Einfluss von herbizidem Citronella-Öl und Neem (Azadirachtin) auf mikrobielle Aktivitäten im Boden

Within plant protection the products from citronella oil and neem mostly were used against pests. Their application for weed control is still at the beginning. This special application, however, needs higher dosages. The possible soil contamination and the missing microbiological-ecotoxicological information initiated our laboratory trial. The dosages used were relatively high as was necessary for weed control. They allowed the investigation of dose-effect relationships. In a loamy sand soil the biomass-related dehydrogenase activities as well as the carbon mineralization (actual and cumulative CO₂ formation) were measured. Because a soil with and without lucerne meal amendment was used the specific activity increase (=?LIA) could be calculated for both microbial parameters. Mostly both microbial activities were dose-dependently stimulated by the neem compound. Citronella oil at the beginning inhibited with the higher dosages and later on stimulated these activities. Most of the stimulations may be caused by the microbial decomposition of the organic compounds amended to the soil, which overlie some expected biocidal effects. This allows a preliminary estimation of the microbiological-ecotoxicological effects as less critical. Depending on the very high amounts needed for weed control, however, a final evaluation should consider additional investigations with further microbial activities and other soil organisms.