Effects of the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate on nitrification and nitrifiers in two contrasting agricultural soils

Abstract

The nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) is a powerful tool that can be used to promote nitrogen (N) use efficiency and reduce N losses from agricultural systems by slowing nitrification. Mounting evidence has confirmed the functional importance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in nitrification and N2O production; however, their responses to DMPP amendment and the microbial mechanisms underlying the variable efficiencies of DMPP across different soils remain largely unknown. Here we compared the impacts of DMPP on nitrification and the dynamics of ammonia oxidizers between an acidic pasture soil and an alkaline vegetable soil us..