Effect of fungicides, captafol and chlorothalonil, on microbial and enzymatic activities in mineral soil.

Tests were conducted to determine the effects of fungicides, captafol and chlorothalonil, on microbial and enzymatic activities in sandy loam. The results indicated that when captafol or chlorothalonil was added to the sandy loam, bacterial and fungicidal populations initially decreased with the treatments but recovered rapidly to levels similar to those in the controls. No inhibition on oxidation of soil ammonia or organic sulfur was observed. The fungicide treatments significantly increased oxygen consumption from the decomposition of organic matter indigenous to the soil. Both fungicides suppressed invertase and amylase for 1 day. However, the inhibitory effect disappeared after 2 days. Captafol depressed dehydrogenase for 4 days and recovered to equal to that of control after 7 days. No inhibitory effect on urease and phosphatase was shown with the fungicidal treatments. Although some stimulatory influences of fungicides on microbial and enzymatic activities were found in the soil, in no instance were the effects dramatic or sufficient enough to be considered important to soil fertility.