“ROLE OF MICROORGANISMS IN

NITROGEN CYCLE”

Submitted To Submitted by
Dr. Hemant Rawat ADIL ALI
Y21264001
1
M.Sc. Microbiology
(II Semester)
Gas (Symbol) Percentage

Nitrogen (N) 78.03

Oxygen (O) 20.99

Argon (Ar) .94

Carbon dioxide (CO2). .035 -.04

Hydrogen (H) .01

Neon (Ne) .012

Helium (He) .0005

Krypton (Kr) .0001

Ozone (O3) .00006

Xenon (Xe) .000009

HISTORY

• About three decades after

it was discovered that
living plants needed
nitrogen, Jules Reiset
recognized in 1856 that
decaying organic matter
releases nitrogen.

• This discovery ultimately

provided the basis for the
nitrogen cycle because it
was the first evidence of
nitrogen cycling in the
biological sphere
 Nitrogen Cycle

• “Nitrogen Cycle
is a
biogeochemical
process which
transforms the
inert nitrogen
present in the
atmosphere to a
more usable form
for living
organisms.”
The Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Fixation
The nodules on the roots
of this bean plant contain
bacteria called
Rhizobium that help
convert nitrogen in the
soil to a form the plant
can utilize.
 Types of Biological Nitrogen Fixation
Free-living (asymbiotic)
• Cyanobacteria
• Azotobacter
Associative
• Rhizosphere–Azospirillum
• Lichens–cyanobacteria
• Leaf nodules
Symbiotic
• Legume-rhizobia
• Actinorhizal-Frankia
 Nitrogen Cycling Processes
Nitrogen Fixation – bacteria convert nitrogen gas (N2)
to ammonia (NH3).
Decomposition – dead nitrogen fixers release N-
containing compounds.
Ammonification – bacteria and fungi decompose dead
plants and animals and release excess NH3 and
ammonium ions (NH4+).
Nitrification – type of chemosynthesis where NH3 or
NH4+ is converted to nitrite (NO2-); other bacteria
convert NO2- to nitrate (NO3-).
Denitrification – bacteria convert NO2- and NO3- to N2.
 Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
Two kinds of nitrogen-fixing bacteria are recognized.

• Nonsymbiotic bacteria: includes the cyanobacteria (or

blue-green algae) Anabaena and Nostoc and genera such
as Azotobacter, Beijerinckia, and Clostridium.

• Symbiotic bacteria: examples include Rhizobium,

associated with leguminous plants (e.g., various members
of the pea family); Frankia.
 Symbiotic Nitrogen
Fixation
• The symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria invade
the root hairs of host plants, where they
multiply and stimulate formation of root
nodules, enlargements of plant cells and
bacteria in intimate association. Within the
nodules the bacteria convert free nitrogen to 
ammonia, which the host plant utilizes for its
development.
Symbiotic Nitrogen
Fixation
The Rhizobium-legume
association

Bacterial associations with certain

plant families, primarily legume
species, make the largest single
contribution to biological nitrogen
fixation in the biosphere
Nitrogen Fixation by Lightning
• Another process that helps in nitrogen
fixation is lightning. It is a natural
phenomenon where the energy of
lightning breaks and converts the non-
absorbable form of nitrogen into a usable
form. Even though the contribution of
lightning in the nitrogen fixation is
small, they save plants from the
deficiency of essential elements.
 Roles of Nitrogen
• Plants and bacteria use nitrogen in the form
of NH4+ or NO3-
• It serves as an electron acceptor in
anaerobic environment
• Nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient
in soil and water.
 Microorganisms fixing
• Azobacter • Require the enzyme
• Beijerinckia nitrogenase
• Azospirillum • Inhibited by oxygen
• Clostridium • Inhibited by ammonia
• Cyanobacteria (end product)
 Rates of Nitrogen Fixation
N2 fixing system Nitrogen Fixation (kg
N/hect/year)
Rhizobium-legume 200-300

Cyanobacteria- moss 30-40

Rhizosphere associations 2-25

Free- living 1-2