PlantaGo
Designing agroecosystems that effectively minimize nitrogen (N) losses to the atmosphere and water, and thereby improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) for crop production, remains a pressing challenge for sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), a capacity first observed in certain tropical grasses, shows promise for reducing N losses in a sustainable manner. Research suggests that ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) may also possess significant BNI potential, making it a promising candidate for minimizing N losses in temperate agroecosystems. However, while P. lanceolata has shown potential as a BNI plant, the scientific evidence for its effects remains inconsistent, highlighting gaps in our understanding of its mechanisms and the factors that influence its efficiency.
The PlantaGo project ("Biological nitrification inhibition by Plantago lanceolata to reduce nitrogen losses from agroecosystems") focuses on reducing N losses from agricultural soils using Plantago lanceolata, a plant well suited to temperate climates. The project investigates the extent to which P. lanceolata can influence soil N transformations by naturally producing nitrification inhibitors, with the aim of reducing harmful N₂O emissions and nitrate leaching losses. This basic research project aims to decipher the biochemical and microbial processes associated with BNI in P. lanceolata and to develop a mechanistic model that explains its mode of action within the soil-plant-atmosphere system. The knowledge gained is expected to guide the incorporation of P. lanceolata into crop rotations to minimize N losses while maintaining agricultural productivity. The project is executed in cooperation with the Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland, University of Bruxelles, Belgium and University of Liège, Belgium and is funded by the Swiss and Belgium National Science Foundations (SNSF and FNRS).
At Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Plant Ecology, soil incubation studies using 15N-labeled fertilizers will be conducted. The aim of these experiments is to assess the effects of BNI-active metabolites from P. lanceolata and the plant itself on N dynamics. Using the Ntrace model, data on simultaneous gross N transformation rates in different N pools will be calculated. This approach will allow to distinguish between direct effects of BNI compounds on nitrification and indirect effects within the plant-soil system. This will help to elucidate the mode of action of the BNI properties of P. lanceolata.