Hydraulic conductance and soil water potential at the soil-root interface of Pinus pinaster seedlings inoculated with different dikaryons of Pisolithus sp

Seedlings of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) were inoculated with different dikaryons of Pisolithus sp. from South Africa to determine the influence of extension of the extramatrical phase and diameter of the mycelial strands on water relations parameters including xylem water potential (Psi(x)), soil water potential at the soil-root interface (Psi(s)) and hydraulic conductance (L(p)) during and after a period of water stress. Seedlings inoculated with dikaryons having an extensive extramatrical phase and large diameter mycelial strands showed higher Psi(s) (-2 MPa) during severe water stress than seedlings inoculated with dikaryons producing fine hyphae and sparse extramatrical phases (-3.8 MPa). Seedlings inoculated with strand-forming dikaryons recovered faster from water stress than did non-inoculated seedlings or seedlings inoculated with non-strand-forming dikaryons. Architectural aspects of the extramatrical phase, including the presence of large diameter mycelial strands or fine hyphae, influenced the soil-root contact and the water relations of an inoculated host plant. When water stress was not limiting, the architecture of the extramatrical phase did not have a large effect on Psi(s). It is suggested that the architecture of the extramatrical phase influences the resistance to water flow through the soil-root interface and that large mycelial strands increase the water flow by bridging the gap between the soil and the root. These changes in physiology indicate that dikaryons can improve the survival of Pinus pinaster under dry conditions.     

赤松幼苗接种菌根真菌生长效应的初步研究

以赤松幼苗接种松茸菌进行盆栽和圃地栽培试验,研究菌根菌感染数量和菌根菌对苗木生长效应的影响。结果表明:在盆栽条件下,三种处理根系菌根真菌的感染指数分别为80、50、3,截根接种和不截根接种分别为对照的26.7倍和16.7倍,且截根处理是不截根的1.6倍;幼苗苗高、地径生长量显著提高,干重比对照分别增加33.3%和18.5%。在圃地条件下,截根接种与不截根接种的幼苗苗高、地径生长量比对照分别提高5.4%、4.2%和14.9%、6.9%。     

Resin tapping in Pinus pinaster: effects on growth and response function to climate

Pinus pinaster is of great ecological and economic importance and has traditionally been subjected to intensive uses such as wood and resin extraction. In the last decade, dendrochronological methods are increasingly being used to analyze the effects of climatic factors on the growth of the maritime pine, although tapped trees were generally avoided because it was thought that their growth was affected by resin extraction. In Spain, however, it is hard to find a long-lived forest of P. pinaster that has not been subjected to tapping for resin. In the present paper, we performed dendrochronological analyses of this species from wood cores and cross sections taken from both resin-tapped trees and resin-untapped trees killed by a fire in 2008 in the central Iberian region. On the one hand, we reconstructed the history of forest management by means of analysis of resin scars in the cross sections of resin-tapped trees. This facet of dendrochronological dating had not heretofore been developed, and little is therefore known about it. We dated 46 scars, which indicate a history of intensive resin extraction in the 1920–1950 period. Moreover, we attempted to answer the question: Have the old resin extractions in P. pinaster precluded the use of their growth rings for dendrochronological and dendroclimatic studies? We found that resin extraction did not alter general short-wavelength variability, and we developed a local chronology with all synchronized series, and the response function with respect to climate is similar to other oldest P. pinaster forests studied in Spain. The information we have recorded can be of use for providing tools to land managers for interpreting forest dynamics in resin-tapped regions.     

Growth, survival, and genetic variability of Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) seedlings in response to water deficit

Drought is one of the crucial factors limiting plant growth and is expected to become even more limiting in many regions as the effects of climate change increase. Knowledge of genetic adaptation to environmental factors can help develop strategies for successful reforestation in arid terrain. In this study, Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) seedlings grown from seed collected from 40 open-pollinated families from five Balkan Peninsula provenances were evaluated for survival and growth under imposed drought. Within each provenance, seed was collected from an extremely harsh habitat and from a favorable habitat. One-year-old seedlings, from each provenance, habitat type and open pollinated family were transplanted into three “stressbeds”, each designed to simulate different levels of water availability by filling with varying ratios of crushed stone and soil. Seedling height growth and survival were recorded every 20–30?days from April–September. In all provenances, seedlings grown from seed originating from the harsh habitats had lower survival regardless of stressbed treatment compared to those grown from seed collected from favorable habitats, with the exception of one population from the Vi?egrad provenance which had high survival rates throughout. Overall height growth was very low and did not follow consistent patterns among treatment groups. Cluster analyses of survival data showed that populations from a similar habitat generally grouped together, regardless of provenance. The lowest and highest survival values were found in seedlings from harsh habitats, while those from the favorable habitats clustered in the mid-range. These results suggest that higher seed quality from productive stands may be the most influential factor determining seedling vigor under drought stress and that genetic adaptation to drought was not detected in adjacent populations having different habitat conditions.     

Growth response of Moringa oleifera (Lam) to water stress and to arid bioclimatic conditions

Agroforestry Systems - A major challenge in agroforestry is the selection of the plant species involved in the systems. This issue is drawing more attention lately due to the changing climate...     

稳态营养与Pt菌根化在湿地松育苗中的应用

在苗圃地培育湿地松苗木 ,分别进行 4种处理 :①稳态营养 Pt菌剂 ;②不施肥 Pt菌剂 ;③稳态营养 松林土 ;④常规施肥 松林土。生长季末测定苗木的高度和地径。测定各小区标准木的叶、茎、根鲜重及干重 ,侧根条数和总长。按“十分法”目测吸收根外生菌根感染率。观测结果表明 ,湿地松苗木形成外生菌根的能力较强 ,无论是人工接种还是天然感染 ,菌根感染率均超过 85 % ,其中稳态营养下 ,人工接种Pt菌剂感染率最高 ,可达94 8%。稳态营养人工接种Pt菌剂处理的苗木生长最佳 ;稳态营养下松林土处理的苗木其次 ;人工接种Pt菌剂但不施肥处理的苗木再次 ;常规施肥 松林土处理最差。如稳态营养人工接种Pt菌剂处理与人工接种Pt菌剂但不施肥处理相比较 ,苗木的株高、地径分别提高 2 0 5 %、14 0 % ;侧根条数及总长分别提高 2 5 6 %、4 0 9% ;叶、茎、根、整株鲜重分别提高 34 6 %、4 3 7%、38 8%、37 0 % ;各部分干重分别提高 2 5 7%、38 6 %、4 2 4 %、32 7%。稳态营养人工接种Pt菌剂处理与常规施肥松林土处理相比较 ,各项指标的差异更加明显。充分体现了稳态营养与Pt菌根化的综合效应 ,同时说明稳态营养条件下 ,靠松林土感染真菌形成菌根也能获得较好的生长结果。但是 ,仅靠人工接种优良菌剂 ,不科学     

Adventitious sprouting of Pinus leiophylla in response to salt stress

Context

Although adventitious shoots are produced in many tree species in response to injury, little is known about the effects of salinity on sprouting.

Aims

The main objective was to examine the sprouting capacity of Pinus leiophylla seedlings in relation to injury and physiological changes induced by NaCl.

Methods

Seedlings were grown in controlled-environment growth rooms and treated with 0, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl. Numbers of adventitious shoots were recorded and growth and physiological parameters measured after 64 days of treatments and following a 30-day recovery period.

Results

NaCl treatments triggered sprouting of adventitious shoots, mainly in the lower parts of the stems. However, fewer sprouts were induced by 200 mM NaCl compared with the lower concentration treatments. These changes were accompanied by needle necrosis, decreased chlorophyll concentrations, seedling dry mass, and stem diameter. Stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, and root hydraulic conductance decreased with increasing NaCl concentrations and did not return to the control levels after 30 days of stress relief.

Conclusions

Pinus leiophylla has the regeneration potential when exposed to salinity. However, very high salt concentrations induce severe physiological impairments and, consequently, a decrease of this regeneration potential.     

Osmotic adjustment in three-year-old seedlings of five provenances of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) in response to drought

Three-year-old seedlings of five provenances of Pinus pinaster Ait. that differed in climatic conditions at their geographical origin were subjected to decreasing soil water availability. The degree of needle osmotic adjustment (OA) was estimated based on logarithmic plots of needle relative water content (RWC) against needle osmotic potential (Psi(pi)); i.e., lnRWC versus -ln(-Psi(pi)). There were significant differences among provenances in active OA (0.13 to 0.30 MPa for a decrease in RWC to 80%), and a clear negative relationship was found between OA and precipitation (650 to 1280 mm of mean annual rainfall) at the geographical origins of the provenances. A high osmoregulatory capacity contributes to the maintainance of positive turgor at low water potentials. We conclude that OA is one of the mechanisms underlying adaptation to drought in P. pinaster. Solute accumulation was about 2.3 times higher in the provenance from the driest site than in the provenance from the wettest site. The contribution of osmotic adjustment to differences in drought tolerance mechanisms among provenances is discussed.     

Growth, nutrition, photosynthesis and transpiration responses of longleaf pine seedlings to light, water and nitrogen

Early growth and physiology of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) seedlings were studied in response to light, water and nitrogen under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted with 1-year-old seedlings grown in 11.3 l pots. The experimental design was a split-plot factorial with two levels (low and high) of each of the factors, replicated in three blocks. The four factorial combinations of water and nitrogen were randomly applied to 15 pots (sub-plots) in each of the light treatment (main plot). Data were collected on survival, root collar diameter (RCD), and height on a monthly basis. Biomass (shoot, root and needle), leaf area index, specific needle area, and needle nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) concentrations were determined following final harvest after 16 months. Physiological data (net photosynthesis and transpiration) were collected monthly from March to July during the second growing season.

Height and RCD were significantly influenced by nitrogen and water and by the interaction between them with no apparent effect of light. Seedlings grew 93% taller in the high nitrogen and well watered (HNWW) treatment compared to the low nitrogen and water stressed (LNWS) treatment. Similarly, a significant increase (78%) in RCD was observed for seedlings in the HNWW treatment over the LNWS treatment. Light, along with water and nitrogen, played an important role in seedling biomass growth, especially when water was not limiting. Biomass partitioning (as measured by root:shoot ratio) was affected only by nitrogen and water. Nutrient stress had a greater influence on carbon allocation (69% increase in root:shoot ratio) than water stress (19% increase). Net photosynthesis (P_net) was significantly higher for seedlings in the high resource than in the low resource treatments with significant light×water and nitrogen×water interactions. Transpiration rate was higher (75%) under the WW treatment compared to the WS treatment. Longleaf pine seedlings grown under the LNWW treatment had the lowest foliar nitrogen (0.71%) whereas seedlings in the HNWS treatment had the highest (1.46%). Increasing the availability of light (through larger canopy openings or controlling midstory density) and soil nitrogen (through fertilization) may not result in greater P_net and improved seedling growth unless soil water is not limiting.     

Growth response, phosphorus content and root colonization of Polylepis australis Bitt. seedlings inoculated with different soil types

Polylepis forests are one of the most endangered high mountain ecosystems of South America and reforestation with native Polylepis species has been highly recommended. Greenhouse bioassays were set up to determine the influence of three different soils on growth and phosphorous nutrition of Polylepis australis seedlings. Soils were collected from a grassland, a rare mature forest and a forest degraded due to repeated fires. We identified the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) present in the three soils and after 12 months we harvested the seedlings to evaluate root and shoot biomass, plant P content and root colonization by native AMF and dark septate endophytes (DSE). The soil inocula contained 26 AMF morphospecies. Grassland inoculum showed the highest AMF richness, and mature forest showed a different AMF community assembly from grassland and degraded forest inocula. Root biomass and root colonization were highest in seedlings inoculated with mature forest soil, meanwhile shoot biomass and plant P content were similar between all treatments. AMF colonization correlated negatively with DSE and root biomass was negatively correlated with DSE colonization, thus these fungal symbionts could be competing for resources. Our results indicate that AMF inoculum from the mature forest stand has the potential to improve P. australis performance, probably due to the dominance of Glomeraceae and Acaulosporaceae families. However, other soil microorganisms could be together with AMF in the natural inocula, affecting the growth response of P. australis seedlings. Future studies evaluating the effect of these inocula under field conditions should be carried out.     

Growth and phosphorus productivity of non-mycorrhizal Pinus pinaster seedlings: Comparison of three populations and seven full-sib families within a population

Growth and nutrition of hydroponically cultivated pine seedlings (Pinus pinaster Ait.) were investigated at various phosphorus (P) availabilities. P was added either with free access or at a relative addition rate of 0.02 and 0.04 day^?1. Laboratory observations were compared with adult growth performances in the field in two sets of experiments: the first with three contrasting populations, the second with seven full-sib families within a population. Significant differences in P productivity (growth rate per unit P in the plant) and in maximal relative growth rate were observed in both experiments, but correlation with adult performances was restricted to populations. Selection for nutrient-related traits would thus be possible, but understanding of the relationship between growth and nutrition needs further evaluation. The minimum P concentration in the seedlings supporting maximum growth ([P]optimum) varied from 2.2 to 3.8 mg g^?1 DM, which is in agreement with values obtained in other species. The root/shoot ratio increased with P limitation, with a marked tendency for the population with the highest adult height performance. Inversely, within families, seedlings identified as the best performers for adult growth invested more biomass in shoots than in roots with P stress.     

Basic density,extractive content and moisture sorption properties of Pinus pinaster wood infected with the pinewood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

The pinewood nematode(PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, has become one of the most severe threats to pine forest worldwide. Nematodes, migrating through resin canals and feeding on the living cells, induce rapid metabolic changes in ray parenchyma cells, create cavitation areas, decrease xylem water content and oleoresin exudation, and cause necrosis of parenchyma and cambial cells. This study focused on the impact of PWN infection on technological parameters of wood and evaluated the impact of anatomic and biochemical incidences of tree defense reactions on basic density, extractive content and moisture sorption properties of Pinus pinaster wood.Samples of infected and uninfected wood were studied.The presence of nematodes reduced wood basic density by2 % and decreased the total content of extractives in infected wood as compared with uninfected(5.98 and8.90 % of dry wood mass, respectively). Extractives in infected trees had inverse distribution along the trunk as compared with uninfected trees. The adsorption isotherms for infected and uninfected wood had similar positioning.We recorded differences(some statistically significant) in the equilibrium moisture content of infected and uninfected wood under varying environmental conditions. Despite the verified differences in wood basic density, extractive content and moisture sorption properties, the overall conclusion is that the PWN had a slight impact on these characteristics of wood.     

干旱胁迫下曼地亚红豆杉生理响应研究

以4年生曼地亚红豆杉扦插苗为试材,实验前1个月将苗木移栽至花盆中置于大棚内进行正常水分管理.将苗木分为3组,每组10株,3个重复,分别进行干旱胁迫.重度干旱(从试验开始时停止浇水),中度干旱(试验期间3d浇1次水,浇水量为对照的50％),对照(充足供水).在重度干旱和中度干旱下分别胁迫35 d,研究曼地亚红豆杉对不同程度干旱胁迫的生理响应,以分析曼地亚红豆杉的抗旱性及抗旱机理.结果表明,水分胁迫下曼地亚红豆杉PD、E、Gs与对照相比显著下降,Ci在胁迫初期升高,胁迫21d后下降.水分利用效率(RwuE)先升高后下降,羧化效率(RCE)显著下降.叶绿素a、叶绿素b和总叶绿素含量在胁迫后与对照没有显著差异;Fv/Fm在胁迫期间没有显著变化,而IP1随胁迫强度增加和胁迫时间延长显著下降.推测曼地亚红豆杉在干旱胁迫下叶绿素含量和光系统Ⅱ (PSII)光能转化能力保持相对稳定,对水分有较高的利用效率,引起光合下降的主要是非气孔因素,即羧化效率的显著下降.在水分胁迫条件下,曼地亚红豆杉SOD活性、POD活性,MDA含量、Pro含量都呈现先升后降的变化,说明曼地亚红豆杉在水分胁迫初期能通过增加保护酶活性来提高对逆境下产生的过氧化物的清除能力,同时增加细胞中游离脯氨酸等渗透调节物质来提高植株的吸水保水能力,维持自身水分平衡,具有较强的抗旱性.     

Growth and nutrition of nonmycorrhizal and mycorrhizal pitch pine (Pinus rigida) seedlings under phosphorus limitation

The association of ectomycorrhizal fungi with tree roots enhances the acquisition of phosphorus (P) from the soil. In addition to increasing the uptake of H(2)PO(4) (-) (P(i)), mycorrhizal fungi may increase the spectrum of P sources utilized by tree roots by mediating the dissolution of insoluble metallophosphate salts or the hydrolysis of organic P compounds. To investigate the role of ectomycorrhizal fungi in enhancing P acquisition by tree roots, pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) seedlings were grown in sand culture with or without the ectomycorrhizal symbiont Pisolithus tinctorius Coker and Couch under various conditions of P limitation. Compared with nonmycorrhizal seedlings, seedlings inoculated with P. tinctorius exhibited a greater capacity to function under P limitation as evidenced by superior growth and the maintenance of normal foliar ion composition at low P(i) concentrations. Nonmycorrhizal seedlings subjected to P-limiting conditions exhibited depressed K and P and elevated Na concentrations in foliage. The association of P. tinctorius with pitch pine seedling roots maintained foliar K concentrations and prevented the accumulation of Na under P limitation. Nonmycorrhizal seedlings were unable to obtain P from either solid AlPO(4) or inositol hexaphosphate (IHP), whereas seedlings inoculated with P. tinctorius utilized AlPO(4), but not IHP as a P source. Root surface acid phosphatase (APase) activity was depressed in roots infected with the mycorrhizal symbiont and was negatively correlated with seedling growth on all P sources. Root APase activity was negatively correlated with foliar P concentrations in seedlings grown on P(i), but was not correlated with foliar P concentrations in seedlings cultured with AlPO(4) or IHP.     

Growth and biomass partitioning of nine provenances of Quillaja saponaria seedlings to water stress

Information on the morphological and physiological responses of seedlings to stressors, such as water stress, is required for successful early establishment of seedlings. We examined provenance variation in morphological and physiological traits of Quillaja saponaria Molina seeds from nine provenances representing a latitudinal transect across the species range in Chile. The seedlings were subjected to two water regimes (well-watered vs water restriction) in a nursery experiment, and growth, biomass, survival, and gas exchange traits were measured. As expected, well-watered seedlings exhibited a superior performance in all traits analysed. Provenance effects were significant for most of the morphological and physiological traits. In the growth and biomass analysis, the northernmost provenance showed the lowest survival, growth and dry biomass, whereas in the gas exchange analysis, the southern interior provenance showed the highest net photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency. The interaction between water regimes and provenance was only significant for diameter and net photosynthesis. These results indicate that different provenances of Q. saponaria show a stable performance across different controlled drought conditions. This information is of relevance for sourcing seeds for the restoration of the species.     

赤峰36号杨幼苗对水分协迫的生理响应

以赤峰36号杨1 a生幼苗为材料,采用渗透胁迫处理的方法,研究杨树幼苗生理指标对水分不同强度胁迫的响应,结果表明:在3种水分强度胁迫下,杨树幼苗各生理指响应不同,当PEG体积分数为10%时,苗木水势和POD活性较对照变化明显,但MDA含量和质膜相对透性变化不显著,说明该强度的水分协迫未对杨树幼苗造成生理伤害;当PEG质量分数为15%时,虽然MDA含量较对照变化不显著,但苗木水势、POD活性和质膜相对透性却发生了显著变化,尤以质膜相对透性变化明显,说明该强度的水分协迫已对细胞造成了伤害;当PEG质量分数达到20%时,4种生理指标较对照均出现显著变化,说明该强度的水分胁迫对幼苗造成了严重伤害。     

Impact of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, on gross calorific value and chemical composition of Pinus pinaster woody biomass

The pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causal agent of the pine wilt disease, has been detected in several regions of Portugal affecting Pinus pinaster, a coniferous species of a great economic value. The nematodes, migrating through resin canals and feeding on parenchyma cells, induce rapid metabolic changes in ray parenchyma cells, cavitation areas, and denaturation and necrosis of parenchyma and cambial cells. To understand how anatomic changes and biochemical incidences of tree defense reactions affect the technological parameters of the wood, the gross calorific value (GCV) and chemical composition of PWN-infected and -uninfected P. pinaster wood were evaluated. The GCV was determined using Parr 6300 Automatic Isoperibol Calorimeter, and chemical composition analysis was performed by determining the contents of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and Ash on complete and instant oxidation of samples by “flash” combustion. The Student’s t test with Welch correction was used for statistical data analysis. The difference between the GCV and chemical composition for PWN-infected and -uninfected P. pinaster wood was statistically significant for the GCV and for hydrogen and nitrogen contents. The carbon, oxygen, sulfur and Ash contents did not differ statistically. The GCV of PWN-infected wood varied between the highest value of hardwood and the lowest value of softwood. This interdisciplinary study stresses the important technological and economic aspects, namely the impact of PWN on wood properties and the suitability of infected P. pinaster wood for use in the wood-processing and energy industries.     

刨花润楠对硝酸铅胁迫的生长和生理响应机制

以刨花润楠幼苗为试验材料,研究了在不同浓度硝酸铅处理下的地上和地下生长指标、保护酶活性、丙二醛、叶绿素含量以及电导率等各项生理指标.结果表明:低浓度(300 mg/L)的胁迫对刨花润楠幼苗生长有一定的促进作用,过高浓度的胁迫则抑制生长.刨花润楠幼苗叶片的总叶绿素含量以及保护酶SOD活性均随着胁迫浓度的升高呈先升后降的趋势.电导率、丙二醛含量随着胁迫浓度的升高呈现出先略降后上升的变化趋势.研究表明,刨花润楠幼苗对硝酸铅具有一定的抗性,适宜在一些硝酸铅污染地区进行推广栽植.     

Mycorrhization, growth and nutrition of Pinus halepensis seedlings fertilized with different doses and sources of nitrogen

? Although fertilization is commonly used in nurseries, the effects of high level of nitrogen on Pinus halepensis mycorrhization are still unknown.

? The effect of fertilization at different N levels (low-LN: 35 mg/plant; medium-MN: 60 mg/plant; high-HN: 120 mg/plant), differing N sources (ammonium-(NH₄)₂SO₄; nitrate-HNO₃; ammonium+nitrate-NH₄NO₃) and inoculation with Pisolithus tinctorius and Lactarius deliciosus on the mycorrhization, growth and nutrient status of P. halepensis has been studied.

? P. tinctorius 3SR showed higher mycorrhizal ability (100% of mycorrhizal seedlings) than L. deliciosus (nearer to 50%). The application of increasing doses of N resulted in a significant reduction of mycorrhizal seedlings but no differences were observed between NH₄ and NO₃as N source at the 60 mg N/plant dose applied. The effects of fertilization on growth were mainly observed in uninoculated plants. The use of NH₄ increased growth in non-mycorrhized plants. Nutrient status was similar in all cases except for K concentration, which was higher in plants mycorrhized with P. tinctorius. Interactions between inoculation and fertilization were found, mycorrhizal effects appearing only at LN fertilization.

? It is advisable to avoid high doses of N fertilization in order to produce mycorrhizal P. halepensis seedlings.

     

Growth response and nitrogen use physiology of Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), red pine (Pinus resinosa), and hybrid poplar under amino acid nutrition

Plants can assimilate amino acids from soils. This has been demonstrated in controlled environments and soils of various forest ecosystems. However, the role of root-absorbed amino acids in plant nitrogen nutrition is still poorly understood. We investigated the agroecological performance and nutrient use physiology of two conifers (Abies fraseri and Pinus resinosa) and one hardwood species (hybrid poplar) under amino acid fertilization. Arginine fertilizer (arGrow^® Complete) was applied at varying rates (0, 56, 112, 224, and 336 kg N/ha) and compared to an inorganic control treatment (ammonium sulfate 112 kg N/ha). Parameters monitored included tree growth response, foliar nitrogen concentration, and inorganic nitrogen leaching below the rootzone. Results obtained indicate a significant growth and foliar nitrogen response to amino acid treatments, with increasing amino acid application leading to greater growth and foliar nitrogen. However, rates two to three times higher than that of the inorganic control were necessary to provide similar growth and foliar nitrogen responses. These observations were suggested to be due to competition with soil microbes for organic nitrogen, growth inhibition due to the presence of large concentrations of amino acids, or adsorption to cation exchange sites. Amino acid applications did not increase the leaching of inorganic nitrogen due either to the binding of positively charged arginine cations to exchange sites or rapid mineralization followed by plant assimilation. Mineral nitrogen collected in leachate samples increased with the application rate suggesting at least some mineralization in high amino acid application rates. We conclude that growth response and nitrogen use physiology of these species when treated with arginine are largely controlled by soil processes including microbial competition and adsorption. Further studies are being conducted to confirm these hypotheses.