Alternate wetting–drying enhances soil nitrogen availability by altering organic nitrogen partitioning in rice-microbe system

•Alternate wetting and drying alters the rhizosphere environment to stimulating soil N cycling.•Alternate wetting and drying increases organic N uptake by rice.•Organic N partitioning in rice and microbiota improves soil N availability and rice growth.•Alternate wetting and drying alters soil microbial community involved in organic N utilization.