OOS 12-5 - Biological Nitrification Inhibition: A climate-smart strategy to develop low-nitrifying production systems and tackle the global nitrogen problem

Investigating low-nitrifying sustainable farming systems is essential as current agriculture accounts for approximately 80% of total anthropogenic emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that has also become the largest ozone-depleting substance in the atmosphere. It is estimated that only about 30-50 percent of applied N-based fertilizers are utilized by crops. The remainder is lost through various mechanisms and becomes environmental pollutants through nitrification, denitrification, leaching, or runoff. Nitrous oxide is an intermediate product that is released during microbial nitrification and denitrification processes. Some plants can suppress nitrification by releasing specific root exudates that inhibit soil nitrifier activity and the production of nitrates (NO3-) in soils (a property called biological nitrification inhibition, BNI). Exploiting the BNI activity of crops could be an effective and innovative strategy for developing long-term solutions for improving the environmental sustainability of agricultural practices. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of BNI, preliminary findings of BNI in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and the potential of low-nitrifying BNI production systems for improving the environmental sustainability of agricultural practices in the U.S. and around the globe.