Abstract
Farmland soil microorganisms play a critical role in the nitrogen cycle, directly influencing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and the sustainability of agricultural production. This paper systematically reviews the research progress on the relationship between soil microorganisms and NUE, with a focus on the functional mechanisms of various microbial groups involved in nitrogen transformation processes. Drawing on current studies, it explores the complex effects of external factors, such as soil physicochemical properties, agricultural management practices, and climate change, on microbial activity and NUE. In particular, cutting-edge research areas, such as the synergistic effects of microbe-plant interactions on efficient nitrogen utilization, functional analyses of soil microbiomes using high-throughput sequencing technologies, and the potential application of functional genomics in identifying key genes involved in nitrogen transformations, provide new perspectives for improving NUE. This paper aims to integrate existing literature, identify critical scientific questions, and propose future research directions, offering a scientific basis for developing more efficient and sustainable nitrogen management strategies.
