Conference paper

Publication year: 1996

Pages: 83-93

Journal: Plant and Soil

Volume number: 181

Issue number: 1

ISSN: 0032-079X

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011295

Conference: 8th Nitrogen Workshop on Progress in Nitrogen Cycling Studies

Publisher: Springer

Abstract: 

Major known fractions of soil nitrogen are amino nitrogen (proteins, peptides), polymers of amino sugars, and NH4+ fixed in interlayers of 2:1 minerals. Only a small percentage of the total soil organic N is easily mineralizable and contributes to the pool of mineral soil N. Predominant sources of mineralization are amino-N and polymers of amino sugars present in the soil microbial biomass. Influx into this pool occurs with the application of organic matter (green manure, straw), organic carbon released by plant roots, N-2 assimilation by leguminous species and inorganic nitrogen. Microbial metabolization of green manure proteins results in a partial mineralization of the applied organic N, microbial metabolization of straw in the assimilation (immobilization) of inorganic nitrogen.

Microbial biomass is characterized by a narrow C/N ratio (proteins, peptidoglycans, polymers of amino sugars). Its metabolization therefore is associated with a partial mineralization of the attacked organic nitrogen compounds. Nitrogen mineralization consists of a sequence of enzymatic processes for which the living microbial biomass provides the enzymes and the dead microbial biomass the substrate.

Harvard Citation style: Mengel, K. (1996) Turnover of organic nitrogen in soils and its availability to crops, Plant and Soil, 181(1), pp. 83-93. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011295

APA Citation style: Mengel, K. (1996). Turnover of organic nitrogen in soils and its availability to crops. Plant and Soil. 181(1), 83-93. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011295