The Impact of Agrochemicals on Soil Biodiversity: A Comprehensive Analysis
R. Preethadevi
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Nehru Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (641 105), India.
R. Kiruthika *
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Nehru Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (641 105), India.
Pooran Pragnya
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Nehru Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (641 105), India.
T. Ayisha Naziba
Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, AEC & RI, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (641 003), India.
Ashutosh C. Kakde
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Nehru Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (641 105), India.
Vikash Singh *
Vasishtha Institute of Advanced Studies, Agartala, Tripura (799 001), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Several agrochemicals functioned as global tools to enhance agricultural outputs while suppressing insect, pest and disease along with weed growth. However, agrochemicals applied in agriculture or horticulture systems come with both positive and negative impacts. Many present-day threats threaten the security of our food while endangering both environmental systems and human wellness as well as biodiverse soil populations. Continuous utilization of agrochemicals may pose grim results for beneficial microorganisms, particularly resistance to antibiotics. Agrochemical usage during crop cultivation produces gruesome outcomes for microorganisms that convert unavailable nutrient forms into usable ones including nitrogen fixers and phosphorus solubilizers as well as decomposers. Excessive use of agrochemicals interferes with the normal activities of soil enzymes and other biochemical reaction. This review examines how agrochemicals influence the bacterial communities together with actinomycetes, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, algae and the condition of the soil. To eliminate such effects, biofertilizers along with integrated approaches for managing pests must be supported and further researches are much needed for sustainable farming practices.
Keywords: Agrochemicals, environmental impact, human health, pesticides, soil biodiversity, soil microbial communities, fertilizers