Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit Site Logo
ARS Home About Us Helptop nav spacerContact Us En Espanoltop nav spacer
Printable VersionPrintable Version     E-mail this pageE-mail this page
Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture
Search
  Advanced Search
 
Programs and Projects
Subjects of Investigation
 

Research Project: ECOLOGY, MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF WEEDY AND INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN A CHANGING CLIMATE

Location: Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit

Title: Biostimulation for the enhanced degradation of herbicides in soil

Authors
item Kannisery, Ramdas Gopinath -
item Sims, Gerald

Submitted to: Applied and Environmental Soil Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: June 28, 2011
Publication Date: August 1, 2011
Citation: Kannisery, R., Sims, G.K. 2011. Biostimulation for the enhanced degradation of herbicides in soil. Applied and Environmental Soil Science. Article ID 843450. DOI:10.1155/2011/843450

Interpretive Summary: Herbicides are group of organic compounds that possess far reaching environmental consequences when persistent in the soil. Microorganisms are capable of degrading herbicides in the soil by utilizing them as a supply of nutrients and energy. However, lack of organic matter and nutrients in the soil can hinder microbial activity and induce a lag phase in the mineralization of herbicide contaminant. Biostimulation, through the application of organic amendments and nutrients into the soil can overcome these inhibitions and accelerate the removal of herbicides from the soil. Successful degradation of herbicides in soil necessitates deep insight into the thermodynamic processes occurring during their microbial consumption, consecutively applying the information towards the judicious use of electron donors and acceptors for the effective stimulation of microbial activity. Although it requires extensive field evaluation studies, biostimulation in conjunction with other bioremediation tools is definitely a promising technique for the removal of herbicide wastes from the soil. The impact of this analysis of the published information on biostimulation will aid in planning remediation strategies for protecting the environment from herbicide contamination and the concomitant side effects.

Technical Abstract: Cleanup of herbicide contaminated soils has been a dire environmental concern since the advent of industrial era. Although microorganisms are excellent degraders of herbicide compounds in the soil, some reparation may need to be brought about, in order to stimulate them to degrade the herbicide at a faster rate in a confined time frame. ‘Biostimulation’ through the appropriate utilization of organic amendments and nutrients can accelerate the degradation of herbicides in the soil. However, effective use of biostimulants requires thorough comprehension of the global redox-cycle during the microbial degradation of the herbicide molecules in the soil. In this review, we present the prospects of using biostimulation as a powerful remediation strategy for the rapid cleanup of herbicide polluted soils.

   

 
Project Team
Davis, Adam
Chee Sanford, Joanne
Williams, Martin
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Crop Protection & Quarantine (304)
 
Related Projects
   INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT FOR MAIZE-FINGERMILLET PRODUCTION SYSTEMS OF THE MID-HILLS OF NEPAL
   FROM GENE TO LANDSCAPE: A HIERARCHICAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING THE EVOLUTION AND SPREAD OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE IN AMARANTHUS TUBERCULATUS
   PRECISION ZONAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR RESILIENT CEREAL YIELDS UNDER VARIABLE CLIMATES
   ENHANCEMENT OF USDA-ARS, DOE, AND SUNGRANT UNIVERSITIES COOPERATIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
   TOWARDS PREDICTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF NITROGEN FLUX IN SOILS
   PLANT HEALTH IN MODERN CROPPING SYSTEMS
   FROM GENE TO LANDSCAPE: A HIERARCHICAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING THE EVOLUTION AND SPREAD OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE IN AMARANTHUS TUBERCULATUS
   LANDSCAPE CONFIGURATIONS: A NEW APPROACH TO MANAGE INVASION BY BIOFUEL CROPS
   WEED MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES TO ATRAZINE IN SWEET CORN
 
 
Last Modified: 05/21/2013
ARS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Policies and Links 
FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Nondiscrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House