Mineralisation

When it comes to the development of field crops, nitrogen is considered to be an essential element. Root systems and plant growth are stunted when nitrogen is insufficient, older leaves turn yellow, and the crop is low in crude protein when nitrogen is insufficient. A high nitrogen content in the soil can cause the maturation process to be slowed down, as well as excessive vegetative growth at the expense of grain yield and yield. Nitrogen fertiliser is extremely expensive, and any losses that occur as a result of this can lead to situations that are harmful to the environment, such as flooding. The mineralisation process can be found in the nitrogen cycle, among other places.

Mineralisation

To put it another way, mineralisation is the process of converting chemical compounds into organic matter, which we can call decomposition in its simplest form. For instance, biological mineralisation, bone mineralisation, soil mineralisation, Organomineralisation, inorganic mineralisation, and so on are all examples of mineralisation.

The definition of mineralisation can differ depending on the type of mineralisation that is occurring. In the context of bone, it is defined as the process by which the organic bone matrix is filled with calcium phosphate nanocrystals that occur in a highly specific order within the organic bone matrix. Osteoblasts are responsible for carrying out this process, which is filled with an osteoid matrix. It is composed of type I collagen fibers that are arranged in micro and macro structures to form a bone matrix.

Generally speaking, biomineralisation can be defined as the process by which living organisms produce a specific type of mineral in order to harden the existing structure of tissues. Mineralized tissues are the term used to describe these types of tissues.

Factors that Affect the Rate of Mineralisation are:

• The mineral content of the soil as well as the amount of organic matter present in the soil are two factors that influence the rate of mineralisation.
• The pH, temperature, and water content of the soil are all measured.
• The soil’s composition.
• In an acidic environment, the process proceeds at a more leisurely pace.
• The mineralisation process can speed up in warm weather, and the rate of mineralisation will vary according to the season.
• Because the nitrogen-fixing bacteria is present in the roots of legume crops, the rate of the process is accelerated in those plants.

Immobilisation

It is the conversion of inorganic compounds to organic compounds by microorganisms or plants that causes immobilisation in soil science, which prevents the compounds from being accessible to plants.

If inorganic nutrients are assimilated by soil microbes, this is known as immobilisation, and it is the inverse of mineralisation, where they are made unavailable for plant consumption.

It is a biological process controlled by bacteria that consume inorganic nitrogen and produce amino acids and biological macromolecules as a result of the consumption of inorganic nitrogen (organic forms).

Difference between mineralisation and immobilisation

• Immobilisation and mineralisation occur in a continuous and concurrent manner, resulting in the gradual transformation of nitrogen in the decomposing system from an inorganic to an organic state through immobilisation, and then from an organic to an inorganic state through decay and mineralisation.

• Mineralisation and immobilisation are two terms used to describe the process of becoming mineralised or immobilised. Mineralisation and immobilisation are diametrically opposed concepts.

• While mineralisation refers to the conversion of organic matter into mineral nutrients that can be readily assimilated by plants, immobilisation refers to the uptake of minerals by soil microbes and the conversion of those minerals into organic matter that cannot be absorbed by plants.

• The carbon-to-mineral ratio determines whether decomposition will result in mineralisation or immobilisation. For example, if the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio is high, immobilisation is preferred, and microbes may be able to take up ammonia and nitrates that are present in the soil. If, on the other hand, the C/N ratio is relatively low, it will result in the mineralisation of organic nitrogen in the soil. Interestingly, these two processes are intertwined: the immobilisation process locks up nitrogen, and when the microorganisms die, any nitrogen present in the cells of these organisms is converted into nitrate, which is then made available to plants through a process known as mineralisation.

Increased soil organic matter, as a result of the use of legume residues, can result in more rapid mineralisation. Because of the depletion of legume residues in the summer and autumn, the rate of mineralisation may be particularly rapid. This means that the rate of mineralisation in the soil with no legumes will be the same or less than the rate of mineralisation in the soil with legumes in the following crop. This is something that growers should keep in mind when planning fertiliser application rates.

Temperature and precipitation conditions that influence the mineralisation process can also have an impact on nitrogen losses. For example, the leaching process is most active during wet winters on sandy soil, and denitrification is the loss of soil nitrate as nitrogen gas, which occurs primarily on saturated heavy soils during the summer months. As a result, rather than concentrating on specific losses, growers should concentrate on increasing nitrogen use efficiency by determining the optimal nitrogen application rates and timings.

Conclusion

Mineralisation is the process of converting chemical compounds into organic matter, which we can call decomposition in its simplest form. For instance, biological mineralisation, bone mineralisation, soil mineralisation.The amount of nitrogen mineralisation depends on the three factors, they are:Nitrogen content in the soil.Temperature.Water content in the soil.During the growing stage, the amount of mineralisation is predictable and they can be estimated in a period.The Immobilisation is the conversion of inorganic compounds to organic compounds by microorganisms or plants that causes immobilisation in soil science, which prevents the compounds from being accessible to plants.Immobilization and mineralisation occur in a continuous and concurrent manner, resulting in the gradual transformation of nitrogen in the decomposing system from an inorganic to an organic state through immobilisation, and then from an organic to an inorganic state through decay and mineralization.