Integrated Application of Trichoderma and Carbendazim Affects the Carbendazim Extractability and Microbial Functions in the Maize Rhizosphere

The purpose of this work was to study the persistence of pesticides in different soil conditions (fallow, cultivated, and microbial inoculation) and their impact on the soil microbial diversity. The experiment was set up in pots under net house conditions. Using Biolog, substrate utilization patterns for community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) were carried out. The persistence of carbendazim in different treatments of fallow soil, maize rhizosphere, and plant parts with and without Trichoderma was studied using HPLC. The HPLC analysis of soil and maize tissue reveals increased persistence of carbendazim and its degraded products in fallow treatment compared to maize with or without Trichoderma. The application of Trichoderma enhanced the carbendazim removal and alleviated its effect on the microbial populations. The present study concludes that fallow conditions prolong the presence of residual pesticides in soil and affect the soil microbial community, whereas bio-fungicides such as Trichoderma facilitate its degradation.

Automated summary

The aim of this study was to investigate the persistence of pesticides in different soil conditions and their effects on soil microbial diversity. The researchers conducted experiments in pots under net house conditions and used Biolog to analyze substrate utilization patterns. HPLC analysis was used to study the persistence of carbendazim in fallow soil, maize rhizosphere, and plant parts with and without Trichoderma. The results showed that fallow conditions increased the persistence of carbendazim in soil and affected the soil microbial community, while the application of Trichoderma enhanced its degradation.