Phytotoxicity

Phytotoxicity is a term used to describe the degree of toxic effect by a compound on plant growth[1]. Such damage may be caused by a wide variety of compounds, including trace metals, pesticides, salinity, phytotoxins or allelopathy.

Contents

Phytotoxicity by fertilizers

Urea and urine

Phytotoxicity can occur in the application of too much urea either by urea toxicity or by the "ammonia produced through hydrolysis of urea by soil urease"[2]. (Ammonia is a fertiliser, in smaller quantities as a source of nitrogen.) Organic compost enables more effective uptake of nitrogen due to higher prevalence of aerobic microbial activity. Ammonia (NH3) can oxidize into ammonium salts (NH4+), bacteria can convert this into nitrites (NO2-)and nitrates (NO3-) and finally nitric acid (HNO3), which may be too acidic for the plant.[3]

Herbicides

Other Approaches This is also an important subject of study in the field of ecotoxicology. It has also been thought of as a means to control certain populations of plants

References

  1. ^ "Phytotoxicity - Pesticides". Province of British Columbia. 2007. http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/pesticides/e_10.htm. 
  2. ^ Krogmeier, Michael J.; McCarty, Gregory W.; Bremner, John M. (1 November 1989). "Phytotoxicity of foliar-applied urea". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 86 (21): 8189–8191. doi:10.1073/pnas.86.21.8189. PMC 298245. PMID 16594077. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=298245. 
  3. ^ Joseph Jenkins, Inc. Publications Message Board