Impact of insecticides on nontarget microarthropod fauna in agricultural soil

Ecologically important soil microarthropods were used to evaluate the direct and residual toxicities of some insecticides under field and laboratory conditions. The density of total microarthropods and major groups, namely Acarina and Collembola, suffered a statistically significant and persistent decline in the aldrin 30 EC (0.25%)- and endosulfan 35 EC (0.33%)-treated soil of wheat fields. But dimethoate 30 EC (0.125%) and phosphamidon 85 EC (0.03%) applied in mustard fields produced only a temporary decline. Laboratory studies showed that all the above insecticides and monocrotophos 36 EC (0.2%), methyl parathion 50 EC (0.05%), chlordane 20 EC (0.125%), and carbaryl 50 WP (0.625%) had a direct knockdown effect on Cyphoderus sp. but another collembolan species, Xenylla sp., appeared to be somewhat resistant. Only endosulfan was toxic to a common soil Acarina species, Lancetoppia sp. Among four soil media, toxicity was maximum in pure sand, followed by sandy loam, clay, and organic soil. The residual toxicity of phosphamidon, dimethoate, methyl parathion, and endosulfan was more prolonged for Cyphoderus sp. than for Xenylla sp. Only the larval stage of Lancetoppia sp. was susceptible to the residual effect of endosulfan. LD50 and bioassay studies showed that Cyphoderus sp. can be employed as a potential biomonitor of insecticide pollution in soil.