A laboratory incubation study was conducted to estimate the influence of
fertilizer (urea) on a paddy field so;1 health under controlled moisture (flooded soil) afJd
temperature (25 0c) conditions. The fertilizer was applied @ 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 4QO
1-19 N s" soil. The fertilizer concentrations ranging from 0 to 100).lg N s' soil showdd
positive response on ETS activity. However, at concentrations of 200 and 4001-19 N 9 I,
the activity was reduced Significantly. The higher rates of fertilizer caused an improveme t
in the soil phenol contents and it increased with increasing concentration of fertilizer. T/je
fertilizer incorporation didn't produce any significant change in soil protein content while
the response of biomass phospholipid content was nearly similar to ETS activity; il
increased with lower rates of N-fertilizer but decreased at higher rates.