1Laboratories of Soil Sciences, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
2Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author E-mail: rpsinghamu@gmail.com
Online published on 21 May, 2012.
A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to study the influence of varying doses of carbofuran on soil enzymatic [fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDAH), dehydrogenase (DHA) and acid and alkaline phosphatases] activities and NH4+-N and available P contents in an alluvial sandy loam soil and soil amended with inorganic fertilizers and vermicompost at different time intervals. All enzymatic activities significantly increased upto 15 d while NH4+-N and available P increased upto 45 d. The FDAH activity and NH4+-N content of soil increased with increase in dose of carbofuran applied, whereas DHA, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities and available P content of soil declined with increase in dose of carbofuran applied in all cases studied. Higher enzymatic activities were observed in vermicompost amended soil and lower in fertilizer amended soil relative to soil alone. The NH4+ -N and available P content of soils was highest in fertilizers amended soil followed by vermicompost amended soil and unamended soil. The results revealed that carbofuran had a pronounced effect on soil enzyme activities. The addition of vermicompost significantly increased the soil enzyme activities, NH4+ -N and available P content of soils, hence vermicompost could improve agricultural sustainability and enhance soil fertility.
Carbofuran, soil enzyme activities, ammoniacal nitrogen, available phosphorus, inorganic fertilizers, vermicompost
