Alterations of pathways in fertilizer N conservation and supply in soils treated with dicyandiamide, hydroquinone and glucose

•Inhibitors enhanced the effects of fixed NH4+ on applied-N conservation and supply.•Glucose addition increased the corresponding effects of organic N pool.•Glucose decreased N availability, which was enhanced by DCD, but mitigated by HQ.•Immobilization was the main drive for fixed NH4+ release with glucose or DCD input.•Effect of nitrification on fixed NH4+ release increased in soils amended with HQ.