TY - JOUR
T1 - Azadirachtin and trifloxystrobin had no inhibitory effects on key soil microbial functions even at high dose rates
AU - Suciu, Nicoleta
AU - Vasileiadis, Sotirios
AU - Puglisi, Edoardo
AU - Pertile, Giorgia
AU - Tourna, M.
AU - Karas, P.
AU - Papolla, A.
AU - Ferrarini, Andrea
AU - Sulowic, S.
AU - Fornasier, F.
AU - Lucini, Luigi
AU - Karpouzas, D. G.
AU - Trevisan, Marco
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Synthetic pesticides may have non-target effects on soil microorganisms which have been identified as a specific protection goal in pesticide environmental risk assessment. Most studies to date have focused on the effects of synthetic pesticides on soil microorganisms, whereas little is known about the response of the soil microbial community to the so-called low-risk pesticide classes. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of a botanical (azadirachtin) and a low-dose pesticide (trifloxystrobin), applied as commercial formulations, on soil microbial functions. In a microcosm study, pesticides were applied in soil at increasing dose rates (up to ×100 the recommended dose rate). Their dissipation and the formation of the major transformation product (TP) of trifloxystrobin were determined. Enzymatic activities and the abundance of key functional microbial groups were measured via fluorometric assays, potential nitrification (PNT) and q-PCR. Trifloxystrobin and azadirachtin did not persist in soil at all dose rates with DT 50s of 1.1–1.4 and 1.3 days respectively. No pesticide dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the activity of soil enzymes, the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and on PNT were seen. Instead the application of both pesticides at all dose rates stimulated PNT. Trifloxystrobin was transformed to trifloxystrobin acid (TFSA), which persisted in soil. However its formation did not correlate with adverse effects on soil microbial functions. We provide first evidence that trifloxystrobin and azadirachtin do not impose unacceptable effects on soil microbial functions even at high dose rates.
AB - Synthetic pesticides may have non-target effects on soil microorganisms which have been identified as a specific protection goal in pesticide environmental risk assessment. Most studies to date have focused on the effects of synthetic pesticides on soil microorganisms, whereas little is known about the response of the soil microbial community to the so-called low-risk pesticide classes. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of a botanical (azadirachtin) and a low-dose pesticide (trifloxystrobin), applied as commercial formulations, on soil microbial functions. In a microcosm study, pesticides were applied in soil at increasing dose rates (up to ×100 the recommended dose rate). Their dissipation and the formation of the major transformation product (TP) of trifloxystrobin were determined. Enzymatic activities and the abundance of key functional microbial groups were measured via fluorometric assays, potential nitrification (PNT) and q-PCR. Trifloxystrobin and azadirachtin did not persist in soil at all dose rates with DT 50s of 1.1–1.4 and 1.3 days respectively. No pesticide dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the activity of soil enzymes, the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and on PNT were seen. Instead the application of both pesticides at all dose rates stimulated PNT. Trifloxystrobin was transformed to trifloxystrobin acid (TFSA), which persisted in soil. However its formation did not correlate with adverse effects on soil microbial functions. We provide first evidence that trifloxystrobin and azadirachtin do not impose unacceptable effects on soil microbial functions even at high dose rates.
KW - Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
KW - Azadirachtin
KW - Ecology
KW - Functional microbial groups
KW - Soil Science
KW - Soil enzymatic activities
KW - Soil microbial community
KW - Trifloxystrobin
KW - Trifloxystrobin acid (TFSA)
KW - Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
KW - Azadirachtin
KW - Ecology
KW - Functional microbial groups
KW - Soil Science
KW - Soil enzymatic activities
KW - Soil microbial community
KW - Trifloxystrobin
KW - Trifloxystrobin acid (TFSA)
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/131567
UR - http://www.elsevier.com/inca/publications/store/5/2/4/5/1/8/index.htt
U2 - 10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.01.016
DO - 10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.01.016
M3 - Article
SN - 0929-1393
VL - 137
SP - 29
EP - 38
JO - Applied Soil Ecology
JF - Applied Soil Ecology
ER -