Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

Nitrogen fertilization and stress factors drive shifts in microbial diversity in soils and plants

Miguel J. Beltrán-García, América Martínez-Rodríguez, Ileana Olmos-Arriaga, Benjamín Valdes-Salas, Paolo Di Mascio, James F. White

Symbiosis · 2021

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Summary

This 2021 study in Symbiosis investigates how nitrogen fertilisation practices and environmental stress factors drive compositional changes in soil and plant-associated microbial communities. As suggested by the title and journal scope, the work likely combines molecular microbiology with agronomic treatments to characterise how fertiliser management and stress conditions reshape microbial diversity. Such research contributes to understanding the microbial ecology underpinning soil health and plant resilience under intensified agricultural inputs.

UK applicability

The findings are potentially relevant to UK arable and horticultural systems where nitrogen fertiliser application is routinely managed, and where understanding microbial responses to fertilisation could inform precision nutrient stewardship and soil health monitoring. However, applicability depends on whether the study conditions (soil type, climate, crop) matched temperate UK conditions.

Key measures

Microbial diversity metrics, microbial community composition, response to nitrogen fertilisation rates, stress factor-induced shifts in soil and plant microbiota

Outcomes reported

The study examined how nitrogen fertilisation and abiotic stress factors alter microbial diversity and community structure in soil and plant-associated microbiomes. Shifts in microbial composition were assessed in response to varying nitrogen inputs and environmental stressors.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Soil biology & microbiology
Study type
Research
Study design
Field trial
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
International
System type
Laboratory / in vitro
DOI
10.1007/s13199-021-00787-z
Catalogue ID
SNmov5jyxl-qqrak5

Topic tags

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