Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2014-10-01

Effect of repeated applications of buprofezin and acephate on soil cellulases, amylase, and invertase.

M Naga Raju, K Venkateswarlu

Index: Environ. Monit. Assess. 186(10) , 6319-25, (2014)

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Abstract

The impact of repeated applications of buprofezin and acephate, at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 kg ha(-1), on activities of cellulases, amylase, and invertase in unamended and nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (NPK) fertilizer-amended soil planted with cotton was studied. The nontarget effect of selected insecticides, when applied once, twice, or thrice on soil enzyme activities, was dose-dependent; the activities decreased with increasing concentrations of insecticides. However, there was a rapid decline in activities of enzymes after three repeated applications of insecticides in unamended or NPK-amended soil. Our data clearly suggest that insecticides must be applied judiciously in pest management in order to protect the enzymes largely implicated in soil fertility.