Department of Pomology and Fruit Technolngy, College of Agriculture, SNS Nagar, Solan (HP)-173 230
*Present address: Associate Professor and Head, Department of Pomology and Fruit Technology, H. P. Krishi Vishva Vidyalaya, Palampur (HP)-I76 062.
Effect of 2.5, 5 and 7.5 kg/ha of simazine, atranine, diuron and bromacil and 2. 3 and 4 kg/ha of terbacial on the soil microflora of a plum orchard was studied. The bacterial population showed an increase under all the herbicidal treatments up to 60 days of application and thereafter it tended to level off. The actinomycetes population was not affected until 10 days after application by any treatment, and thereafter an inhibitory effect was noticed that was more pronounced with simazine and atrazine. With regard to fungi population, while an inhibitory effect was noticed with diuron, bromacil and terbacil, it was promotive with simazine and atrazine. In general, the herbicide effect lasted for 60 days and the microbial status of the soil was not significantly disturbed at low and medium concentrations.
