Influence of Glyphosate and 2, 4 - D Amine Herbicides on Soil Metabolic Processes

Nkamigbo Promise Ngozi; Mbachu Ifeoma Adaora Chima; Bright Obidinma Uba

Abstract

AbstractHerbicides when applied to soil remain persistent and may become toxic to microbial life when they exceed certain threshold of concentration. In this study, the influence of glyphosate and 2, 4 - D amine herbicides on soil metabolic processes was investigated. This study was done at herbicides concentrations of 0.1 %, 0.2 %, 0.5 %, 1 % and 5 % using the spraying method in two fields in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Nigeria. Field A was treated with glyphosate while field B was treated with 2,4-D amine. Each field was partitioned into 6 (six) parts for the different concentrations of the herbicide. Standard chemical processes were used for determining the physico - chemical parameters, bacterial isolation and identification as well as metabolic activities determination from the unpolluted and polluted soil samples. The result revealed that the soil samples were slightly acidic, sandy clay loam type, lower organic carbon content, higher total nitrogen and phosphorus content and a moderate capacity to hold water. The result revealed significant (P < 0.05) reduction in soil respiration and cellulase activity and non-significant (P> 0.05) decline in dehydrogenase activity among the treatment groups in comparison to their baseline unpolluted controls. These reductions in soil respiration, dehydrogenase activity and cellulase activity were found to be significantly concentration and exposure period dependent. Comparatively, glyphosate herbicide seems to have greater cellulase and dehydrogenase enzymes reduction effects than 2,4 - D amine with higher inhibition effect on soil respiration during the 15 days treatment. Keywords: 2, 4-D amine, glyphosate, biological indicator, pollution, soil statusCite this ArticleNkamigbo Promise Ngozi, Mbachu Ifeoma Adaora Chima, Uba Bright Obidinma. Influence of Glyphosate and 2, 4 - D Amine Herbicides on Soil Metabolic Processes. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Biotechnology. 2020; 10(1): 1–11p.