The nitrate reductase test is a test to differentiate between bacteria based on their ability or inability to reduce nitrate (NO) to nitrite (NO) using anaerobic respiration.

Platy and compacted soils impede gas flow, and a deficiency of oxygen may encourage anaerobic bacteria to reduce nitrate to the gases N, NO, and NO, which are then lost to the atmosphere.

It produces lecithinase, splits Tween 20, Tween 40 and Tween 80 and reduces nitrate.

Proposals to reduce nitrate would then be put to MAFF, which would in turn consult interested parties.

Rothia dentocariosa, like several other species of oral bacteria, is able to reduce nitrate to nitrite, and one study found it in 3% of isolates of nitrate-reducing bacteria from the mouth.

In addition, a nitrite test does not detect organisms unable to reduce nitrate to nitrite, such as enterococci, staphylococci, or adenovirus.

Others (e.g. Paracoccus denitrificans or Pseudomonas stutzeri) reduce nitrate completely.

It does not have the ability to reduce nitrate.

And at low levels, bacteria tend to reduce nitrate, useful to plants, to elemental nitrogen, which as a dissolved gas is not available to most aquatic plants.

Cells are aerobic, Catalase- and urease-positive, reduce nitrate to nitrite.