Effect of soil moisture on pesticide toxicity to an enchytraeid worm, Enchytraeus sp.

1997

The aim of the study was to find out whether soil moisture affects toxicity of organic pesticides to an enchytraeid worm. Laboratory experiments were carried out with dimethoate and benomyl, using a small Enchytraeus sp. as the test species. Substrate was natural agricultural field soil cultivated without pesticides for several years. Experimental design consisted of three soil moistures (40, 55, and 70% of water holding capacity) and five pesticide concentrations, plus controls. Measured parameters were survival, size of the parent worms and number and size of juveniles produced. Dimethoate was relatively non-toxic to this species. Dimethoate did not decrease survival, but sublethal effect…