Free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria in temperature cropping systems: influence of nitrogen source

Sustainable cropping systems rely on a minimum of external inputs. In these systems N is largely acquired in animal manures and leguminous green manures. Little is known of how these organic forms of N fertilizer influence the presence and activity of free-living N2-fixing bacteria. High concentrations of inorganic N in soil inhibit N2-fixation in cyanobacteria and Azotobacter spp. It is likely that manure and fertilizer applications would result in concentrations of inorganic N capable of inhibiting N2 fixation and, ultimately, the presence of these organisms. We investigated the effect of synthetic and organic N fertilizer sources on the populations and N2-fixation potential of free-living N2-fixing bacteria in the Farming Systems Trial at the Rodale Research Institute. Field plots received the following N treatments prior to corn (Zea mays L.) production: (1) Legume rotations and green manures supplying about 165 kg N ha-1; (2) beef cattle manure applied at a rate of 220 kg N ha-1 (plus 60 kg N ha-1 from 1994 hay plow-down); or (3) fertilizer N (urea and NH4NO3) applied at a rate of 145 kg N ha-1. Soil samples were collected at two depths from corn plots four times during the growing season, and analyzed for soil moisture, soil pH, numbers of N2-fixing cyanobacteria and Azotobacter spp., extractable NH4+ and NO3-, and potentially mineralizable N. Soil samples collected in mid-July were analyzed for nitrogenase activity (by C2H2 reduction) and total C and N. Populations of Azotobacter spp. and cyanobacteria were influenced only slightly by treatment; however, cyanobacteria species composition was notably influenced by treatment. Nitrogenase activity in surface soils was greatest in legume-N plots and in subsurface plots levels were greatest in fertilizer-N plots. Populations and activity of free-living N-fixing bacteria appeared to be somewhat reduced in all plots as a result of low soil pH levels and high concentrations of inorganic N across all treatments. Annual applications of N to all plots resulted in high levels of potentially mineralizable N that in turn may have reduced non-symbiotic N2-fixation in all plots.