Effects of biocidal treatments on metabolism in soil. VI. Fumigation with carbon disulfide

Used in high concentration as a soil fumigant, CS2 was broadly similar to CHCl3 in its effects on metabolism in soil; the amount of N mineralised in 10 days increased roughly 10-fold. the O2 consumption almost tripled and the evolution of CO2 more than doubled. However, the effects of CS2 were consistently slightly less than those of CHCl3.

Used at low concentration (10 μg.g−1 soil) on a soil rich in organic matter (2.93% organic C), CS2 stopped nitrification completely, almost without other effect on soil respiration and mineralisation of N. In contrast, when used on a poorer soil (1.07% organic C) even 10 μgCS2.g−1 soil was sufficient to cause a detectable increase in both respiration and mineralisation of N, in addition to stopping nitrification.