Nitrification is a key stage in the nitrogen cycle; it enables the transformation of nitrogen into an oxidized, inorganic state. The availability of nitrates produced by this process often limits primary productivity and is an important determinant in plant community ecology and biodiversity.

Why do plants need nitrification?

The process of nitrification is important to plants, as it produces an extra stash of available nitrogen that can be absorbed by the plants through their root systems.

What nitrification is and why it's important to the plants?

Nitrification is an aerobic microbial process by which specialized bacteria oxidize ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrate. Nitrification is a very important part of the nitrogen cycle, because for most plants nitrate is the preferred chemical form of nitrogen uptake from soil or water.