Nitrification Inhibition Potential of Brachiaria humidicola

An incubation experiment was conducted to determine the nitrification inhibition potential of Brachiaria humidicola (B. humidicola) and their effect on nitrification process. The pots soil was mixed 2 mg of nitrogen through ammonium sulphate. Seven treatments were evaluated viz. control, four root extracts of B. humidicola called as biological nitrification inhibitors (BNIs) (i.e., 70 % ethyl alcohol, 40 % ethyl alcohol, phosphate buffer solution and 2 M KCl salt solution extracts) and two standard chemical inhibitors i.e. dicyandiamide and neem oil coating. The amount of NH4+-N was reduced 20.66–11.91 μg g−1 soil and NO3−-N increased 28.89–31.18 μg g−1 soil from 14th to 22nd day time interval. Percent nitrification inhibition was more in BNIs (70 and 40 % alcohol extract) treated soils compared to plant based and synthetic nitrification inhibitors. The nitrification inhibition by B. humidicola also varied it was maximum (64.71 %) observed at 14th day over 22nd day (49.63 %).