Revisiting plant biological nitrification inhibition efficiency using multiple archaeal and bacterial ammonia-oxidising cultures

Abstract Nitrification is a major process within the nitrogen (N) cycle leading to global losses of N, including fertiliser from natural and agricultural systems producing significant nitrous oxide emissions. One strategy for mitigation these involves nitrification inhibition by plant-derived biological inhibitors (BNIs). Cultivation-based studies BNIs, screening new compounds, have predominantly investigated single ammonia-oxidising bacterium (AOB), Nitrosomonas europaea , even though ammonia oxidation in soil usually dominated archaea (AOA), especially acidic soils, AOB Nitrosospira sp., rather than fertilised soils. This study aimed assess sensitivity range AOA pure cultures BNIs produced plant roots (methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate, sakuranetin 1,9-decanediol) shoots (linoleic acid, linolenic acid methyl linoleate). were generally more sensitive AOB, was greater those roots. Sensitivity also varied between different BNIs. In general, N. not good indicator BNI inhibition, findings therefore highlight limitations use bioassay strain suggest broader strains that are representative communities.