Journal Article

Biological nitrification inhibition in the rhizosphere: determining interactions and impact on microbially mediated processes and potential applications

Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali (DiSTeBA) ; Università del Salento = University of Salento [Lecce], Trinchera, Alessandra, Cardinale, Massimiliano, Pietramellara, Giacomo, Nardi, Pierfrancesco, Università degli Studi di Firenze = University of Florence = Université de Florence (UniFI), Laanbroek, Hendrikus, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria = Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Department of Animal Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) ; Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Nannipieri, Paolo, Weckwerth, Wolfram, Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE) ; Università degli Studi di Padova = University of Padua (Unipd), Renella, Giancarlo, Ampère, Département Bioingénierie (BioIng) ; Ampère (AMPERE) ; École Centrale de Lyon (ECL) ; Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) ; Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) ; Uni

2020

Overview

Nitrification is the microbial conversion of reduced forms of nitrogen (N) to nitrate (NO3−), and in fertilized soils it can lead to substantial N losses via NO3− leaching or nitrous oxide (N2O) production. To limit such problems, synthetic nitrification inhibitors have been applied but their performance differs between soils. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the occurrence of biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), a natural phenomenon according to which certain plants can inhibit nitrification through the release of active compounds in root exudates. Here, we synthesize the current state of research but also unravel knowledge gaps in the field. The nitrification process is discussed considering recent discoveries in genomics, biochemistry and ecology of nitrifiers. Secondly, we focus on the ‘where’ and ‘how’ of BNI. The N transformations and their interconnections as they occur in, and are affected by, the rhizosphere, are also discussed. The NH4+ and NO3− retention pathways alternative to BNI are reviewed as well. We also provide hypotheses on how plant compounds with putative BNI ability can reach their targets inside the cell and inhibit ammonia oxidation. Finally, we discuss a set of techniques that can be successfully applied to solve unresearched questions in BNI studies.

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell,CCSD,Oxford University Press
• Subject: Ammonia / Bacteria - metabolism / Biodiversity and Ecology / Environmental Sciences / Exudates / Host Microbial Interactions - physiology / Leaching / Microorganisms / Nitrates / Nitrification / Nitrification - physiology / Nitrogen / Nitrous oxide / Oxidation / Rhizosphere / Soil - chemistry / Soil Microbiology / Soils