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Assessment of the Microbial Biomass Carbon (MB-C), Nitrogen (MB-N) and Phosphorus (MB-P) in Soil Spiked with Pesticides (Carbofuran and Paraquat)

This study aimed at determining the impact of Carbofuran and Paraquat use on soil microbial biomass and microbial population as soil health index. Pot experiment, set-up as a randomized block design with replicates was done, with both pesticides applied at recommended rates for eight weeks. Twenty-four (24) soil samples were taken from the pesticides polluted soil as well as the unpolluted soil. These samples were used to assess the effect of pesticides on microbial biomass carbon (MB-C), nitrogen (MB-N) and phosphorus (MB-P). Also, microbial population (determined by aerobic spread plate count) of the pesticide-polluted soils was used as health index. The assessments were done weekly. The microbial biomass values increased from 273.48 µg/g to 293.15 µg/g (MB-C), 17.275 µg/g to 18.52 µg/g (MB-N) and 10.605 µg/g to 11.37 µg/g (MB-P) in carbofuran treated soil while increases from 277.26 µg/g to 288.365 µg/g (MB-C), 17.515 µg/g to 18.22 µg/g (MB-N) and 10.745 µg/g to 11.18 µg/g (MB-P) were observed in paraquat treated soil. The microbial counts in treated soils were within the ranges of 1.95 x 106 cfu/g to 1.03 x 107 cfu/g, 8.83 x 104 to 1.90 x 105 cfu/g, 1.08x 104 to 2.43 x 104, 1.15 x105 to 2.17 x 105 cfu/g, 1.38 x 105 to 2.22 x 105 cfu/g for total heterotrophic bacterial, fungal, actinomycetes, phosphate solubilizers, nitrifiers counts, respectively. 
The pesticides had no negative effects on the MB-C, MB-N, MB-P and soil microorganisms at recommended field rates, hence their use must be strictly based on these rates. These findings indicate that the relationship between soil nutrients and microbial biomass is significant in facilitating the use of microbial biomass as an important soil quality indicator.