Canadian Forest Service Publications
Persistence of captan and its effects on microflora, respiration and nitrification of a forest nursery soil. 1971. Agnihotri, V.P. Canadian Journal of Microbiology. 17: 377-383.
Year: 1971
Issued by: Great Lakes Forestry Centre
Catalog ID: 33108
Language: English
Availability: PDF (request by e-mail)
Abstract
Addition of captan, n-(trichloromethylthio) 4-cyclohexene-l,2-dicarboximide (active ingredient, 62.5, 125, and 250 ppm/acre) to fresh soil in the laboratory affected the soil microftora and some of their activities. Captan showed extremely low persistence in a forest nursery soil. It was almost fully degraded in 1 week when applied at or below 250 ppm. Captan killed the population of two pathogenic fungi (Rhizoctonia and pythium species) and encouraged the growth of three saprophytic fungi (Penicillium, Trichoderma, and Fusarium species). After an initial decrease, the population of actinomycetes gradually increased. Captan increased the population of bacteria by the 7th day; however, by the 35th day the population had dropped to that of the control soil. Captan also affected soil respiration. Initial depressions of C02 production were directly proportional to the concentration of captan in the soil. After initial inhibition, the rate of soil respiration was stimulated because of the use of decomposition products of captan by microorganisms. Nitrification was impaired for 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the captan concentration.