Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T07:27:02.288Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Enumeration of 2,4-D Degraders in Saskatchewan Soils

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

D. Roy Cullimore
D. Roy Cullimore*
Affiliation:
Dep. Biol., Univ. of Regina, Regina, Sask., Canada S45 OA2
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Different Saskatchewan soils were studied to determine their populations of 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid] degraders and gross aerobic bacteria. Soil from Indian Head field plots receiving relatively high field rates (1.12 or 1.68 kg/ha) of 2,4-D amine or ester applied annually over the previous 32 yr contained the highest population of degraders, ranging from 103 to 104 degraders/g soil. Control plots recorded lower populations of degraders (2.5 ± 0.5 × 103 degraders/g soil). Five soils from around the province were also studied, and a relationship was found between the rate of breakdown of 14C-2,4-D in the soil and the number of degraders. Another soil from a different site at Indian Head, but of a similar type to that in the field plots, displayed a much slower rate of 2,4-D degradation and also a much lower degrader population (7 ± 2 degraders/g soil) when compared to the other four soils (4 × 102 to 9 × 102 degraders/g soil). The ratio of degraders to the total bacterial flora varied in all studies between 1:6.5 × 102 and 1:3 × 105. When 1030 soil isolates were screened for their ability to degrade 2,4-D using an agar-block extraction technique, none possessed this feature. This would support the hypothesis that the ratio of 2,4-D degraders to the total microbial flora was indeed large (at least 1:103).

Keywords

Herbicidebacterialpopulationtechniquesdegradation
Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Science , Volume 29 , Issue 4 , July 1981 , pp. 440 - 443
Copyright
Copyright © 1981 by the Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Audus, L. J. 1964. Herbicide behavior in the soil. II. Interactions with soil microorganisms. Pages 164–203 in Audus, L. J., ed. The Physiology and Biochemistry of Herbicides. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
2. Chakrabarty, A. M. 1978. Molecular mechanisms in the biodegradation of environmental pollutants. Soc. Microbiol. News, 44(12): 687–690.Google Scholar
3. Loos, M. A. 1975. Phenoxyalkanoic acids. Pages 1–128 in Kearney, P. C. and Kaufman, D. D., ed. Herbicides – Chemistry, Degradation and Mode of Action, Vol. I, 2nd ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.Google Scholar
4. Loos, M. A. 1975. Indicator media for microorganisms degrading chlorinated pesticides. Can. J. Microbiol. 21:104–107.Google Scholar
5. Loos, M. A., Roberts, R. N., and Alexander, M. 1967. Phenols as intermediates in the decomposition of phenoxyacetates by an Arthrobacter species. Can. J. Microbiol. 13:679–690.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Loos, M. A., Schlosser, I. F., and Mapham, W. R. 1979. Phenoxy herbicide degradation in soils: quantitative studies of 2,4-D and MCPA-degrading microbial populations. Soil Biol. Biochem. 1:377–385.Google Scholar
7. McCurdy, E. V. and Molberg, E. S. 1974. Effects of the continuous use of 2,4-D and MCPA on spring wheat production and weed populations. Can. J. Plant Sci. 54:241–245.Google Scholar
8. Smith, A. E. 1979. Soil persistence experiments with (14C), 2,4-D in herbicidal mixtures and field persistence studies with tri-allate and trifluralin both singly and combined. Weed Res. 19:165–170.Google Scholar