Determination of microbial population and physicochemical components of atrazine treated soil

Abstract

This study determines the microbial population and physicochemical components of soil treated with atrazine. The uncultivated soil samples were treated with the recommended, high and low doses respectively of atrazine. Isolation and identification of the soil microbes as well as the determination of the physicochemical components (soil pH, organic carbon and organic matter) were carried out using standard procedures. The results of the study indicated that, the soil  microbes eg Staphylococcus sp., Micrococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp.,E coli, Actinomycetes bovis, A. Israeli, Streptomycetes sp.,A. Israeli Streptomycetes sp.,Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Asidia corymbifera, and Rhizopus stolonifer were all found present. Also Samples    A, B and C analyzed before atrazine application showed a variation in their microbial population with the soil sample A significantly (P˃0.05) having the highest microbial composition, whereas the physicochemical parameters of the soils such as the pH, organic carbon and matter were not significantly (P˃0.05) different. The microbial as well as the physicochemical components of the atrazine treated soils were mostly at the 2^nd week after application significantly (P˃0.05) recorded the highest population/composition. Atrazine, although, it could be transformed from one form to another by soil microbes such as fungi,  is clearly a useful chemical for checking the level of soil microbial population and its effects on soil microbial population and physicochemical components depended on the concentration used and duration of application. Thus, the concentration and duration of atrazine application should, therefore, be based on what the targets are.