Volume : VI, Issue : VIII, August - 2017

Impact of pesticides on soil mesofaunal population in an Agroforestry habitat.

Nisha Sharma, Hina Parwez

Abstract :

 The widespread use of pesticides in agroforestry is most common in India. Despite their benefits, they have many problems also. The economy of agricultural production is depending on the soil productivity which is directly affected by soil mesofauna. Soil mesofauna play a vital role in the process of decomposition, nutrient cycling, and organic matter decomposition. Therefore it is important to maintain the population of soil mesofauna in the soil through different soil management practices such as– use of pesticides. This study summarizes the impact of two different pesticides (Malathion and Carbofuran) on soil microorganisms and non–target inverteates during January to December 2013 at department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (India). Pesticides applied on soil at recommended levels had a detrimental effect on soil mesofaunal population and their activities. The extraction of soil microarthropods were done by modified Tullegren funnel. Physical parameters such as–soil temperature, soil moisture, electrical conductivity etc. and chemical factors such as organic carbon content, phosphate, potassium, nitrogen etc. were also analyzed according to standard laboratory techniques during this period. They were also affected due to the application of these pesticides and resulting the disturbed population of soil mesofauna. This study strongly suggests that the continuous use of pesticides on soil is harmful to soil mesofauna as well as the soil health.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijsr  

Cite This Article:

Nisha Sharma, Hina Parwez, Impact of pesticides on soil mesofaunal population in an Agroforestry habitat., INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH : VOLUME-6 | ISSUE-8 | AUGUST‾2017

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