Soil Organism and Their Activities
Soil Organism and Their Activities
Soil Organism and Their Activities
TABLE:1.1 A1.1
Categories and characteristics of soil organisms
Degrading pesticides
The degradation of agricultural pesticides in soil is primarily performed by microorganisms.
Some microorganisms in soil produce enzymes that can break down agricultural pesticides or
other toxic substances added to soil. The length of time these substances remain in soil is
related to how easily they are degraded by microbial enzymes.
Controlling pathogens
Some microorganisms and soil animals infect plants and decrease plant yield. However many
organisms in the soil control the spread of pathogens. For example, the occurrence of some
pathogenic fungi in soil is decreased by certain protozoa that consume the pathogenic fungi.
The soil food web contains many relationships like this that decrease the abundance of plant
pathogens.
Refference
Bouché, M.B. 1977. Stratégies lombriciennes. Ecol. Bull., 25: 122-132.
Brown, G.G., Pashanasi, B., Gilot-Villenave, C., Patrón, J.C., Senapati, B.K., Giri, S., Barois,
I.Lavelle, P., Blanchart. E., Blakemore, R.J., Spain, A.V. & Boyer, J. 1999. Effects of earthworms
on plant production. In P. Lavelle, L. Brussaard & P.F. Hendrix, eds. Earthworm management in
tropical agroecosystems, pp. 87-147. Wallingford, UK, CAB International.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0100e/a0100e0d.htm
Cornish PS (2009) Phosphorus management on extensive organic and low-input farms. Crop &
Pasture Science 60: 105 – 115.
http://www.soilquality.org.au/factsheets/soil-biological-fertility