Effect of Pesticides and Chemical Fertilizers on the Nitrogen Cycle and Functional Microbial Communities in Paddy Soils: Bangladesh Perspective.

Abstract

The concept of the Nitrogen (N) cycle has been modified over the years based on certain new pathways, including comammox, anammox, and DNRA (dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium). Comammox, nitrification, anammox, denitrification, DNRA, and nitrogen fixation pathways play key roles in the N cycle in paddy soils. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers' effects on the N cycle in paddy soils together with the possible manifestation of these newly discovery pathways are the focus of this review. Both chemical fertilizers and pesticides' overuse affect nitrifying archaea/bacteria and denitrifying and anammox bacteria, while heavy metals affect the nitrification rates in paddy soils. To add extra value to this study, we quantified the comammox amoA single copy gene from the Nitrospira strain 'Nitrospira inopinata'. This review will help researchers access the latest information on the N cycle, particularly in the light of the most recent discoveries.