Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural Soils
Agriculture is responsible for over half of the input of reactive nitrogen (N) to terrestrial systems; however improving N availability remains the primary management technique to increase crop yields in most regions. In the majority of agricultural soils, ammonium is rapidly converted to nitrate by...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01931/full |
| _version_ | 1818998112803356672 |
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| author | Jeanette Norton Yang Ouyang |
| author_facet | Jeanette Norton Yang Ouyang |
| author_sort | Jeanette Norton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Agriculture is responsible for over half of the input of reactive nitrogen (N) to terrestrial systems; however improving N availability remains the primary management technique to increase crop yields in most regions. In the majority of agricultural soils, ammonium is rapidly converted to nitrate by nitrification, which increases the mobility of N through the soil matrix, strongly influencing N retention in the system. Decreasing nitrification through management is desirable to decrease N losses and increase N fertilizer use efficiency. We review the controlling factors on the rate and extent of nitrification in agricultural soils from temperate regions including substrate supply, environmental conditions, abundance and diversity of nitrifiers and plant and microbial interactions with nitrifiers. Approaches to the management of nitrification include those that control ammonium substrate availability and those that inhibit nitrifiers directly. Strategies for controlling ammonium substrate availability include timing of fertilization to coincide with rapid plant update, formulation of fertilizers for slow release or with inhibitors, keeping plant growing continuously to assimilate N, and intensify internal N cycling (immobilization). Another effective strategy is to inhibit nitrifiers directly with either synthetic or biological nitrification inhibitors. Commercial nitrification inhibitors are effective but their use is complicated by a changing climate and by organic management requirements. The interactions of the nitrifying organisms with plants or microbes producing biological nitrification inhibitors is a promising approach but just beginning to be critically examined. Climate smart agriculture will need to carefully consider optimized seasonal timing for these strategies to remain effective management tools. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T21:56:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-803efe540d9b4620ac2d5d7f05f247ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T21:56:21Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-803efe540d9b4620ac2d5d7f05f247ff2022-12-21T19:25:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2019-08-011010.3389/fmicb.2019.01931449199Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural SoilsJeanette Norton0Yang Ouyang1Department of Plants, Soils and Climate, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United StatesDepartment of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Institute of Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United StatesAgriculture is responsible for over half of the input of reactive nitrogen (N) to terrestrial systems; however improving N availability remains the primary management technique to increase crop yields in most regions. In the majority of agricultural soils, ammonium is rapidly converted to nitrate by nitrification, which increases the mobility of N through the soil matrix, strongly influencing N retention in the system. Decreasing nitrification through management is desirable to decrease N losses and increase N fertilizer use efficiency. We review the controlling factors on the rate and extent of nitrification in agricultural soils from temperate regions including substrate supply, environmental conditions, abundance and diversity of nitrifiers and plant and microbial interactions with nitrifiers. Approaches to the management of nitrification include those that control ammonium substrate availability and those that inhibit nitrifiers directly. Strategies for controlling ammonium substrate availability include timing of fertilization to coincide with rapid plant update, formulation of fertilizers for slow release or with inhibitors, keeping plant growing continuously to assimilate N, and intensify internal N cycling (immobilization). Another effective strategy is to inhibit nitrifiers directly with either synthetic or biological nitrification inhibitors. Commercial nitrification inhibitors are effective but their use is complicated by a changing climate and by organic management requirements. The interactions of the nitrifying organisms with plants or microbes producing biological nitrification inhibitors is a promising approach but just beginning to be critically examined. Climate smart agriculture will need to carefully consider optimized seasonal timing for these strategies to remain effective management tools.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01931/fullnitrificationglobal changeammonia oxidizersnitrite oxidizersbiological nitrification inhibitionagricultural management |
| spellingShingle | Jeanette Norton Yang Ouyang Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural Soils Frontiers in Microbiology nitrification global change ammonia oxidizers nitrite oxidizers biological nitrification inhibition agricultural management |
| title | Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural Soils |
| title_full | Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural Soils |
| title_fullStr | Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural Soils |
| title_full_unstemmed | Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural Soils |
| title_short | Controls and Adaptive Management of Nitrification in Agricultural Soils |
| title_sort | controls and adaptive management of nitrification in agricultural soils |
| topic | nitrification global change ammonia oxidizers nitrite oxidizers biological nitrification inhibition agricultural management |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01931/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeanettenorton controlsandadaptivemanagementofnitrificationinagriculturalsoils AT yangouyang controlsandadaptivemanagementofnitrificationinagriculturalsoils |