TITLE:
Foliar Dicamba Application Has No Lasting Effects on Microbial Activities in the Soybean Rhizosphere
AUTHORS:
Heather L. Tyler
KEYWORDS:
Dicamba, Rhizosphere, Soybean, Soil, Microbial Activities
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.11 No.11,
November
18,
2020
ABSTRACT: The proliferation of glyphosate-resistant weeds has
resulted in significant losses in the productivity of crops such as corn,
soybean, and cotton. As a result, new crop varieties with resistance genes from
other herbicides, such as 2,4-D and dicamba, have been developed as part of
alternative weed control cropping systems. However, little is known about how the
application of these herbicides impacts the microorganisms that carry out
nutrient cycling in the soil of these cropping systems, particularly in the
rhizosphere, the soil compartment immediately adjacent to the root system which
is pivotal to plant nutrient uptake. The purpose of the current study was to
assess the effects of dicamba on soil enzyme activities linked to C, N, and P
cycling in the rhizosphere of resistant
soybean plants. While dicamba had no significant effects on the activities
of enzymes linked to C or P cycling in the rhizosphere, N-acetylglucosaminidase
activity was temporarily inhibited, but recovered by three days after application.
These results suggest there are no long-lasting negative effects of dicamba in
the rhizosphere of treated plants when applied at field rates.