The microbial degradation of herbicides in soil is affected by several factors such as the chemical and physical characteristics of the soil and the proper molecule which act continuously determining the degradation magnitude. Considering the large variability of the responses presented by these molecules in the soil as well as the scarce information about their behavior in tropical environments relatively to their degradation, a series of experiments was carried out under laboratory conditions aiming to verify the response of soil microbial activity by the soilCO2 evolution method under increasing doses of glyphosate and imazapyr (0; 4; 8 and 12 L ha-1 of the commercial product Roundup S.Aq.C. and Arsenal 250 S.Aq.C., respectively) in soils with different textures and chemical composition under three moisture contents (40; 70 and 100% of the moisture equivalent). The obtained results allowed to conclude that: a) the soil macrobiota is able to use the glyphosate and imazapyr as carbon sources; b) the soil moisture affects the microorganisms capacity to degrade the glyphosate and imazapyr; c) the 40% moisture in the studied soils caused the lowest influenced by the soil chemical and physical responses of microorganism activities characteristics. independently of the herbicide doses; d) the effect of imazapyr doses on the soil microbial activity is influenced by the soil chemical and physical characteristics.
Microbial activity; biodegradation; herbicide