Nitrogen forms affect root growth,photosynthesis, and yield of tomato under alternate partial root‐zone irrigation

To increase efficiency of water and nitrogen (N) fertilizer use, this study was conducted with a split‐root pot experiment to investigate the effects of different forms of N fertilizer on root growth, photosynthesis, instantaneous water use efficiency (IWUE), and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) under alternate partial root‐zone irrigation (APRI). Three irrigation modes comprised conventional irrigation (CI) and two kinds of APRI, i.e., APRI with water content in the drying soil compartment controlled at ≥ 60% or 40% of the water‐holding capacity (APRI‐60, APRI‐40). Two N forms included ammonium‐N and nitrate‐N supplied as calcium nitrate or ammonium sulfate, respectively. The results show that APRI‐60 enhanced root growth and increased leaf IWUE with a slight yield reduction compared with CI regardless of the N form supplied. In contrast, APRI‐40 significantly decreased root growth and inhibited photosynthesis, thereby resulting in a significant yield loss. In addition, at the flowering stage tomato plants grew better with ammonium‐N than nitrate‐N supply; however, at the fruit expansion stage and maturity stage, the tomato plants had a higher biomass accumulation and yield with nitrate‐N than ammonium‐N supply. Therefore, the application of APRI should consider the soil water condition coupled with an appropriate N form. In the present study, APRI controlled at ≥ 60% of the water‐holding capacity (WHC) for the drying soil side with nitrate‐N supply was the best water‐fertilizer supply for tomato cultivation.     

Nitrogen and potassium,but not boron,change the morphology,production and nutrient concentration of Tanzania guineagrass roots

Plant shoot production is closely related to root development. To obtain greater grass persistence, nutrient uptake by roots and recovery after defoliation, it is necessary for the plants to have well developed root systems. The study aimed to evaluate the morphological, productive and nutritional characteristics of Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania roots in response to combinations of nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and boron (B) rates in nutrient solution. Root dry mass, total root length, and total root surface increased with the combination of N and K rates. Boron rates did not affect any of the studied parameters. Greater concentrations of ammonium than nitrate were found in the root tissues. Root specific length and root specific surface decreased as rates of N and K increased. The N and K supply caused an increase in the morphological and productive aspects of the root system, thus enhancing the capacity for nutrient absorption.     

Effect of microbial‐based inoculants on nutrient concentrations and early root morphology of corn (Zea mays)

Microbial‐based inoculants have been reported to stimulate plant growth and nutrient uptake. However, their effect may vary depending on the growth stage when evaluated or fertilizer applied. Thus, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that microbial‐based inoculants known to promote root growth and nutrient uptake will promote plant growth, enhance early root development, and increase nutrient concentrations of corn (Zea mays L.). Plants were evaluated at four different growth stages and in the presence of three different nitrogen (N) fertilizers. The microbial‐based treatments evaluated were: SoilBuilder™ (SB), a filtered metabolite extract of SoilBuilder™ (SBF), a mixture of four strains of plant growth‐promoting Bacillus spp (BM), and a water‐inoculated control. The experiment also included four fertilizer treatments: urea (U), urea‐ammonium nitrate (UAN), calcium‐ammonium nitrate (CAN), and an unfertilized control. Corn plants were evaluated at growth stages V2, V4, V6, and VT. Plant growth parameters for biomass, height, and SPAD readings were enhanced by the three microbial‐based treatments. A greater effect of microbial‐based treatments was observed when plants were evaluated at V6 and VT stages. Parameters of early root development such as total root length (TRL), root surface area (RSA), and length of fine roots were enhanced when microbial‐based treatments were applied. Concentrations of N, P, and K were also increased by microbial‐based treatments compared to the non‐inoculated control. Increases in plant N concentration due to microbial‐based treatments were on average 72% for CAN, 61% for UAN, 72% for urea, and 54% for the unfertilized control. Phosphorus concentration was increased most (138%) when BM was applied with CAN. In the same way, when CAN was present, K concentration was increased by 95% with BM and 65% when SB and SBF were applied. Overall, the results demonstrate that microbial‐based inoculants evaluated in this study can positively impact corn growth and nutrient concentration, especially during the late vegetative stages. Furthermore, the results indicate that the enhancement of nutrient concentrations (N, P, and K) in this case was related to the capacity of microbial‐based treatments to impact root morphology at early stages of corn growth.     

碳酸氢根与水肥同层对玉米幼苗生长和吸收养分的影响

把水分(NaHCO3溶液或纯水)供应于底施了铵态或硝态N肥的土层内,以研究HCO3-及水肥供应方式对石灰性土壤上玉米生长及养分吸收的影响。结果表明,在限制灌水量的条件下,在土壤上层供应HCO3-显著抑制根系生长,但在下层供应对生长无明显影响;当施用不同形态N素时,HCO3-对N素吸收并无明显影响;此外,供应HCO3-溶液能明显提高灌水土层的土壤pH。总体来看,在供试条件下,HCO3-对玉米幼苗生长量、根系分布及养分吸收量的影响均较为有限,而后三者主要受施肥灌水层次的影响,即:在土壤上层施肥灌水,幼苗生长量显著降低;而在下层施肥灌水是一种节水节肥的水肥供应方式。但下层施肥灌水不利于植株的直立性。因为下层施肥灌水时根系主要分布在下层,在上层分布数量极少;而上层施肥灌水根系在上下两层中的分布无明显差异;下层施肥灌水的玉米植株,其N、P、K吸收量远高于上层施肥灌水的植株。     

Influence of ammonium uptake on bean nutrition

A glasshouse experiment was carried out in order to study the effect of ammonium supply [0 and 1.5 mmol L^‐1 in the nutrient solution, whereas total nitrogen (N) concentration was 9.5 mmol L^‐1] on nutrient uptake, leaves, and xylem sap composition and growth of bean plants in sand culture. Ammonium supply caused higher nitrogen, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca) uptake. However, K, Ca, and magnesium (Mg) concentrations in the plants (in xylem sap and leaves) were lower when ammonium was supplied. Plants vegetative growth was higher with ammonium supply than without it, specially after four weeks of cultivation.     

Localized application of sewage sludge improved plant nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by rhizobox‐grown spring wheat

Sewage sludge (SS) can be used as an alternative fertilizer in agriculture. It is normally broadcasted and plowed into soil, but it is not clear if it has a potential as a placement fertilizer. A rhizobox experiment was conducted to investigate the placement effect of SS and mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer on shoot and root growth as well as nutrient uptake of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The treatments included localized SS, mixed SS, localized SS and ammonium, localized ammonium, and a control without addition of SS and ammonium to examine the effect of SS placement and, further, if ammonium co‐localization would enhance the placement effect. The results show that SS fertilization improved soil N and P availability, which significantly increased plant N and P uptake and enhanced shoot growth, while root length was significantly reduced compared to the control. Localized SS increased root proliferation in the placement region, resulting in enhanced uptake of P from the SS patch compared to homogenous application. However, co‐localized application of ammonium with SS significantly depressed plant shoot and root growth. Localized ammonium markedly restricted root proliferation in the placement region and reduced soil pH in both bulk soil and placement region, contributing to decreased nutrient uptake and plant growth.     

Effects of root-zone temperature and N,P, and K supplies on nutrient uptake of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings in hydroponics

The nutrient uptake and allocation of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings at different root-zone temperatures (RZT) and different concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) nutrients were examined. Plants were grown in a nutrient solution for 30?d at two root-zone temperatures (a diurnally ?uctuating ambient 10°C-RZT and a constant 20°C-RZT) with the aerial parts of the plants maintained at ambient temperature (10°C–30°C). Based on a Hoagland nutrient solution, seven N, P, and K nutrient concentrations were supplied to the plants at each RZT. Results showed that total plant and shoot dry weights under each nutrient treatment were significantly lower at low root-zone temperature (10°C-RZT) than at elevated root-zone temperature (20°C-RZT). But higher root dry weights were obtained at 10°C-RZT than those at 20°C-RZT. Total plant dry weights at both 10°C-RZT and 20°C-RZT were increased with increased solution N concentration, but showed different responses under P and K treatments. All estimated nutrient concentrations (N, P, and K) and uptake by the plant were obviously influenced by RZT. Low root temperature (10°C-RZT) caused a remarkable reduction in total N, P, and K uptake of shoots in all nutrient treatments, and more nutrients were accumulated in roots at 10°C-RZT than those at 20°C-RZT. N, P, and K uptakes and distribution ratios in shoots were both improved at elevated root-zone temperature (20°C-RZT). N supplies were favorable to P and K uptake at both 10°C-RZT and 20°C-RZT, with no significantly positive correlation between N and P, or N and K uptake. In conclusion, higher RZT was more beneficial to increase of plant biomass and mineral nutrient absorption than was increase of nutrient concentration. Among the three element nutrients, increasing N nutrient concentration in solution promoted better tolerance to low RZT in cucumber seedlings than increasing P and K. In addition, appropriately decreased P concentration favors plant growth.     

Nitrogen metabolism is related to improved water‐use efficiency of nodulated alfalfa grown with sewage sludge under drought

Leguminous plants grown in sewage sludge–amended soils can acquire nitrogen by assimilation of nitrate and ammonium from the soil solution or from atmospheric‐dinitrogen (N₂) fixation through association with N₂‐fixing bacteria. We proposed that operation of both metabolic processes could contribute to alleviate the impact of drought in sludge‐treated plants. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the involvement of nodule metabolism in the use efficiency of water and N in sludge‐treated plants. Treatments comprised (1) plants inoculated with rhizobia and amended with sewage sludge; (2) plants inoculated with rhizobia without any amendment; and (3) noninoculated plants supplied with ammonium nitrate, each under well‐watered and drought conditions. Under drought, sludge‐treated plants had increased plant growth and higher photosynthetic and water‐use efficiencies than untreated plants. Drought stimulated nitrate reductase and GS/GOGAT activities but did not affect the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase or the leghemoglobin concentration. The results suggest that under drought conditions, both N₂ fixation and nitrate assimilation in nodules of sludge‐treated plants contributed to improve plant N supply and to increase the drought tolerance of alfalfa.     

Effect of calcium/potassium ratio ammonium supply on nutrition and yields of cucumber plants

A greenhouse experiment was conducted in order to study the influence of two calcium/potassium (Ca/K) ratios (0.75 and 0.33) and ammonium supply (0 and 1 mmol/L) in the nutrient solution on nutrient uptake, mineral composition, and productivity of cucumber plants grown in sand culture. There were not significant differences in nitrate consumption between the four treatments. Calcium and potassium consumptions were directly related with the Ca/K ratio in the nutrient solution. The treatment with Ca/K = 0.75 and ammonium supply, that showed the lowest potassium and nitrogen plant levels and the highest calcium uptake and concentration in plant, offered the highest yields.     

硝态氮抑制尖孢镰刀菌侵染促进黄瓜生长的内在生理机制

  【目的】  连作障碍严重影响设施农业的发展。不同形态氮素可影响黄瓜土传枯萎病的发生,然而其内在生理机制尚不明确。通过氮素营养调控植物–微生物互作关系,为防控土传病害的发生提供理论依据。  【方法】  以黄瓜品种津春2号和尖孢镰刀菌黄瓜专化型菌 (FOC) 为试材,进行温室营养液培养试验。设营养液中添加铵态氮不接菌 (A)、硝态氮不接菌 (N)、铵态氮接菌 (AI) 和硝态氮接菌 (NI) 共4个处理。尖孢镰刀菌侵染8天后进行植株样品的采集及测定,包括株高、根长、生物量、病情指数、叶绿素含量、光合特性、叶片温度,并进行了叶肉细胞超微结构的观察,测定了植物全氮、可溶性蛋白及可溶性糖含量。  【结果】  与铵态氮相比,硝态氮营养显著抑制了黄瓜植株枯萎病的发病率,并显著促进了植株的生长以及植株生物量的增加。未接菌条件下,供应铵态氮的植株光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率、羧化效率及表观量子效率均显著高于供应硝态氮的植株;尖孢镰刀菌的侵染导致供应铵态氮的植株叶绿体结构受损,显著降低了其光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率、细胞间隙CO₂浓度、羧化效率及表观量子效率,而病原菌侵染对供应硝态氮的植株叶片光合特性无显著影响。未接菌条件下,供应铵态氮的植株叶片温度及水分利用效率显著低于供应硝态氮的植株;尖孢镰刀菌侵染后,供应铵态氮的植株叶片温度及水分利用率显著增加,而病原菌侵染对供应硝态氮的植株无显著影响。叶片温度与蒸腾速率呈显著负相关关系,而与水分利用率呈显著正相关关系。供应铵态氮的植株根系全氮、可溶性蛋白及可溶性糖含量均显著高于供应硝态氮的植株,从而促进病原菌对供应铵态氮的植株的侵染。尖孢镰刀菌侵染后,供应铵态氮的植株根系可溶性蛋白含量显著增加,可溶性糖含量降低,而尖孢镰刀菌侵染对供应硝态氮的植株可溶性蛋白及可溶性糖含量无显著影响。  【结论】  硝态氮能够有效地抑制黄瓜枯萎病的发生,维持叶绿体结构的完整性,保持黄瓜植株正常的光合作用及生长,并减少碳水化合物向根系的运输,从而抑制病原菌的侵染及病害的发生。在黄瓜的设施栽培中,可适当增加硝态氮肥的施用而减少铵态氮肥的投入,以抑制土传枯萎病发生。     

Root respiration and bacterial population of roots I. Effect of nitrogen source,potassium nutrition and aeration of roots

Spring wheat was grown in nutrient solution culture to investigate the influence of aeration, different sources of nitrogen and discontinuation of potassium supply on root respiration and on the number of root bacteria. By definition root respiration included oxygen consumption of the excised roots and their microbial colonizers. Root respiration was subject to diurnal variations. It was low towards the end of the dark period and increased within two hours during the light period. Independent of the nutrient supply the respiration rate and bacterial number were considerably higher in unaerated than in aerated nutrient solution. Root respiration was lowest when using nitrate as a source of nitrogen and highest with ammonium nutrition. Intermediate respiration rates were obtained for mixed nitrogen nutrition. Respiration corresponded to the bacterial colonization of the roots. The discontinuation of potassium supply led in plants supplied with nitrate to an insignificant increase in root respiration, whereas a marked increase in respiration was observed in plants with mixed ammonium and nitrate nutrition. In contrast, Root respiration of plants supplied with ammonium declined when potassium was discontinued. Discontinuation of potassium supply caused an increase in root respiration and bacterial numbers in both aerated and unaerated media.     

Root Growth,Nutrient Uptake,and Nutrient-Use Efficiency by Roots of Tropical Legume Cover Crops as Influenced by Phosphorus Fertilization

Roots are important organs that supply water and nutrients to growing plants. Data related to root growth and nutrient uptake by tropical legume cover crops are limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate root growth of tropical legume cover crops and nutrient uptake and use efficiency under different phosphorus (P) levels. The P levels used were 0 (low), 100 (medium), and 200 (high) mg kg^?1 of soil, and five cover crops were evaluated. Root dry weight, maximum root length, and specific root length were significantly influenced by P and cover crop treatments. Maximum values of these root growth parameters were achieved with the addition of 100 mg P kg^?1 soil. The P?×?cover crops interactions for all the macro- and micronutrients, except manganese (Mn), were significant, indicating variation in uptake pattern of these nutrients by cover crops with the variation in P rates. Overall, uptake pattern of macronutrients was in the order of nitrogen (N) > calcium (Ca) > potassium (K) > magnesium (Mg) > P and micronutrient uptake pattern was in the order of iron (Fe) > Mn > zinc (Zn) > copper (Cu). Cover crops which produced maximum root dry weight also accumulated greater amount of nutrients, including N, compared to cover crops, which produced lower root dry weight. Greater uptake of N compared to other nutrients by cover crops indicated that use of cover crops in the cropping systems could reduce loss of nitrate (NO₃ ^?) from soil–plant systems. Increase in root length and root dry weight with the addition of P can improve nutrient uptake from the soil and lessen loss of macro- and micronutrients from the soil–plant systems.     

Root growth and N‐uptake activity of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars differing in nitrogen efficiency

Nitrate‐N uptake from soil depends on root growth and uptake activity. However, under field conditions N‐uptake activity is difficult to estimate from soil‐N depletion due to different loss pathways. We modified the current mesh‐bag method to estimate nitrate‐N‐uptake activity and root growth of two oilseed‐rape cultivars differing in N‐uptake efficiency. N‐efficient cultivar (cv.) ‘Apex' and N‐inefficient cv. ‘Capitol' were grown in a field experiment on a silty clayey gleyic fluvisol near Göttingen, northern Germany, and fertilized with 0 (N₀) and 227 (N₂₂₇) kg N ha^–1. In February 2002, PVC tubes with a diameter of 50 mm were installed between plant rows at 0–0.3 and 0–0.6 m soil depth with an angle of 45°. At the beginning of shooting, beginning of flowering, and at seed filling, the PVC tubes were substituted by PVC tubes (compartments) of the same diameter, but with an open window at the upper side either at a soil depth of 0–0.3 or 0.3–0.6 m allowing roots to grow into the tubes. Anion‐exchange resin at the bottom of the compartment allowed estimation of nitrate leaching. The compartments were then filled with root‐free soil which was amended with or without 90 mg N (kg soil)^–1. The newly developed roots and nitrate‐N depletion were estimated in the compartments after the installing period (21 d at shooting stage and 16 d both at flowering and grain‐filling stages). Nitrate‐N depletion was estimated from the difference between NO ‐N contents of compartments containing roots and control compartments (windows closed with a membrane) containing no roots. The amount of nitrate leached from the compartments was quantified from the resin and has been taken into consideration in the calculation of the N depletion. The amount of N depleted from the compartments significantly correlated with root‐length density. Suboptimal N application to the crop reduced total biomass and seed‐yield formation substantially (24% and 38% for ‘Apex’ and ‘Capitol’, respectively). At the shooting stage, there were no differences in root production and N depletion from the compartments by the two cultivars between N₀ and N₂₂₇. But at flowering and seed‐filling stages, higher root production and accordingly higher N depletion was observed at N₀ compared to N₂₂₇. Towards later growth stages, the newly developed roots were characterized by a reduction of root diameter and a shift towards the deeper soil layer (0.3–0.6m). At low but not at high N supply, the N‐efficient cv. ‘Apex’ exhibited higher root growth and accordingly depleted nitrate‐N more effectively than the N‐inefficient cv. ‘Capitol’, especially during the reproductive growth phase. The calculated nitrate‐N‐uptake rate per unit root length was maximal at flowering (for the low N supply) but showed no difference between the two cultivars. This indicated that the higher N‐uptake efficiency of cv. ‘Apex’ was due to higher root growth rather than higher uptake per unit of root length.     

Root size and nitrogen‐uptake activity in two maize (Zea mays) inbred lines differing in nitrogen‐use efficiency

Considerable differences in response to nitrogen (N) availability among plant species and cultivars have been well documented. Focusing on the uptake of N, it is not clear which factor or factors determine efficient N acquisition. Two maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines (478, N‐efficient; W312, N‐inefficient) were used to compare the relative contribution of root uptake activity and root size to N acquisition. Nitrogen‐efficient inbred 478 had higher yields and accumulated more N under field conditions than W312 under both high‐ (135 kg N ha^–1) and low‐N (no N supplied) conditions. The root system of 478, as indicated by total root length, root biomass, and root‐to‐shoot ratio, was larger and more responsive to low N stress. Especially, 478 developed more and longer axial roots at low N stress. On the contrary, the average N‐accumulation rate in 478 was lower than that of Wu312. In solution culture, ¹³NO₃^– influx in 478 was lower than in W312 after 8 h of nitrate provision. The expression of nitrate‐transporter genes ZmNRT1.1, ZmNRT2.1, ZmNRT2.2, and ZmNAR2.1 was stronger and lasted for a longer time after NO induction in W312. It is concluded that the efficient N acquisition in 478 is due to (1) a larger root system and (2) a stronger response of root growth to low N induction.     

供氮形态和水分胁迫对苗期—分蘖期水稻光合与水分利用效率的影响

采用室内营养液培养及聚乙二醇(PEG6000)模拟水分胁迫处理的方法,在3种供氮形态(NH4+/NO3-比为100/0,50/50和0/100)和2种水分条件(非水分胁迫及水分胁迫)下,研究了水稻苗期—分蘖期的生长及其水分利用效率。结果表明,苗期—分蘖期水稻在非水分胁迫条件下,NH4+/NO3-比为50/50处理(NH4+、NO3-混合处理)的生物量最大,比单一供NH4+-N和单一供NO3--N的处理分别高49.63%和63.25%。而在水分胁迫条件下,单一供NH4+-N的处理生物量最大,比NH4+、NO3-混合处理和单一供NO3--N的处理分别高5.76%和484.0%;单一供NH4+-N其水分利用效率也最高,比NH4+、NO3-混合处理和单一供NO3--N的处理分别高11.36%和81.63%,而比非水分胁迫条件下的相应处理高12.39%。此外,单一供NH4+-N较单一供NO3--N的处理水稻有较强的抗旱性,主要与其能保持相对较高的叶绿素含量、叶面积、分蘖数和净光合速率有关。     

Mechanisms of aluminum‐induced growth stimulation in tea (Camellia sinensis)

Beneficial effects of aluminum (Al) on plant growth have been reported for plant species adapted to acid soils. However, mechanisms underlying the stimulatory effect of Al have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the possible contribution of photosynthesis, antioxidative defense, and the metabolism of both nitrogen and phenolics to the Al‐induced growth stimulation in tea (Camellia sinensis [L.] Kuntze) plants. In hydroponics, shoot growth achieved its maximum at 50 μM Al suply (24 μM Al³⁺ activity). A more than threefold increase of root biomass was observed for plants supplied with 300 μM Al (125 μM Al³⁺ activity). Total root length was positively related to root Al concentrations (r = 0.98). Chlorophyll a and carotenoid concentrations and net assimilation rates were considerably enhanced by Al supply in the young but not in the old leaves. Activity of nitrate reductase was not influenced by Al. Higher concentrations of soluble nitrogen compounds (nitrate, nitrite, amino acids) and reduction of protein concentrations suggest Al‐induced protein degradation. This occurred concomitantly with enhanced net CO₂‐assimilation rates and carbohydrate concentrations. Aluminum treatments activated antioxidant defense enzymes and increased free proline content. Lowering of malondialdehyde concentrations by Al supply indicates that membrane integrity was not impaired by Al. Leaves and roots of Al‐treated plants had considerably lower phenolic and lignin concentrations in the cell walls, but a higher proportion of soluble phenolics. In conclusion, Al‐induced growth stimulation in tea plants was mediated by higher photosynthesis rate and increased antioxidant defense. Additionally, greater root surface area may improve water and nutrient uptake by the plants.     

不同水分条件下表层施磷对小麦吸收下层土壤养分的影响

采用分层隔水盆栽试验,研究了不同土壤状况下,土壤表层(0-15cm)施磷对冬小麦吸收利用下层土壤(15-35cm)中氮磷钾养分影响。结果表明,土壤干旱降低了土壤磷、钾的有效性,严重抑制植株生长。不施磷肥时,小麦根系下扎量高于施磷处理,能从富含水分和养分的下层土壤吸收水分和养分,从而改善其营养状况,增加生物量。在土壤湿润的情况下,小麦对上层土壤养分的吸收量增加,同时由于扎入下层土壤中的根系量增多,因而也能利用一部分下层土壤中的氮磷钾养分。     

A sensitivity analysis for assessing the relevance of fine‐root turnover for P and K uptake

Plant fine roots are subject to continual turnover, i.e., old roots die during the plant life cycle and are quickly replaced by new roots. New roots grow partly into undepleted soil areas and can take up nutrients at a higher rate than old roots. This is one possible advantage of root turnover. It has been shown that root turnover of several plant species increases when P and/or K supply is limited, indicating an efficiency mechanism. The objective of this study was to assess the maximum benefit for nutrient uptake by root turnover and to determine which soil or plant properties influence this process. Based on a data set of field‐grown faba beans, a sensitivity analysis with a transport and uptake model was performed, i.e., several input parameters were systematically varied to assess their importance for nutrient uptake of a root system with and without fine‐root turnover. The calculations were based on the assumptions that all new roots grow into undepleted soil areas and that no inter‐root competition occurs. Model calculations indicated that a root system with a high but realistic turnover rate can take up twice the amount of P or K compared to a stable root system without any turnover. This benefit on uptake is higher at low concentrations of these nutrients in soil solution, low soil water content, or high maximum inflow. However, measured uptake under poor conditions of nutrient supply is often higher than calculated uptake, even when root turnover is taken into account. This indicates that root turnover might be an efficiency mechanism, but not the only one.     

Influence of N form on growth photosynthesis of Phaseolus vulgaris L. plants

Many plant species are characterized by pronounced sensitivity to sole ammonium supply and exhibit growth depression and particularly reduced leaf growth rates. Stress symptoms under sole ammonium supply may be related to perturbation of photosynthetic processes, e.g., low rates of net CO₂ assimilation, low quantum yield, reduced stomatal conductance, and carboxylation capacity. The results of three experiments with French bean plants supplied with an N concentration of 5 mM illustrate significantly lower dry mass and specific leaf area, reduced leaf expansion, and higher chlorophyll and N content of ammonium‐ compared to nitrate‐supplied plants. Light‐saturated rates of CO₂ assimilation (A_max) per unit leaf area were higher under ammonium compared to nitrate supply while no significant effects of N form on quantum yield and A_max per unit leaf weight and chlorophyll were found. Maximal carboxylation (V_cmax) and electron‐transport (J_Max) rates were significantly higher under ammonium supply only in one of three experiments. V_cmax was linearly related to total leaf N, the slope of the regression was similar with both N forms, the x‐axis intercept was significantly higher for ammonium‐ compared to nitrate‐supplied plants. The ratio V_cmax : J_Max was not affected by N form. It is concluded that ammonium supply had no negative effects on the operation of photosynthetic protein‐enzyme complexes.     

Response of Lowland and Aerobic Rice to Ammonium and Nitrate Supply During Early Growth Stages

Decreasing fresh water availability has intensified the search for alternative rice cultivation systems with reduced water input, but most evidence suggests negative effects on growth of lowland (LL) rice cultivars. Yield in such production systems may be improved by selection of adapted aerobic ‘Han Dao’ (HD) rice cultivars. Lowland and HD rice were compared under sole nitrate or ammonium supply as well as under mixed supply of both nitrogen (N) forms during the seedling and tillering stage; pronounced differences were found in response to the supplied N form. Shoot dry mass (DM) of HD was significantly lower than that of LL under sole and predominant ammonium supply, whereas LL showed the opposite trend, with significantly lower shoot DM under sole-nitrate supply. Nitrogen concentration of LL rice under sole-nitrate supply was significantly lower compared with other treatments at tillering stage. Han Dao rice had a significantly higher potassium (K) concentration than LL rice under sole-nitrate supply, while the opposite result was observed under sole-ammonium supply. At seedling stage, the portion of N that was taken up from nitrate-N varied from 30% to 40% in HD and LL rice in treatments 75N/25A and 50N/50A, while at both growth stages, predominant ammonium supply resulted in a lower portion (20%) of nitrate-derived N in LL than in HD rice. The portion of nitrate-derived N increased at tillering stage (from 40% to 70%). These results further illustrate a synergistic effect of co-provision of nitrate and ammonium on total N fluxes compared with supply of sole nitrate or sole ammonium. It was concluded that the interaction between N form and tiller formation during early growth stages deserves strong attention for the identification of aerobic rice cultivars.