Suppression of soil nitrification by plants
Guntur Venkata Subbarao1, Tadashi Yoshihashi1, Margaret Worthington2
1Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), 1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8686, Japan.
Plant Science : an International Journal of Experimental Plant Biology
|February 26, 2015
Summary
Plants can suppress nitrification, a soil process that causes nitrogen loss, through biological nitrification inhibition (BNI). Harnessing plants' genetic capacity for BNI offers a promising strategy to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and reduce environmental impacts in agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Soil Science
- Plant Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Nitrification, the conversion of ammonium to nitrate, reduces soil nitrogen retention and leads to environmental losses via leaching and denitrification.
- Plants have evolved mechanisms to inhibit nitrification, a process known as biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), to conserve nitrogen.
- BNI plays a crucial role in nitrogen cycling, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and overall ecosystem health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of biological nitrification inhibitors (BNIs) production and release by plants.
- To assess the potential of BNI in enhancing agricultural NUE and reducing nitrogen losses.
- To discuss the feasibility of exploiting genetic factors for improved BNI capacity in crops.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on nitrification, BNI mechanisms, and plant physiology.
- Analysis of recent advancements in in-situ measurement techniques for nitrification inhibition.
- Assessment of genetic, soil, and environmental factors influencing BNI activity.
Main Results:
- Plants naturally produce and release BNIs to suppress soil nitrification.
- BNI function is regulated by a complex interplay of genetic, soil, and environmental factors.
- Methodologies for measuring BNI in situ have advanced, enabling better characterization of plant BNI capacity.
Conclusions:
- Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) presents a significant opportunity to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture.
- Genetic exploitation of BNI in major food and feed crops can lead to next-generation agricultural systems with reduced nitrification and N2O emissions.
- Developing crops with enhanced BNI capacity holds substantial promise for both agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.
Keywords:
Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI)Climate changeGlobal warmingNitrification inhibitorsNitrogen use efficiency (NUE)Nitrous oxide emissionsMore Related Videos
10:29Calibrated Passive Sampling - Multi-plot Field Measurements of NH3 Emissions with a Combination of Dynamic Tube Method and Passive Samplers
Published on: March 21, 2016
13.0K
07:22Author Spotlight: Unraveling the Role of Earthworms in Enhancing Mineral Weathering for CO2 Removal
Published on: November 10, 2023
4.4K
Related Concept Videos
01:20Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
12.7K
Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...
12.7K
01:49The Nitrogen Cycle
61.6K
Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...
61.6K
02:11The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
49.6K
Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
49.6K
01:22Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation
885
Nitrogen is an essential element in biological systems, forming a crucial component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular constituents. Many bacteria and archaea acquire nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO₃⁻) or ammonia (NH₃), which are then assimilated into biomolecules through specific enzymatic pathways.Assimilatory Nitrate ReductionWhen nitrate enters the cell, it undergoes a two-step reduction process known as assimilatory nitrate reduction. Initially, the enzyme...
885
01:29Soil Microbial Ecology
59
Soil microbial ecology is defined by highly diverse, spatially structured communities that drive nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and overall ecosystem stability. Although a gram of soil can contain thousands of bacterial and archaeal taxa, the ecological processes they mediate are even more crucial for sustaining terrestrial life.Microhabitats and NichesSoil is a heterogeneous mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Microbes inhabit distinct microhabitats formed by...
59
02:41Responses to Drought and Flooding
12.5K
Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
12.5K