesticides carbendazim and mancozeb were analysed for their effects on bacterial and fungal populations in two potato (Solanum Tuberosum) cultivated soils. Samples of soil 1 and soil 2 were analysed for physico-chemical properties E.g., soil pH, organic matter total nitrogen, electrical conductivity, sand, silt and clay contents were detected, and then soil bacterial and fungal populations were determined. The bacterial and fungal population were increased with increasing concentration of pesticides up to 5.0 kg ha-1 compared to the controls in 10-day incubated soils. The bacterial and fungal populations continued to increase up to 20 days, and then, gradually decreased after 30 and 40 days of incubation. However, further increase in the dose of pesticides (7.5-10 kg ha-1) dramatically decreased the bacterial and fungal populations.