Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal: Journal of Cleaner Production

Volume number: 328

ISSN: 0959-6526

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129600

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
Soil secondary salinization has attracted increasing public concern in greenhouse cultivation, and the dominant salt ion is nitrate. In this study, the Bacillus megaterium NCT-2 microbial agent was tested to remediate nitrate for sustainable production of agriculture. To understand the mechanism of microbial agents on remediating nitrate and their contribution to sustainable production, a laboratory 15 N tracing study was carried out to quantify the simultaneously operating gross N transformation rates and associated them with copy numbers of key genes in the nitrogen metabolism. The NCT-2 strain showed strong nitrate assimilation (99%) and weak dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) (1%). Mineralization of recalcitrant organic N dominated internal NH4+ production. Ammonium immobilization by NCT-2 strain occurred mainly into the recalcitrant organic N pool (60-67%). No nitrification activity (neither hetemtrophic or autotrophic) was detectable in NCT-2 strain. Also the strain did not denitrify and was not involved in nitrous oxide emission. The study showed that NCT-2 strain is able to effectively remediate excessive nitrate in secondary salinized soil without causing any additional N losses, which is extremely conducive to sustainable production of agriculture. With this study the theoretical basis is provided to further develop suitable management tools in using Bacillus megaterium NCT-2 to increase the nitrogen use efficiency in greenhouse cultivation.

Harvard Citation style: You, Y., Chu, S., Chi, Y., Chen, X., Wang, J., Hayat, K., et al. (2021) How bacteria remediate soil nitrate for sustainable crop production, Journal of Cleaner Production, 328, Article 129600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129600

APA Citation style: You, Y., Chu, S., Chi, Y., Chen, X., Wang, J., Hayat, K., Yang, X., Müller, C., Zhang, D., & Zhou, P. (2021). How bacteria remediate soil nitrate for sustainable crop production. Journal of Cleaner Production. 328, Article 129600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129600