Journal of Environmental Biology

In vitro study on the influence of methyl parathion on soil bacterial activity

R. Bindhya, Sona Ann Sunny and V. Salom Gnana Thanga*

Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananathapuram - 695 581, india

(Received: October 24, 2006; Revised received: September 06, 2007; Accepted: September 27, 2007)

Abstract: A study was conducted to find out the effect of different concentrations of Methyl parathion, an organophosphorus pesticide on soil bacterial population, soil respiratory activity and dehydrogenase activity, under laboratory conditions for a definite time period. The higher concentration (100 ppm) of Methyl parathion application, considerably reduced bacterial count, CO₂ evolution and enzyme activity in soil but the microbial activities seemed to recover several weeks following pesticide application.

Key words: Methyl parathion, Bacterial population, Soil respiration, Dehydrogenase, Correlation

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