Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India.
1Present address: Watershed Development and Soil Conservation, Paota, B Road, Jodhpur, Rajasthan-342 006, India.
2Present address: Division of Agricultural Chemicals, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India.
Online published on 31 October, 2011.
Enrichment culture obtained from six different soils after repeated application of pendimethalin and anilofos caused rapid biodegradation of pendimethalin and anilophos in mineral salt medium. The enrichment culture obtained from Alfisol-2 was least effective in enhancing anilofos degradation (62.4% in 45 d), while cultures obtained from Inceptisol degraded 82.8% during the same period. The enrichment culture obtained from all six soils were able to degrade pendimethalin (97.3 to 99.8% in 45 d). The degradation in sterilized culture and uninoculated control was minimal. The half-life values calculated for pendimethalin and anilofos were in the range of 11.2–19.8 and 40.8–77.0 d, for different inoculated treatments, respectively.
Pendimethalin, anilofos, soils enrichment culture, biodegradation
