Denitrification Activity in Soils for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Denitrification is a microbial process in the nitrogen cycle in which oxidized nitrogen compounds are used as alternative electron acceptors for energy production. Denitrifying bacteria occur in practically every sort of environmental niche: soil, water, and sediment. Denitrification decreases the leaching of nitrate to ground and surface waters and is the main biological process responsible for the return of fixed nitrogen to the atmosphere. On the other hand, it contributes to the greenhouse effects, to the destruction of the ozone layer, and is a loss of nitrogen otherwise available for the growth of plants. A short overview of denitrification activity in soils leading to a sustainable agriculture is given. The genus Bradyrhizobium and its relevance in the process of denitrification are described.