Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065.
In an incubation experiment, atrazine application retarded the urea hydrolysis in three soils (acidic, neutral and saline-alkali soils). The nitrification process was inhibited by atrazine application and the inhibition increased with increase in the concentration of the pesticide. The nitrification rate was of the order: neutral soil> acid soil> saline - alkali soil. The inhibition of enzymes, viz. urease, phosphatase and dehydrogenase, was also recorded by its application. The inhibition of enzyme activities was more intense at higher levels.
Atrazine, urea-N, mineralization, nitrification, urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase
