Agricultural use of pesticides has greatly increased worldwide over the last several decades, affecting soil microorganisms. Microbial basal respiration and substrate-induced respiration rates are commonly used to assess the detrimental effects of pesticides on soil quality. The goal of the present study was (1) to compare the impact of different pesticides on soil microbial respiration under field conditions, and (2) to characterize the recovery time of soil microbial respiration after pesticide application. The following pesticides were used in the present study: chlorpyrifos, phosalone, dimethoate (organophosphorus insecticides), λ-cyhalothrin (pyrethroid insecticide), and kresoxim-methyl (fungicide). The application of all the pesticides at commercial doses led to a decrease in soil microbial respiration. The inhibition of basal respiration and substrate-induced respiration rate decreased in the following order: chlorpyrifos > phosalone > dimethoate > λ-cyhalothrin ≈ kresoxim-methyl. Among all the pesticides assessed, chlorpyrifos showed the highest toxicity as well as the highest persistence. Several of the observed results differed greatly from previous studies; thus, local assessments are highly advisable. Given that environmental concerns can be a key decision factor for pesticide selection, assessment of different pesticides—such as undertaken in this study—could help farmers to choose the most appropriate pesticide.

在过去的几十年中，全世界农药在农业上的使用已大大增加，影响了土壤微生物。微生物的基础呼吸和基质诱导的呼吸速率通常用于评估农药对土壤质量的有害影响。本研究的目的是（1）比较田间条件下不同农药对土壤微生物呼吸的影响；（2）表征施用农药后土壤微生物呼吸的恢复时间。在本研究中使用了以下农药：毒死rif，膦膦，乐果（有机磷杀虫剂），λ-氯氟氰菊酯（拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂）和克雷索辛甲基（杀真菌剂）。以商业剂量施用所有农药导致土壤微生物呼吸作用降低。对基础呼吸的抑制和受底物诱导的呼吸速率按以下顺序降低：毒死s>磷草醚>乐果>λ-氯氟氰菊酯≈kresoxim-methyl。在所有评估的农药中，毒死rif显示出最高的毒性和最高的持久性。一些观察到的结果与以前的研究有很大的不同。因此，强烈建议进行当地评估。考虑到环境问题可能是农药选择的关键决策因素，因此对不同农药的评估（如本研究中所进行的评估）可以帮助农民选择最合适的农药。毒死rif显示出最高的毒性和最高的持久性。一些观察到的结果与以前的研究有很大的不同。因此，强烈建议进行当地评估。考虑到环境问题可能是农药选择的关键决策因素，因此对不同农药的评估（如本研究中所进行的评估）可以帮助农民选择最合适的农药。毒死rif显示出最高的毒性以及最高的持久性。一些观察到的结果与以前的研究有很大的不同。因此，强烈建议进行当地评估。考虑到环境问题可能是农药选择的关键决策因素，因此对不同农药的评估（如本研究中所进行的评估）可以帮助农民选择最合适的农药。