This research confirms that glyphosate application may alter (increase) soil microbial activity and population.
Increased microbial activity may be beneficial or detrimental toward plant growth, soil microbial ecology, and soil quality. Beneficial effects include optimum plant growth and production due to greater availability of nutrients, resulting from mineralization of GP mediated by soil microorganisms.
Increased microbial activity and high microbial populations may also sequester plant nutrients in microbial biomass, decrease crop growth and yields, and increase susceptibility to diseases and pests (Yamada and Xe, 2000; Wolf and Wagner, 2005).
Future studies should explain further if changes in microbial activity and population due to GP are beneficial or harmful for crop productivity and soil ecology by monitoring specific plant-microbe-soil interactions (that is, legume nodulation by rhizobia) rather than individual general activities (that is, microbial respiration).