Biological treatment with co-inoculation of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride as effective method for degradation of chlorpyrifos in soil

Abstract A study conducted to understand chlorpyrifos degradation revealed that content of chlorpyrifos was reduced by 34.76% within 60 days of incubation under natural conditions. Effect of physical, chemical and biological treatments on fastening the process of chlorpyrifos degradation was evaluated, which revealed that biological treatment with microbial inoculants (combination of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride) recorded maximum degradation (74.99%) followed by single application of Pseudomonas fluorescens (69.94%) and Trichoderma viride (66.35%) on 60 days of incubation. Soil enzymes: dehydrogenase, phosphatase and urease showed significantly higher activities in treatments with Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride either single or combination on comparison with control. Microbial biomass carbon increased to 99.16 µg g− 1 in treatment receiving combination of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride while control recorded only 83.77 µg g− 1. Co-inoculation of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride resulted in faster degradation of chlorpyrifos without affecting the chemical and biological properties of soil.