Nitrogen Fertilization and Native C₄ Grass Species Alter Abundance, Activity, and Diversity of Soil Diazotrophic Communities.

ABSTRACT: Native C₄ grasses have become the preferred species for native perennial pastures and bioenergy production due to their high productivity under low soil nitrogen (N) status. One reason for their low N requirement is that C₄ grasses may benefit from soil diazotrophs and promote biological N fixation. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of N fertilization rates (0, 67, and 202 kg N ha^-1) and grass species (switchgrass [Panicum virgatum] and big bluestem [Andropogon gerardii]) on the abundance, activity, diversity, and community composition of soil diazotrophs over three agricultural seasons (grass green-up, initial harvest, and second harvest) in a field experiment in East Tennessee, United States. Nitrogen fertilization rate had a stronger

SUBMITTER: Hu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8297707 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature