Nitrogen immobilization
The process by which soil microorganisms absorb mineral nitrogen, temporarily making it unavailable for uptake by crop plants.
Также говорят: biological nitrogen fixation, microbial nitrogen tie-up
Immobilization occurs when high-carbon organic matter, such as crop straw or wood chips, is incorporated into the soil. Microbes consume the available nitrogen to build their own biomass, which leads to a temporary shortage of nitrogen for the growing crops.
To mitigate this effect, growers should apply supplemental nitrogen fertilizers when incorporating high-carbon residues. This balances the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, allowing microbes to decompose organic material without depleting the soil nitrogen reservoir needed by plants.
A common mistake is failing to provide extra nitrogen when managing heavy residue cover, which can lead to stunted crop growth and yellowing due to nitrogen deficiency.