Effect of Two Nitrogen Forms on the Growth and Iron Nutrition of Pea Cultivated in Presence of Bicarbonate

ABSTRACT

Two cultivars of pea: ‘PS210713’ (‘PS’), sensitive to iron deficiency, and ‘Marveille de Kelvedon’ (‘MK’), tolerant, were cultivated in controlled climatic conditions during one month, on a nutrient solution containing either nitrate (NO₃ ^?, 4 mM) or ammonium (NH₄ ⁺, 4 mM) and in the presence of bicarbonate (10 mM). The effects of these nitrogen forms on the growth and the mineral nutrition, and especially iron nutrition are analyzed.

The reduction of growth by bicarbonate was approximately 30% in case of NO₃ ^? nutrition in the two cultivars, whereas in ammoniacal treatment the reduction is only 6% and 18% respectively in ‘PS’ and ‘MK’ cultivars.

In presence of bicarbonate, the plant growth is not stimulated by NO₃ ^?relatively to its growth on ammoniacal medium, as often noticed when plants are cultivated on medium without bicarbonate: In presence of this compound, the biomass production of plant pea, was not influenced by the nitrogen forms. The nitric source led to a ferric chlorosis in the sensitive cultivar plants whereas any chlorosis was noted when ammoniacal source was applied. On the other hand, nitric nitrogen form decreased the nitrogen feeding of plants and increased the potassium one, while the effect of the ammoniacal nitrogen form on these nutrients was quite the inverse. In addition, the later increased the allocation of iron towards shoots. Besides, with this nitrogen source there was not accumulation of nitrate in the plant tissues. In nitric feeding case, the nitrate is mainly accumulated in the roots of the two cultivars. It is noticeable that the sensitive cultivar (‘PS’) accumulates three times more nitrate than the tolerant one (‘MK’).

On the level of the whole plant, the iron and phosphorus nutrition seems unaltered by the nitrogen form.     

Provision of carbon skeletons for amide synthesis in non-nodulated soybean and pea roots in response to the source of nitrogen supply

Abstract

Soluble amino acids in roots and primary amino acids, which were involved in primary ammonium assimilation, in the metabolites of ¹⁴C-glucose fed to roots for 3 h in the dark were analyzed in the roots of non-nodulated soybean and pea plants grown in ammonium, nitrate or nitrogen-free media for 1 day. Compared with the effect of nitrate, ammonium supply strongly affected the content and synthesis of the amino acids in the roots. In both soybean and pea roots, the supply of ammonium increased considerably the concentrations of the primary amino acids, and asparagine was the most predominant amide, followed by glutamine. In nitrate-supplied soybean roots, the concentrations of asparagine, aspartate and alanine increased, but the concentration of glutamine was low. In the roots of pea plants grown in nitrate media, asparagine was the predominant amino acid, although the composition of the primary amino acids was little affected by nitrate supply. The proportion of amino acids synthesized from ¹⁴C-glucose increased and asparagine rather than glutamine was predominantly synthesized in ammonium-supplied soybean and pea roots, whereas in nitrate-supplied roots asparagine was more actively synthesized than glutamine, although asparagine was not predominant. The ratio of C4 (asparagine + aspartate) to C5 (glutamine + glutamate) amino acids was twofold higher in ammonium-supplied and nitrate-supplied soybean roots than in roots receiving no nitrogen. In contrast, in pea roots, the C4/C5 ratio was twofold higher only in ammonium nutrition. The results obtained suggest that the roots of leguminous plants might possess an indigenous ability to provide a carbon skeleton for preferential synthesis of asparagine rather than glutamine with a high intensity of ammonium supply.     

Ethylene evolution and ammonium accumulation by tomato plants with various nitrogen forms and regimes of acidity. Part I

Ammonium nutrition of plants in soil or solution culture leads to development of a strongly acidic regime in the medium. Foliar evolution of ethylene and accumulation of ammonium are stimulated by ammonium nutrition. This stimulation may be due in part to the acidification of media by ammonium nutrition. To determine the effects of medium pH on ethylene evolution and ammonium accumulation by plants, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. ‘Heinz 1350’ and neglecta‐1) were grown with nitrate, ammonium, or urea nutrition and with various pH regimes in solution culture. Ammonium nutrition decreased medium pH to 3.5 and increased ethylene evolution and ammonium accumulation by plants. Urea nutrition at pH 3.5 also increased ammonium accumulation and ethylene evolution by plants. Nitrate nutrition at pH 3.5 slightly increased ammonium accumulation but had no effect on ethylene evolution. Media supplied with different ratios of nitrate to ammonium relieved toxic effect of ammonium relative to 100% ammonium nutrition. The symptoms of ammonium toxicity were observed on the plants with high ethylene evolution. High ethylene evolution occurred on the plants with relative high ammonium accumulation regardless of nitrogen forms and pH regimes. The results indicate that toxic symptoms and increased ethylene evolution are directly related to high ammonium accumulation and that low pH may cause ammonium accumulation in plants.     

Indications for passive rather than active release of natural nitrification inhibitors in Brachiaria humidicola root exudates

Plants have the ability to suppress microbial nitrification process through secondary metabolites released from their root exudates or/and leaf litter. For decades, grasses were suggested to control nitrification process, and recently, Brachiaria humidicola accession 26159 (BH) as a tropical and subtropical grass has been shown to reduce nitrification rates under laboratory and soil conditions. In this study, experiments were conducted under controlled conditions in nutrient solution culture to investigate whether the reported release of natural nitrification inhibitors from root exudates of BH is an active or passive phenomenon. So different variables such as N-form (nitrate vs. ammonium), collecting medium (distilled water vs. 1 mM NH₄Cl) and collecting period (6 vs. 24 hrs) were included to study the hypothesis. Results showed when root exudates were collected in distilled water there was no nitrification inhibition activity for all ammonium and nitrate grown plants. However, when collection was done in a medium containing 1 mM NH₄Cl, root exudates showed significant nitrification inhibition activity similar to results obtained by Subbarao et al. The observed nitrification inhibition activity had a positive correlation to ammonium treatment particularly in collection medium, probably due to root cells damage induced by low pH and membrane depolarization under ammonium nutrition. This was more supported by application of shoot homogenates of NH₄⁺, NO₃^? or NH₄NO₃ grown plants that showed significant nitrification inhibition activity compared to distilled water and DMPP controls in a bioassay test, independent of N-form. Potassium concentrations in root exudates (as a result of potassium leakage) were found to increase in root washings of plants, which were grown with ammonium, particularly when root exudates were collected in 1 mM NH₄Cl solution. In addition, higher electric conductivity of root washings after collection of root exudates in ammonium containing medium (low pH) and also in nitrate containing medium which adjusted to pH 3 by applying H₂SO₄, strongly suggest that release of natural nitrification inhibitors from root exudates of B. humidicola may not be an active process, but instead it is rather a passive phenomenon by ammonium induced root physicochemical damages.     

淹涝胁迫和氮形态对苗期玉米糖、氮代谢底物量的影响

采用砂培培养方法,比较研究淹水和不同氮形态(铵态氮、硝态氮以及铵态氮︰硝态氮为1︰1)对苗期玉米根、茎鞘和叶的糖、氮代谢底物——可溶性糖、还原糖、硝态氮和游离氨基酸等物质含量的影响。结果表明,当淹涝胁迫持续7 d时,在非淹涝胁迫条件下,铵态氮处理的根、茎鞘和叶的可溶性糖和游离氨基酸含量均显著高于硝态氮处理(P<0.05);在淹涝胁迫条件下,硝态氮处理的根、茎鞘和叶的生物量干重显著低于铵态氮处理(P<0.05),其根和叶的生物量干重也显著低于铵态氮、硝态氮混合处理(P<0.05)。与非淹涝条件相比,在淹涝胁迫条件下,硝态氮处理的根系和叶的硝态氮含量显著降低(P<0.05),降低幅度分别高达62.6%和30.0%;此外,与非淹涝条件相比,在淹涝胁迫条件下,铵态氮处理的根的可溶性糖、还原糖以及游离氨基酸含量,茎鞘的可溶性糖和还原糖含量以及叶的可溶性糖和游离氨基酸含量均显著升高(P<0.05),而硝态氮处理仅根、茎鞘和叶的还原糖含量以及叶的游离氨基酸含量显著升高(P<0.05)。因此,在本试验条件下,由于糖、氮代谢底物含量充足,铵态氮处理的苗期玉米具有相对较强的耐淹涝胁迫能力。     

Nitrogen accumulation in nodulated and non‐nodulated pea plants,grown in a sandy soil at different acidities

Abstract

The growth of nitrate‐supplied and dinitrogen‐fixing pea plants was studied in a pot experiment with a sandy soil in a pH‐H_?O range from 3.4 to 5.6. Optimum growth in both treatments occurred at pH 5.0. At low pH, N₂‐plants yielded significantly less than NO₃‐plants. Planting of nodulated seedlings did not enhance yield in comparison with sowing in inoculated soil, indicating that nodulation was not the most sensitive process in restricting yield. Comparison of the nitrogen contents of shoots of planted and sown N₂‐plants allowed the suggestion that the synthesis of nitrogenous compounds was also not limiting yield. At low pH, root growth was severely reduced in dinitrogen‐fixing plants in comparison with nitrate‐supplied plants. This difference could be explained by the influence of the form of nitrogen nutrition on the cation‐anion uptake pattern of the plant and the resulting pH‐shift in the rhizosphere. It is to be expected that in an acid soil under field conditions the indirect effect of nitrate on root growth and nodulation via increase of the pH is more extensive than its direct negative effect on nodulation.     

硝/铵营养对香蕉生长及其枯萎病发生的影响

通过水培试验,研究了不同硝/铵配比对香蕉生长及其根际尖孢镰刀菌侵染的影响。结果表明, 1）铵硝混合营养对香蕉生长的效果优于单一营养,尤其是在75%硝态氮+25%铵态氮处理下香蕉生长最好,叶片中氮、磷、钾含量也最高; 2）香蕉根际pH在100%铵态氮处理时最低,随着硝态氮比例的增加,pH逐渐上升; 3）接种尖孢镰刀菌后,根际病原菌数量在100% 铵态氮处理时最多,但是在根系细胞内却没有检测到,相反,随着硝态氮比例的增加,虽然在根际中检测到的病菌数量有所降低,但是在根系内均发现存在病原菌。本研究结果说明,相对于铵硝混合营养,全铵营养会导致香蕉生长受到一定的影响,但是却能够防止香蕉尖孢镰刀菌侵染进植物根系。由于在离体培养时,全铵可以抑制尖孢镰刀菌穿透植物细胞壁的过程,因此全铵培养植物时,其根部质外体及细胞中铵态氮浓度高很可能是抑制病原菌侵染的主要原因。     

The paramount influence of nitrate in increasing apoplastic pH of young sunflower leaves to induce Fe deficiency chlorosis,and the re-greening effect brought about by acidic foliar sprays

The main objective of the present work was to clarify the causal relationship between leaf apoplastic pH increase and Fe chlorosis under alkaline growth conditions. It has been shown that nitrate supply in contrast to ammonium supply induced a pH increase in the apoplast of young green leaves of Helianthus annuus which was followed within 12 hours by leaf yellowing. Hence nitrate nutrition is the primary cause of a high leaf apoplastic pH which induces Fe deficiency chlorosis and not the impaired provision of ATP for plasmalemma H⁺ pumps in yellow leaves. Supply of bicarbonate in physiological concentrations had virtually no influence on leaf apoplastic pH. Spraying leaves with diluted acids (citric acid, sulphuric acid) resulted in a decrease of apoplastic pH followed by leaf re-greening. Interestingly, the Fe concentrations remained the same in the yellow control leaves and in the sprayed green leaves. From this it follows that Fe efficiency in leaves is mainly related to the Fe distribution between apoplast and symplast. It was demonstrated that Fe chlorosis induced by nitrate nutrition begins from the base of the youngest leaves, presumably from growing interveinal microsites showing high nitrate uptake rates. Leaf yellowing spread gradually from the leaf base to the tip and after seven days of nitrate supply the leaf was almost completely yellow (98%). Leaf yellowing was measured by means of a video imaging technique. Leaf apoplastic pH recordings were conducted after loading the fluorescent dye FITC-Dextran (4000 D) into the leaf apoplast of intact plants thus simulating in vivo conditions. It was also shown using the new loading technique that the fluorescent dye did not penetrate the leaf symplast.     

Urea as an organic nitrogen source for hydroponically grown tomatoes in comparison with inorganic nitrogen sources

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv. Momotaro) plants were grown in nutrient solutions with several levels of urea, nitrate, and ammonium alone or in combination to evaluate the role of urea as an organic nitrogen source compared with that of nitrate and/or ammonium as inorganic nitrogen sources. Nitrogen deficiency and excess symptoms were detected in the urea-fed plants at lower (28 mg N L^-1) and higher nitrogen levels (336, 504 mg N L^-1), respectively. The effect of urea on plant growth and leaf elemental composition was intermediate between that of nitrate and ammonium. Solution pH under urea nutrition slightly increased or remained stable. When plants were cultured with the solution containing 168 mg N L^-1, the total dry weight of the plants which received urea+nitrate was significantly higher than that of the plant which received urea and was almost equal to that of the plants which received nitrate or nitrate+ammonium. Both absorption and utilization of nitrogen in the plants fed with urea decreased compared with those of the plants fed with nitrate or ammonium. The insufficient absorption and utilization of nitrogen were estimated to be the main factors associated with the growth reduction of tomato plants under urea nutrition. However, combined application of urea and nitrate is useful for adequate plant growth without a reduction of the cation absorption in tomato while maintaining a stable solution pH.     

Do reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by NaCl contribute to ammonium accumulation in Spartina alterniflora?

Growth, activity of antioxidant enzymes viz. glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and some metabolic processes related to ammonium metabolism were investigated in a salt‐tolerant Spatina alterniflora. In comparison to 0 mM–NaCl treatment, growth of S. alterniflora plant increased significantly at 200 mM NaCl, but was highly inhibited at 500 mM NaCl. Ammonium concentration in the leaves and roots increased 2.1–3.4 times when plants were treated with 500 mM NaCl. Under 200 mM NaCl, antioxidant‐enzyme activities increased, however, at 500 mM the antioxidant system was unable to compensate reactive oxygen species induced by NaCl. At this high level of salinity, ammonium production through nitrate reductase (NR) was inhibited, but no significant changes in the activities of glutamine synthetase (GS) or glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were found. We conclude that the accumulation of ammonium under high salt stress was not due to inhibition of the assimilatory activities of GS or GDH. Ammonia accumulation under high salinity may result from amino acid and protein catabolism activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or a lack of carbon skeletons to incorporate ammonium into organic molecules due to a decrease in photosynthetic activity in salt‐stressed plants.     

铵硝营养对高粱根系细胞膜质子泵的影响

【目的】作物选择性吸收铵态氮或硝态氮是导致根际p H发生变化的主要原因,本文探索旱地作物根系细胞膜质子泵对铵硝营养及p H的反应机制。【方法】采用水培方法,分别用NH+4-N和NO-3-N培养高粱幼苗,并控制营养液的p H。高粱生长三周以后,用葡聚糖两相法分离根系细胞膜,测定细胞膜质子泵的水解活性、酶动力学特征,利用免疫杂交方法测定质子泵蛋白浓度。【结果】培养三周后,供给铵态氮的高粱根际p H下降到3,质子泵活性最高,达到Pi 8.81μmol/(mg·min);供给硝态氮的高粱根际p H上升至7,质子泵活性最低,为Pi 3.82μmol/(mg·min)。将铵态氮处理的营养液p H人为上调到7,而将硝态氮处理下调到3后发现,铵态氮培养的高粱根系细胞膜质子泵活性在p H 7时低于p H 3,但仍高于p H 3时硝态氮处理。酶动力学特征的测定结果表明,铵态氮营养(p H3)时,酶反应最大速率最高,亲和性也最高,而硝态氮营养(p H 7)时酶反应最大速率最小,亲和性也最低。质子泵活性与其蛋白浓度之间具有正相关性。【结论】无论是铵还是硝态氮处理,根际p H降低都会导致高粱根系细胞膜质子泵活性升高,这说明,质子泵具有适应根际酸化而提高自身活性的基本功能。但是,在相同的p H下,铵态氮都导致高粱根系细胞膜质子泵活性比硝态氮处理更高,这说明铵态氮在根系细胞中同化产生氢离子,而硝态氮的还原不产生氢离子,因此,吸收铵态氮的细胞需要进一步提高细胞膜质子泵的活性将氢离子排出体外。这很可能是高粱根系在铵态氮营养下的一种反应机制。     

Changes in ureide synthesis,transport and assimilation following ammonium nitrate fertilization of nodulated Soybeans 1

The effect of ammonium nitrate fertilization on ureide synthesis, xylem transport and assimilation was examined in four week old nodulated soybean plants. In nodules the activity of 5‐phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase, a key enzyme of ureide biosynthesis, declined 75%, while enzymes of purine oxidation (xanthine dehydrogenase and uricase) showed no response to nitrogen treatment. Xylem sap concentrations of allantoin and allantoate, as compared to untreated controls, were reduced by about 85% and 65%, respectively. Despite the substantial decline in ureide synthesis and transport, allantoate concentration in leaves of ammonium nitrate treated plants increased by about three‐fold. No ureide accumulation was observed in leaf tissue following a suppression of ureide formation in nodules by allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine dehydrogenase. In the pathway of ureide assimilation in leaves, application of inorganic nitrogen had no effect on activity of allantoinase, but caused a 50% drop in activity of allantoate amidohydrolase. Therefore, the observed accumulation of allantoate in soybean leaves in response to nitrogen fertilization was due to new ureide synthesis in plant tissues other than nodules, or to retardation of ureide degradation in leaves caused by the alternative source of nitrogen.     

盐胁迫下氮素形态对油菜和水稻幼苗离子运输和分布的影响

【目的】土壤盐碱化是制约农作物产量的主要因素之一,盐胁迫影响养分运输和分布,造成植物营养失衡,导致作物发育迟缓,植株矮小,严重威胁着我国的粮食生产。在必需营养元素中,氮素是需求量最大的元素,NO-3和NH+4是植物吸收氮素的两种离子形态。植物对盐胁迫的响应受到不同形态氮素的调控,研究不同形态氮素营养下植物的耐盐机制对提高植物耐盐性及产量具有重要的意义。【方法】本文以喜硝植物油菜(Brassica napus L.)和喜铵植物水稻(Oryza sativa L.)为试验材料,采用室内营养液培养方法,研究了NO-3和NH+4对Na Cl胁迫下油菜及水稻苗期生长状况、对Na+运输和积累的影响,以对照与盐胁迫植株生物量之差与Na+积累量之差的比值,评估Na+对植株的伤害程度。【结果】1)在非盐胁迫条件下,硝态氮营养显著促进油菜和水稻根系的生长;盐胁迫条件下,油菜和水稻生物量均显著受到抑制,Na Cl对供应铵态氮营养植株的抑制更为显著。2)盐胁迫条件下,两种供氮形态下,油菜和水稻植株Na+含量均显著增加,硝态氮营养油菜叶柄Na+显著高于铵态氮营养,叶柄Na+含量/叶片Na+含量大于铵营养油菜,硝态氮营养水稻根系Na+含量显著低于铵营养,地上部则相反。3)铵营养油菜和水稻Na+伤害度显著高于硝营养植株。4)盐胁迫条件下,硝态氮营养油菜地上部和水稻根系K+含量均显著高于铵态氮营养。5)盐胁迫条件下,硝营养油菜和水稻木质部Na+浓度,韧皮部Na+和K+浓度及水稻木质部K+浓度均高于铵营养植株。【结论】与铵营养相比,硝营养油菜和水稻具有更好的耐盐性。硝态氮处理油菜叶柄Na+显著高于铵态氮处理,能够截留Na+向叶片运输。同时,供应硝态氮营养更有利于油菜和水稻吸收K+,有助于维持植物体内离子平衡。盐胁迫下,硝营养油菜和水稻木质部Na+浓度,韧皮部Na+和K+浓度及水稻木质部K+浓度均高于铵营养植株,表明硝态氮营养油菜和水稻木质部-韧皮部对离子有较好的调控能力,是其耐盐性高于铵营养的原因之一。     

Effect of different nitrogen‐forms and iron‐chelates on the development of stinging nettle

The development of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) grown on culture solution containing with either ammonium or nitrate ions, or urea, was investigated under iron deficiency conditions, and with added FeEDTA or FeCto. Both seed‐cultured and vegetatively‐cultured stinging nettle plants produced normally developed green shoots when nitrate and 4 μM FeEDTA or FeCto were supplied. Stinging nettle plants were able to utilize Fe‐citrate, Fe‐ascorbate, and Fe‐malate effectively at the same concentration as well. When K3Fe(CN)6 was supplied, which is impermeable to the plasmalemma, and therefore is used to measure the reductive capacity of the roots, stinging nettle plants became chlorotic because the complex was stable at the pH of the culture solution. Urea did not induce chlorosis but inhibited growth. The plants died when ammonium was supplied as a sole N source. Applying bicarbonate and ammonium together prevented the plants from dying, but the plants became chlorotic. Total exclusion of iron from the culture solution resulted in iron‐deficiency stress reactions as has been described for other dicotyledonous plants (Strategy II).     

不同形态氮对掌叶半夏生长及块茎主要化学成分影响研究

【目的】本文利用盆栽试验,探讨了不同铵态氮、 硝态氮供应比例对掌叶半夏生长、 相关生理指标及块茎中主要活性成分含量的影响,以期为掌叶半夏的合理施肥、 科学种植提供技术依据。【方法】盆栽试验以蛭石为栽培基质,以掌叶半夏为试验材料,采用不同铵态氮、 硝态氮比例处理,分析不同铵硝比例处理下掌叶半夏叶片中抗氧化保护酶（SOD、 CAT）, 叶片、 块茎中氮代谢关键酶（NR）的活性及块茎中次生代谢产物（MDA、 硝酸盐及主要活性成分）的含量变化。【结果】 1）叶片鲜重、 块茎鲜重及总叶绿素含量总体均随铵态氮比例的升高而呈逐渐增加趋势,其中在全铵营养下,块茎鲜重和总叶绿素含量均达到最高值。2）随着铵态氮比例的升高,植株叶片中SOD、 CAT酶活性呈先升高后降低趋势; 当铵硝比为50∶50时,SOD、 CAT酶活性最高,此时,叶片中NO-3-N含量也达到最高。3）在全铵营养或全硝营养下,MDA含量均高于其他处理; 当铵硝比为50∶50时,MDA累积量最低。4）在全硝营养下,叶片、 块茎中的NR活性均达到最高值,同处理水平下叶片中NR活性要高于块茎; 并且随着铵态氮比例的增加叶片中NR活性呈逐渐降低的趋势,而块茎中的NR活性则呈逐渐增加的趋势。5）块茎中主要活性成分的累积更依赖于两种氮素的配施作用,在较高的铵态氮配施处理下（75∶25时）,总生物碱、 总有机酸及腺苷的积累量均取得最高值。【结论】适宜比例的铵硝配比可以促进掌叶半夏生长及产量的形成,其促进效果也显著高于全硝营养; 当铵硝比为50∶50时,其植物体内的相关酶活性也达到最高,说明适宜的铵硝配比能减轻膜质过氧化对植株细胞膜造成的损伤; 同时,较高的NH+4-N也有利于块茎中主要活性成分的积累,尤以铵硝比为75∶25时,累积效果最显著。     

氮素形态, 光合作用, 光呼吸

Under high light conditions, ammonium nutrition has a negative effect on plant growth. This suggests that the adverse effects of ammonium nutrition on plant growth may be related to carbon gain, photosynthesis, and photorespiration. However, there is no consistent evidence of a specific mechanism that could explain the plant growth reduction under ammonium supply. It is generally accepted that during the light reaction, a surplus of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrogen phosphate （NADPH） is produced, which is not completely used during the assimilation of CO2, Nitrate reduc- tion in the leaf represents an additional sink for NADPH that is not available to ammonium-grown plants. Nitrate and ammonium nutrition may use different pathways for NADPH consumption, which leads to differences in photosynthesis and photorespiration. The morphological （i.e., cell size, mesophyll thickness, and chloroplast volume） and enzymic （i.e., ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase （Rubisco）, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPCase）, and glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthetase （GS/GOGAT）） differences that develop when plants are treated with either nitrate or ammonium nitrogen forms are related to photosynthesis and photorespiration. The differences in photorespiration rate for plants treated with nitrate or ammonium are related to the conversion of citrate to 2-oxoglutarate （2-OG） and photorespiratory CO2 refixation.     

铵态氮抑制向日葵生长的作用机制初步探讨

采用营养液培养方法,研究了细胞膨压的下降与铵态氮(NH4+-N)抑制向日葵生长的关系。结果表明,与硝态氮(NO3--N)相比,铵态氮明显抑制了向日葵的生长,表现在生物量明显降低,顶部展开叶的叶面积显著下降,地上部和顶部展开叶的含水量下降。同时还发现,虽然铵态氮处理向日葵叶片的渗透势与硝态氮处理间差异不显著,但其水势和膨压明显低于硝态氮处理;铵态氮供应使向日葵最大展开叶中K+,Ca2+,NO3-等离子浓度显著下降。说明细胞膨压的下降是铵态氮导致向日葵生长受阻的主要原因之一。     

Response of potatoes to nitrogen concentrations differ with nitrogen forms

Two separate experiments were conducted to investigate plant growth and mineral composition of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) at varied solution concentrations of nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+). Each experiment evaluated five nitrogen (N) concentrations of 0.5, 2, 4, 8, and 12 mM, which were maintained with a non-recirculating nutrient film system in controlled environment. Plants were harvested on day 42 with NO3-; and day 35 with NH4+ after transplanting of tissue culture plantlets, and growth measurements were taken as leaf area, tuber number, and dry weights of different parts. With NO3-, plant growth was greatest and similar at 2, 4, and 8 mM of N whereas with NH4+, plant growth was best only at 2 and 4 mM of N. At 12 mM of N, plants exhibited interveinal ammonium toxicity with NH4+ nutrition, but healthy growth appearance with NO3- nutrition. With either N form, total N concentrations in tissues tended to increase with increased N concentrations, and tissue phosphorus (P) concentrations were reduced at 0.5 and 2 mM of N. Tissue concentrations of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S) changed only slightly at particular N concentrations, yet changed substantially with different N forms. The data indicate that the optimal ranges of N concentrations in both solution and tissues are wider and higher with NO3- than with NH4+ nutrition, and thus a careful control of NH4+ concentrations is necessary to minimize possible ammonium toxicity to potato plants.     

Effects of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide on uptake and assimilation of ammonium in soybean plants

Twelve‐day‐old soybean plants were supplied with 1 mM ammonium chloride (NH₄C1) to roots and exposed to 0.2–0.25 μL.L^‐1 nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) for seven days. Amount and rate of ammonium uptake were decreased by NO₂ exposure. However, the ammonium concentration in leaves and leaf pH of exposed plants were increased by NO₂ exposure. These results suggest that the decrease in ammonium uptake may be due to the decline in hydrogen (H⁺) ion concentration in exposed plants which resulted from the reduction of the nitrate and nitrite from NO₂ absorption. They also suggest that the decrease in ammonium uptake and the competition for energy between nitrate reduction and ammonium assimilation may limit ammonium assimilation to organic nitrogen (N) which would further inhibit acidity increase in exposed plants and ammonium uptake by roots.     

Nitrogen assimilation in sunflower leaves and upward and downward transport of nitrogen

The assimilation of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen into amino acids of mature sunflower leaves and their transport to the other plant parts were investigated using nitrogen-15 as a tracer. In the leaf, to which ¹⁵N-labelled ammonium was vacuum-infiltrated, the ¹⁵N content of glutamine was always the highest of the amino acids tested and that of alanine was higher than that of glutamic acid and aspartic acid at 15 min after the infiltration. On the other hand in the leaf to which ¹⁵N-labelled nitrate was vacuum-infiltrated, the ¹⁵N content of glutamic acid and aspartic acid was superior to that of glutamine. The incorporation of ¹⁵N into serine was not active in the case of either ¹⁵N-labelled ammonium or nitrate. In the internodes above and below the treated leaf, through which photosynthates were transported into other parts, the ¹⁵N content of γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamine was markedly high when both nitrogen sources were supplied. There were no differences in the labelling patterns of amino acids between the upper and lower internodes. From these results it may be concluded that glutamine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid play an important role in the assimilation of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen in leaves and that nitrogen is transported mainly in the forms of γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamine from the leaves to the other plant parts,