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The distribution of functional N-cycle related genes and ammonia and nitrate nitrogen in soil profiles fertilized with mineral and organic N fertilizer

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  • Massimo Zilio
  • Silvia Motta
  • Fulvia Tambone
  • Barbara Scaglia
  • Gabriele Boccasile
  • Andrea Squartini
  • Fabrizio Adani

Abstract

Nitrogen transformation in soil is a complex process and the soil microbial population can regulate the potential for N mineralization, nitrification and denitrification. Here we show that agricultural soils under standard agricultural N-management are consistently characterized by a high presence of gene copies for some of the key biological activities related to the N-cycle. This led to a strong NO3- reduction (75%) passing from the soil surface (15.38 ± 11.36 g N-NO3 kg-1 on average) to the 1 m deep layer (3.92 ± 4.42 g N-NO3 kg-1 on average), and ensured low nitrate presence in the deepest layer. Under these circumstances the other soil properties play a minor role in reducing soil nitrate presence in soil. However, with excessive N fertilization, the abundance of bacterial gene copies is not sufficient to explain N leaching in soil and other factors, i.e. soil texture and rainfall, become more important in controlling these aspects.

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  • Massimo Zilio & Silvia Motta & Fulvia Tambone & Barbara Scaglia & Gabriele Boccasile & Andrea Squartini & Fabrizio Adani, 2020. "The distribution of functional N-cycle related genes and ammonia and nitrate nitrogen in soil profiles fertilized with mineral and organic N fertilizer," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0228364
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228364
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    1. Chen, Ning & Li, Xianyue & Šimůnek, Jiří & Shi, Haibin & Zhang, Yuehong & Hu, Qi, 2022. "Quantifying inter-species nitrogen competition in the tomato-corn intercropping system with different spatial arrangements," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).

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