Effect of application of different pesticides to soybean on the soil microflora.

Pesticide residues contributing to the contamination of soil may influence microbial population of the soil and in turn fertility of soil. The present paper reports the effect of pesticides applied to soybean i.e. phorate, carbofuran, carbosulfan, thiomethoxam, imidacloprid, chlorpyriphos and monocrotophos on soil microflora. The viable count of rhizobia and phosphate solubilizing bacteria from rhizospheric soil of soybean ranged between 10(7)-10(8) cfu/g soil which was comparable to the count of bacteria from untreated (control) soil. No significant change in the total viable count of any kind of bacteria due to application of pesticides has been found showing their ability to degrade these pesticides.