New monitoring system for proteolysis in soil as influenced by selected herbicidal applications

Proteolysis in soil (Regina heavy clay) was monitored by the gelatinolytic etching of developed color film emulsion, using a film immersion-slide carrier technique. Etching followed a sigmoid curve to completion. A total of 11 herbicides were tested for their potential influence on this proteolytic function. Eight caused some inhibition, and two were stimulative at 200 microliter of applied herbicide per liter. Eptam was found to stimulate at low concentrations and inhibit at higher concentrations (greater than 1,000 microliter of applied Eptam per liter).