The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of herbicides on the phosphate-solubilizing activity and growth of bacteria isolated from sugarcane rhizosphere. Two bacterial isolates, Sac 4 and Sac 13, classified as being of high and low capability of solubilizing inorganic phosphate, respectively, were used in the experiments. The growth and phosphate-solubilizing activities were evaluated in the presence of trifloxysulfuron-sodium, ametryn, and trifloxysulfuron-sodium + ametryn, at 0, ½, ¾, 1, and 2 times the reference dose (0.45, 60, 0.74 + 30 mg L-1, respectively). For Sac 4, the herbicides ametryn and trifloxysulfuron-sodium + ametryn reduced growth, with the largest reduction being observed for trifloxysulfuron-sodium + ametryn, while for Sac 13, no effect of the herbicides was observed. The phosphate-solubilizing activity of both bacterial isolates was not affected by the herbicides tested; this indicates that the impact of these compounds on the soil microorganisms is selective to certain populations.
trifloxysulfuron-sodium; ametryn; soil microorganisms
