Enhanced Biodegradation of Insecticides in Midwestern Corn Soils

An experimental strategy for the study of enhanced degradation is described based on its occurrence in Midwestern corn soils. The shift from recalcitrant chlorinated hydrocarbons to biodegradable organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides has resulted in the failure of some compounds, notably carbofuran and isofenphos, to provide adequate pest control following repeated use. Enhanced degradation of an insecticide involves its rapid degradation by a population of soil microorganisms that has adapted to beneficially catabolize it following exposure to it or a similar insecticide. For enhanced degradation to be thoroughly investigated studies must be carried out to demonstrate an increased rate of degradation in soils with prior insecticide exposure, to identify the rates and products of degradation in similar soils under controlled conditions, and to elucidate the microbiological mechanisms