Ammonification is a process that is part of the Nitrogen cycle wherein ammonia is produced. This process is especially beneficial to the agriculture industry as the ammonia will help keep the soil fertile and healthy. With the presence of ammonia, the soil is said to be more organic and healthier with the help of other components such as water and bacteria. As a chemical, Nitrogen is a vital component for various living things and it is continually used up and recycled from being organic to inorganic. When nitrogen is processed in the soil, the release of ammonia from the breakdown of amino acids is the important event that makes the soil healthy.

The process of ammonification typically proceeds after the decomposition of organic components or proteins in the soil. When this process is done, ammonia will be resulting product and will be released. This simple process basically converts the organic part which is the proteins or amino acids into the inorganic ammonia. When this ammonification process produces enough ammonia, the soil will become healthy and very fertile for planting various crops and plants. The ammonification process is brought about by various organisms that may be present in the soil. These include bacteria and fungi that help decompose and breakdown the protein components. It is also essential that enough water is present in the soil at the time of the ammonification process. With enough water present, the so-called ph level of the soil will also be more ideal for plant or crop growth. Soil conditions wherein the ph is too low are typically not ideal for the process of ammonification to continue. The lower the soil ph, the less ammonia will be released, and the less healthy the soil will be.

In various agricultural farms across the world, ammonification is typically assisted or supported through the addition of cow’s manure or compost to the ground. This process will basically result to more production of ammonia which can be retained by the soil to keep it healthy and fertile.