Impact of weed management practices on soil biological activity in corn and soybean field crops in Québec (Canada)

Repeated applications and combination of glyphosate-containing herbicides (GCH) with other are two weed management practices (WMP) used to compensate for GCH decreasing efficiency impacts in field crops. These may have serious on soil functions because affect biota biological activity (SBA). Two experiments, one corn soybean crops, were conducted during growing season. SBA indicators, respiration (SR) fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, measured at sampling times following six WMP. WMP included or (GCH alone combined herbicides), only mechanical weeding. did not FDA neither either times. In contrast, affected SR fields both the first time. Repeating combining different led lower SR, suggesting that these decreased SBA, whilst single application presented higher this practice stimulated SBA. Our study demonstrates using multiple affects conditions. Affecting carbon cycle do bear implications, choice should be taken into consideration minimize their crops sustainability.