Soil microflora
microbial population balance, particularly of N2 fixing bacteria and thereby improve soil
fertility.
Liming of acid soils increases activity of bacteria and actinomycetes and lowers the fungal
population. Fertilizers and manures applied to the soil for increased crop production, supply
food and nutrition not only to the crops but also to microorganisms in soil and thereby
proliferate the activity of microbes.
Foliar or soil application of different chemicals (pesticides, fungicides, nematicides etc.) in
agriculture are either degraded by the soil organisms or are liable to leave toxic residues in
soil which are hazardous to cause profound reduction in the normal microbial activity in the
soil.
2. Soil fertility: Fertility level of the soil has a great influence on the microbial population and
their activity in soil. The availability of N, P and K required for plants as well as microbes in
soil determines the fertility level of soil. On the other hand soil micro flora has greater