Summary
Background: The application of organic matter with a high C/N ratio is effective for the prevention of soil degradation, although this can cause nitrogen starvation. However, some fields are highly productive under nitrogen-starvation conditions. The underlying mechanisms for this are unclear but the correlation between soil microbial biomass (SMB) and crop yield suggests that nitrogen flows from SMB to crops. We aimed to clarify this flow and the source of nitrogen. Methods: We achieved nitrogen starvation conditions by applying waste mushroom bed and repeated lettuce cropping with different crop management practices, such as watering and fertilizer application. We analyz
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