Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbiome

Certain plant species have developed the ability to express biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), suppressing the activity of nitrifying microbes and thereby reducing the conversion of ammonium to nitrate. This study assessed the BNI capacity and the rhizosphere ammonia-oxidizing microbiome of...

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Main Authors: Yi Zhou, Ruey Toh, Nasir Iqbal, Maarten Ryder, Jishun Li, Matthew D. Denton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Grasses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2813-3463/3/4/22
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author Yi Zhou
Ruey Toh
Nasir Iqbal
Maarten Ryder
Jishun Li
Matthew D. Denton
author_facet Yi Zhou
Ruey Toh
Nasir Iqbal
Maarten Ryder
Jishun Li
Matthew D. Denton
author_sort Yi Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Certain plant species have developed the ability to express biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), suppressing the activity of nitrifying microbes and thereby reducing the conversion of ammonium to nitrate. This study assessed the BNI capacity and the rhizosphere ammonia-oxidizing microbiome of two grass species: the endemic Australian Barley Mitchell grass (<i>Astrebla pectinata</i>) and the introduced koronivia grass (<i>Urochloa humidicola</i>), using soils from both agricultural land and native vegetation. In agricultural soil, koronivia grass exhibited significantly higher BNI capacity compared with Barley Mitchell grass. However, in native soil, this trend was reversed, with Barley Mitchell grass demonstrating a significantly greater BNI capacity than koronivia grass (52% vs. 38%). Koronivia grass significantly altered the composition of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria community in its rhizosphere, leading to a decrease in the Shannon index and bacteria number. Conversely, Barley Mitchell grass reduced the Shannon index (1.2 vs. 1.7) and population size (3.28 × 10<sup>7</sup> vs. 7.43 × 10<sup>7</sup> gene copy number g<sup>−1</sup> dry soil) of the ammonia-oxidizing archaea community in its rhizosphere to a greater extent. These findings suggest that Australian Barley Mitchell grass may have evolved mechanisms to suppress soil archaeal nitrifiers, thereby enhancing its BNI capacity and adapting to Australia’s nutrient-poor soils.
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spelling doaj-art-f34bec0bba4f4b78986d5777292e947f2024-12-27T14:28:32ZengMDPI AGGrasses2813-34632024-11-013429730610.3390/grasses3040022Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing MicrobiomeYi Zhou0Ruey Toh1Nasir Iqbal2Maarten Ryder3Jishun Li4Matthew D. Denton5School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, AustraliaSchool of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, AustraliaSchool of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, AustraliaSchool of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, AustraliaEcology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250013, ChinaSchool of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, AustraliaCertain plant species have developed the ability to express biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), suppressing the activity of nitrifying microbes and thereby reducing the conversion of ammonium to nitrate. This study assessed the BNI capacity and the rhizosphere ammonia-oxidizing microbiome of two grass species: the endemic Australian Barley Mitchell grass (<i>Astrebla pectinata</i>) and the introduced koronivia grass (<i>Urochloa humidicola</i>), using soils from both agricultural land and native vegetation. In agricultural soil, koronivia grass exhibited significantly higher BNI capacity compared with Barley Mitchell grass. However, in native soil, this trend was reversed, with Barley Mitchell grass demonstrating a significantly greater BNI capacity than koronivia grass (52% vs. 38%). Koronivia grass significantly altered the composition of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria community in its rhizosphere, leading to a decrease in the Shannon index and bacteria number. Conversely, Barley Mitchell grass reduced the Shannon index (1.2 vs. 1.7) and population size (3.28 × 10<sup>7</sup> vs. 7.43 × 10<sup>7</sup> gene copy number g<sup>−1</sup> dry soil) of the ammonia-oxidizing archaea community in its rhizosphere to a greater extent. These findings suggest that Australian Barley Mitchell grass may have evolved mechanisms to suppress soil archaeal nitrifiers, thereby enhancing its BNI capacity and adapting to Australia’s nutrient-poor soils.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-3463/3/4/22microbiotaC4endospheregrasslandforage
spellingShingle Yi Zhou
Ruey Toh
Nasir Iqbal
Maarten Ryder
Jishun Li
Matthew D. Denton
Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbiome
Grasses
microbiota
C4
endosphere
grassland
forage
title Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbiome
title_full Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbiome
title_fullStr Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbiome
title_full_unstemmed Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbiome
title_short Biological Nitrification Inhibition by Australian Tussock Grass and Its Impact on the Rhizosphere Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbiome
title_sort biological nitrification inhibition by australian tussock grass and its impact on the rhizosphere ammonia oxidizing microbiome
topic microbiota
C4
endosphere
grassland
forage
url https://www.mdpi.com/2813-3463/3/4/22
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