Characteristics of ammonium and nitrate fluxes along the roots of Picea asperata |
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| Authors: | Bo Tang Qing Liu |
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| Institution: | 1. CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization &2. Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, P. R. China;3. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China;4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China |
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| Abstract: | Nitrogen (N), ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3?), is one of the key determinants for plant growth. The interaction of both ions displays a significant effect on their uptake in some species. In the current study, net fluxes of NH4+ and NO3? along the roots of Picea asperata were determined using a Non-invasive Micro-test Technology (NMT). Besides, we examined the interaction of NH4+ and NO3? on the fluxes of both ions, and the plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPases and nitrate reductase (NR) were taken into account as well. The results demonstrated that the maximal net NH4+ and NO3? influxes were detected at 13–15?mm and 8–10.5?mm from the root apex, respectively. Net NH4+ influx was significantly stimulated with the presence of NO3?, whereas NH4+ exhibited a markedly negative effect on NO3? uptake in the roots of P. asperata. Also, our results indicated that PM H+-ATPases and NR play a key role in the control of N uptake. |
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| Keywords: | ions flux N uptake nitrate reductase plasma membrane H+-ATPases |
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