15N study on the partitioning of the nitrogen taken by soybeans from atmospheric dinitrogen,medium nitrate or ammonium

Abstract

Soybean plants (Glycine max, cv. Akisengoku) were water-grown in a greenhouse with a low concentration of nitrate in the culture solution. Under these conditions root nodulation mostly on primary roots was profuse. At the vegetative and pod-filling stages, plants were fed ¹⁵N-labeled dinitrogen, nitrate, or ammonium for 7 to 8 hr in the daytime.

Partitioning of the ¹⁵N from the three nitrogen sources showed distinct characteristics. The nitrogen (N) from dinitrogen preferentially distributed to the developing organs, young leaves, and developing pods, in comparison with N from nitrate. N from ammonium showed distribution pattern similar to that of N from dinitrogen.

The nodule N was supplied by both directly fixed-N and transferred nitrogen, and fixedN was inferred to play a major role in this process. The pro tein N in the roots could be furnished by the recycled N of dinitrogen and nitrate through the shoots along with direct incorporation of amino acids produced in the roots from nitrate