Soil Quality
Fact Sheets - Inorganic Nitrogen
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- Inorganic Nitrogen 233 Kb PDF
Summary
Over 98% of all nitrogen present in the soil is in an organic form (ie contains carbon in its molecular structure). Organic nitrogen cannot be taken up by the plant until it is mineralized by microbes into inorganic forms (principally nitrate (NO3) and ammonia (NH4)). Mineralisation occurs throughout the growing season providing a steady, continuous supply of nitrogen to the crop. This process can be stimulated significantly by cultivation.
