Ectomycorrhizal fungi border plantings to reduce nitrogen leaching from agricultural fields
Research exploring whether short-stature woody crops (hazelnut trees) inoculated with ectomycorrhizal fungi planted as field borders can reduce nitrate leaching and nitrogen loss from adjacent cropland. The approach leverages ECM fungi's ability to promote organic nitrogen retention and slow nitrification, offering a nature-based solution for nutrient management.
Overview
This research investigates the use of short-stature woody crops inoculated with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi as border plantings around agricultural fields to reduce nitrogen leaching and off-site nutrient transport. The approach is based on evidence that ECM-associated plants promote slower nitrification rates and favor organic, less mobile nitrogen forms compared to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM)-associated plants. By establishing ECM-inoculated hazelnut trees as field borders, the study aims to intercept and retain nitrogen before it moves beyond the rooting zone, offering a nature-based strategy to improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental losses from fertilized cropland.
Technical specifications
Research approach:
- Plant short-stature hazelnut trees inoculated with ECM fungi as borders around experimental corn plots fertilized with manure
- Measure soil nitrogen dynamics along transects from outside the border to the center of plots
- Quantify nitrification rates, nitrate concentrations in soil water at the surface and below the rooting zone, plant and microbial nitrogen uptake, and nitrous oxide gas production
- Compare results against control plots without ECM woody plant borders
Scientific basis:
- ECM-associated tree species generate more recalcitrant leaf litter that decomposes slowly
- AM-dominated stands show higher ratios of inorganic to organic nitrogen and greater net nitrification rates
- ECM-red oak soils have demonstrated dominance of ammonium (NH4+) over more mobile nitrogen forms
- ECM plants may promote greater accumulation of organic matter in surface soil horizons
Technology readiness level
This research is at an early experimental stage. A three-year field validation study is planned to assess the capacity of ECM-associated woody plants to minimize nitrate leaching from agricultural fields. The work builds on prior laboratory findings and will generate empirical evidence on nitrogen movement and transport in ECM-bordered cropping systems. Results will determine the viability of this approach as a practical nutrient management strategy for agricultural producers.
About West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a comprehensive public land‑grant research university headquartered in Morgantown and serving the state through academics, research, and outreach. For industry, a statewide Extension network provides on‑the‑ground access to communities, facilities, and field sites, while an integrated academic medical center and health system enable clinical research and translational partnerships. The university connects corporate R&D with talent through co‑op and internship pipelines and applied engagements. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOE, and USDA. WVU’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization manages IP, licensing, and startup pathways to provide a clear entry point for collaboration.
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