Herbicides and soil microorganisms.

The production and usage of herbicides have increased dramatically in recent years. Consequently there is growing concern about the effects of these chemicals on the environment, particularly the possible long-term effects on soil fertility which may result from disturbance of the soil microflora. This review considers the recent developments in the study of the interactions between herbicides and microorganisms, and discusses the problems of evaluating the results of such studies with a view to determining or predicting possible short-term or long-term effects which may be of practical significance.