Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012.
* Present address: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, A.P., 500030.
Greenhouse pot experiments with rice as test crop and incubation studies without rice were conducted to evaluate the influence of some selected compounds inhibiting urea hydrolysis and nitrification on the population of denitrifiers developing under flooded and non-flooded conditions and organic matter amendment. Oxygen diffusion rates were also monitored. The population of denitrifiers significantly increased under oxygen stress. Inhibitors reduced their growth in the initial stages; the effect declined as time elapsed.
Denitrifiers, rhizosphere, urease inhibitors, soil oxygen stress
