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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1974 April; 27(4): 674-677
Copyright © 1974 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Comparative Denitrification of Selected Microorganisms in a Culture Medium and in Autoclaved Soil¹

^a Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, Department of Agronomy, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802

ABSTRACT

The denitrifying behavior of selected soil bacteria was compared in a culture solution and in soil that was sterilized by autoclaving. The essential characteristics concerning nitrate reduction and the formation of nitrogenous gases did not change significantly for most bacteria in the two environments. Bacteria whose denitrification product was nitrous oxide evolved the same gas both in soil and in a liquid system, whereas other bacteria formed only nitrogen gas. The validity of laboratory observations in relation to field studies in the domain of denitrification is discussed and evaluated.

¹ Paper no. 4408 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.