No abstract

The toxicity of nicosulfuron to none target organisms is its downside, which has generated concerns about the herbicide in spite of its high herbicidal activity. Practices that would facilitate accelerated degradation of this herbicide will certainly be complementary to its use. A completely randomized design laboratory incubation experiment was carried out to examine the potentials of organic and mineral fertilizers to stimulate microbial activities in soil under the influence of the nicosulfuron herbicide. Soil contaminated with the field rate of nicosulfuron was separately amended with compost and NPK mineral fertilizer, and the treated samples were incubated for 56 days at room temperature. Soil microbial activity and microbial biomass C were measured in dynamics for the period of incubation. Eco-physiological quotients were also computed at the end of incubation to determine responses of soil microbes at the community level to the treatments. Application of nicosulfuron alone was found to repress both microbial biomass and microbial activity. Addition of fertilizer however caused these parameters to increase especially during the first 28 days after treatment application. The microbial metabolic quotient was raised by the soil amendments shortly after application with the exemption of NPK treated soil. However, only the soil samples in which compost was present lowered qCO2 at the termination of the experiment. NIC-COMP and NIC-NPK respectively raised and lowered the soil carbon mineralization quotient (qM) measured at the end of incubation. The soil microbial community was also found to be positively affected by the addition of fertilizers as indicated by the Cmic: Corg ratio and the microbial biomass change rate quotient (qC). It was therefore concluded that though the nicosulfuron herbicide at the field recommended rate has potentials to negatively affect the soil microbial community, application of organic fertilizer may help the soil to regain its microbial competence through enhanced degradation engendered by biostimulation of native microorganisms.

Soil applied herbicides may persist to adversely affect rotational crops as well as perturb soil microbiological functions. This experiment therefore aimed at determining the effects of soil residual activity of diuron (3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N,N-dimethylurea) on Corchorus olitorius plants and on soil microbial population. Diuron herbicide was applied to potted soils at varying times of 12, 9, 6, 3 and zero weeks before planting Corchorus olitorius. Seed germination, seedling mortality, plant growth as well as soil microbial populations were determined. Results indicated that diuron, regardless of time of application significantly reduced growth parameters of C. olitorius plants few days after emergence, and this was followed by 100% die-back in the herbicide treated pots. Results further showed a reduction in soil microbial population with diuron application, and the reduction was inversely related to time of diuron application before sowing C. olitorius. Sensitive vegetables such as C. olitorius should not be sown to succeed a short season crop in which diuron had been applied to control weeds at the usual recommended rate of 3.0 kg a.i/ha. Allowance of a fallow period following the first crop might also help the soil microbial community to recover from diuron toxicity.

Organomineral formulations are low input technology fertilizers, which combine the attributes of both organic and inorganic fertilizers. A completely randomized design (CRD) pot experiment was conducted in the screen house of the Department of Crop, Soil and Pest Management, of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, to evaluate the residual effects of neem Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Sapindales: Meliaceae) seed based fertilizer and NPK 20:10:10 on the growth, yield and nutritional quality of Basella alba L. (Caryophyllales: Basellaceae). Results showed that the plots previously treated with neem seed-based fertilizer especially at 150-300 kg/ha enhanced the growth, yield and nutritional quality of B. alba, and increased these parameter significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the NPK treated and the untreated soil samples. It was therefore concluded that the Neem seed based fertilizer can serve as a viable alternative to NPK chemical fertilizers especially in rotational cropping systems owing to its prolonged soil action.

Summary Nematode population and diversity in a West African rain-fed rice cropland amended with biochar (B), biochar plus inorganic fertiliser (B + NPK), inorganic fertiliser (NPK) and control (CK) without amendments were investigated in a 3-year field study. Results demonstrated that significant differences exist between treatments and years of study for total nematode population and nematode trophic groups. Total nematode density, nematode trophic group (bacterivore and plant-parasitic) density were increased and dominant in B + NPK compared with CK after 3 years. Relative abundance of nematode genera according to trophic group across treatments showed Hirschmanniella (23%) as the dominant plant parasites in NPK, and Heterocephalobus (27%), Aphelenchoides (22%) and Eudorylaimus (9%) as dominant bacterivores, fungivores and omnivores-predators, respectively, in B + NPK. Trophic group indicators showed that the fungivore plus bacterivore to plant-parasitic ratio (73%) was significantly increased by B + NPK treatment in comparison to CK. Conversely, treatments exerted no significant effect on the fungivore to bacterivore ratio (F/B) throughout the period of study, which implies less disturbance and adverse impact of biochar on nematode communities. Apart from treatments and environmental factors, changes in nematode trophic groups were strongly related to soil chemical properties, such as soil pH, total nitrogen and available phosphorus, which shows their influence on soil nematode community. Our result shows the positive effect of integrated addition of biochar and inorganic fertiliser in balancing nematode diversity and building a resilient soil ecosystem in a low input rain-fed rice cropping system.