Effects of aluminum on growth and nutrient status of Douglas-fir seedlings grown in culture solution

Effects of Al on growth, nutrient uptake and proton efflux were studied in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings grown for about nine months in culture solutions with a pH between 3.4 and 3.6 and with both calcium and magnesium (Ca + Mg) at a concentration of 0.1, 0.5 or 2.5 mM. In the absence of Al, plant dry matter production and root development increased with increasing concentrations of (Ca + Mg) in the culture solution. At the low and intermediate (Ca + Mg) concentrations, optimal root and shoot development were observed at an Al concentration of 4 mg l(-1). At the highest (Ca + Mg) concentration, Al up to 4 mg l(-1) did not affect growth, but at higher concentrations, it significantly reduced both shoot and root growth. As the concentration of (Ca + Mg) in the nutrient solution increased, the concentrations of Ca and Mg increased in shoots and roots also. The concentrations of Ca and Mg in the roots were unaffected by the presence of Al, whereas in the shoots they were either unaffected, or increased, by Al. Concentrations of Al in, or on, roots, or in shoots, did not change in response to changing concentrations of Ca + Mg in the nutrient medium. In general, concentrations of P and K in shoots and roots were higher in seedlings grown in nutrient solutions containing Al. Stimulation of growth by moderate concentrations of Al, which was observed at suboptimal (Ca + Mg) concentrations, was associated with a low NH(4) preference and a low root proton efflux. The Al-induced increase in internal K concentration and reduction in NH(4) preference may be explained by a lower efflux of K and NO(3), respectively.     

Kinetics of nitrogen uptake by Populus tremuloides in relation to atmospheric CO(2) and soil nitrogen availability

Sustained increases in plant production in response to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) concentration may be constrained by the availability of soil nitrogen (N). However, it is possible that plants will respond to N limitation at elevated CO(2) concentration by increasing the specific N uptake capacity of their roots. To explore this possibility, we examined the kinetics of (15)NH(4) (+) and (15)NO(3) (-) uptake by excised roots of Populus tremuloides Michx. grown in ambient and twice-ambient CO(2) concentrations, and in soils of low- and high-N availability. Elevated CO(2) concentration had no effect on either NH(4) (+) or NO(3) (-) uptake, whereas high-N availability decreased the capacity of roots to take up both NH(4) (+) and NO(3) (-). The maximal rate of NH(4) (+) uptake decreased from 12 to 8 &mgr;mol g(-1) h(-1), and K(m) increased from 49 to 162 &mgr;mol l(-1), from low to high soil N availability.Because NO(3) (-) uptake exhibited mixedkinetics over the concentration range we used (10-500 &mgr;mol l( -1)), it was not possible to calculate V(max) and K(m). Instead, we used an uptake rate of 100 &mgr;mol g(-1) h(-1) as our metric of NO(3) (-) uptake capacity, which averaged 0.45 and 0.23 &mgr;mol g(-1) h(-1) at low- and high-N availability, respectively. The proximal mechanisms for decreased N uptake capacity at high-N availability appeared to be an increase in fine-root carbohydrate status and a decrease in fine-root N concentration. Both NH(4) (+) and NO(3) (-) uptake were inversely related to fine-root N concentration, and positively related to fine-root total nonstructural carbohydrate concentration. We conclude that soil N availability, through its effects on fine-root N and carbohydrate status, has a much greater influence on the specific uptake capacity of P. tremuloides fine roots than elevated atmospheric CO(2). In elevated atmospheric CO(2), changes in N acquisition by P. tremuloides appeared to be driven by changes in root architecture and biomass, rather than by changes in the amount or activity of N-uptake enzymes.     

Effects of elevated nitrate and aluminum on the growth and nutrition of red spruce (Picea rubens) seedlings

Acidic deposition in high-elevation forests in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States has been implicated in the decline of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.). Elevated soil acidity may increase soil Al availability and toxicity to roots. Enhanced soil solution NO(3) (-) concentrations, resulting from precipitation inputs and enhanced soil organic matter mineralization, may exacerbate Al toxicity by increasing root Al uptake. We exposed red spruce seedlings to 350, 500, 800 or 1400 micro M NO(3) (-) and 0 or 200 micro M Al in a factorial design in sand-nutrient solution culture to test if increased NO(3) (-) concentrations enhance Al uptake and toxicity. In addition to significant reductions in seedling growth parameters resulting from Al exposure, we found significant interactions between NO(3) (-) and Al for seedling height growth rate, needle weight, shoot weight and root weight. Differences in these parameters between Al treatments became more pronounced as solution NO(3) (-) concentration increased and reflected an Al-mediated inhibition of seedling response to increasing NO(3) (-) concentration. Solution NO(3) (-) concentrations above 500 micro M induced root nitrate reductase (NR) activity, whereas shoot NR activity increased in response to NO(3) (-) up to 500 micro M and declined above that concentration. In contrast, exposure to Al depressed NR activity of roots but tended to stimulate needle NR activity. Foliar N concentrations increased in seedlings grown in cultures containing between 350 and 500 micro M NO(3) (-), with no change above 500 micro M. Increasing concentrations of NO(3) (-) depressed foliar P concentrations, with reductions being greatest in seedlings exposed to 1400 micro M NO(3) (-). Exposure to Al increased foliar Ca, K and Al concentrations, decreased foliar P concentrations, and inhibited increases in foliar Mg concentration in response to increasing NO(3) (-). The consistent interactions between NO(3) (-) and Al for growth, root NR activity and foliar Mg concentration were the result of an inhibition of seedling response to NO(3) (-) mediated by Al in solution, rather than enhanced Al toxicity resulting from growth in the presence of elevated NO(3) (-) concentrations.     

Histology of magnesium-deficient Norway spruce needles influenced by nitrogen source

Effects of magnesium deficiency and variation in nitrate to ammonium ratio on needle histology and chlorophyll concentration were investigated in current-year and one-year-old needles of clonal Norway spruce trees (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). Six-year-old trees were grown for one year in sand culture with circulating nutrient solutions containing a sufficient (0.2 mM) or a limiting (0.04 mM) concentration of Mg. The nitrogen concentration was not varied (5 mM), but the NO(3) (-)/NH(4) (+)-ratio was adjusted to 0.76 in Mg-sufficient and to 1.86, 0.76 or 0.035 in Mg-limited plants. Visible symptoms of Mg deficiency occurred only in current-year needles, indicating adequate Mg nutrition before the experiment. Under conditions of Mg limitation, chlorophyll and Mg concentrations were lowest in needles of trees supplied with NH(4) (+) as the major nitrogen source and highest in needles of trees supplied with NO(3) (-) as the major nitrogen source. In current-year and one-year-old needles, starch accumulation induced by Mg deficiency was increased when NH(4) (+) was the major nitrogen source. The accumulation of tannin spherules in current-year needles, which occurred in response to Mg deficiency, also increased with decreasing NO(3) (-)/NH(4) (+)-ratios. Deficient Mg supply caused premature aging in tissues of the vascular bundle, as indicated by modifications of the cambium and increased amounts of collapsed sieve cells. The number of collapsed sieve cells was slightly lower in needles grown in a NH(4) (+)-dominated nutrient regime than in needles grown in a NO(3) (-)-dominated nutrient regime. We conclude that was not directly toxic to Norway spruce trees at the applied concentrations. However, effects of Mg deficiency were considerably greater in an NH(4) (+)-dominated nutrient regime than in a NO(3) (-)-dominated nutrient regime.     

Influence of a high Mn supply on Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings in relation to the nitrogen source

Effects of 3, 25, 100, 200 and 800 microM Mn on biomass and pigment, starch and nitrate concentrations were studied in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings grown with either NO(3) (-) or NH(4) (+) as the sole nitrogen source. After 77 days of exposure to 800 microM Mn, shoot growth had ceased in about 50% of the seedlings independently of the N source. Despite high Mn concentrations in roots and shoots of the Mn-treated seedlings, no visible symptoms of Mn toxicity were evident. The rate of root elongation was decreased by treatment with >/= 200 microM Mn when N was supplied as NO(3) (-), but not when it was supplied as NH(4) (+). This difference could be attributed to the higher Mn concentrations in root tips of the NO(3) (-)-grown seedlings compared with the NH(4) (+)-grown seedlings. In Mn-treated seedlings, the concentration of Mg, and to a lesser extent that of Ca, decreased. Depletion of these elements might account for the observed growth depression. Potassium concentrations were similar in the control and Mn-treated seedlings. Treatment of seedlings with 800 microM Mn for 50 days led to several physiological changes: starch accumulated, the concentrations of nitrate and phenolic compounds increased, pigment concentrations decreased, and in vivo nitrate reductase activity in roots was reduced.     

氮肥对盆栽欧洲水青冈生物量和营养分配的影响(英文)

调查了施加氮肥(15NH4和15NO3)处理后在两个连续生长季内欧洲水青冈(Fagus sylvatica L.)幼苗地上部分和地下部分的生物量和营养元素分配。盆栽欧洲水青冈幼苗培养于温室大棚内,培养土样取自相邻的三种林分:欧洲水青冈,挪威赤松,欧洲水青冈-赤松混交林。结果表明,氮肥(15N)处理对欧洲水青冈营养元素分配没有显著影响,施加氮素形式决定自身流入植物库的情况。欧洲水青獭收氮素主要以硝态氮的形式,因此,尽管植物体内保存的硝态氮和氨态氮并没有统计差异,但是叶片中硝态氮明显减少。施加硝态氮对欧洲水青冈氮素恢复的影响要大于施加氨态氮。与欧洲水青冈茎、粗根相比,优质根系对氮素(15N)固定是一个缓慢过程。表8图1参40。     

Growth and nutrient uptake of ectomycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris seedlings in a natural substrate treated with elevated Al concentrations

Models of the effects of elevated concentrations of aluminum (Al) on growth and nutrient uptake of forest trees frequently ignore the effects of mycorrhizal fungi. In this study, we present novel data indicating that ectomycorrhizal mycelia may prevent leaching of base cations and Al. Mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings were grown in sand obtained from the B-horizon of a local forest. In Experiment 1, non-mycorrhizal seedlings and seedlings inoculated with Hebeloma cf. longicaudum (Pers.: Fr.) Kumm. ss. Lange or Laccaria bicolor (Maire) Orton were provided with nutrient solution containing 2.5 mM Al. Aluminum did not affect growth of non-mycorrhizal seedlings or seedlings inoculated with L. bicolor. Seedlings colonized by H. cf. longicaudum had the highest biomass production of all seedlings grown without added Al, but the fungus did not tolerate Al. Shoots of seedlings colonized by L. bicolor had the lowest nitrogen (N) concentrations but the highest phosphorus (P) concentrations of all seedlings. The treatments had small but significant effects on shoot and root Al concentrations. In Experiment 2, inoculation with L. bicolor was factorially combined with the addition of a complete nutrient solution, or a solution lacking the base cations K, Ca and Mg, and solutions containing 0 or 0.74 mM Al. Seedling growth decreased in response to 0.74 mM Al, but the effect was significant only for non-mycorrhizal seedlings. Mycorrhizal seedlings generally had higher P concentrations than non-mycorrhizal seedlings. Aluminum reduced P uptake in non-mycorrhizal plants but had no effect on P uptake in mycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal colonization increased the pH of the soil solution by about 0.5 units and addition of Al decreased the pH by the same amount. We conclude that the presence of ectomycorrhizal mycelia decreased leaching of base cations and Al from the soil.     

Absorption and assimilation of nitrate and ammonium ions by jack pine seedlings

Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings were grown in a shaded or unshaded light regime with either NO(3) (-)- or NH(4) (+)-N as the sole N source. After three months, seedlings grown with NH(4) (+)-N were larger than seedlings grown with NO(3) (-)-N. Irradiance had a greater effect on growth of ammonium-fed seedlings than on growth of nitrate-fed seedlings.At all times from 6 to 24 h following incorporation of (15)N, soluble, insoluble, and total (15)N contents of shoots and roots were higher in ammonium-fed seedlings than in nitrate-fed seedlings. The pattern of (15)N accumulation in shoots was similar to that in roots. After 6 and 24 h of (15)N incorporation, unshaded, ammonium-fed seedlings had 8.8 and 2.8 times greater total (15)N contents, respectively, than unshaded, nitrate-fed seedlings. In response to shading, ammonium-fed seedlings increased their total uptake of (15)N per unit root weight, whereas nitrate-fed seedlings did not. No nitrate or (15)NO(3) (-) was detected in any plant tissue. Nitrate-fed plants had higher NH(4) (+), Asp, and Gln concentrations in needles and higher gamma-aminobutyric acid and Arg concentrations in stems. Accumulation of (15)N in roots was not affected by the pH of the (15)N solution or by the N source fed to the seedlings before the period of (15)N incorporation. Thus NO(3) (-) transport into roots, rather than its reduction or transport within the plant, seems to be the factor limiting the growth of jack pine supplied with NO(3) (-)-N as the sole N source.     

Sensitivity of red oak (Quercus rubra L.) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) seedlings to sodium salts in solution culture

Sodium salt sensitivity of red oak (Quercus rubra L.) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) was evaluated in solution culture. Both species showed symptoms of salt injury when grown in the presence of less than 10 mM Na. In red oak, leaf symptoms first appeared at a sodium concentration of 6.0 mM and leaf weight was significantly reduced at 7.5 mM Na. Leaf, stem and root dry weights of American beech were significantly reduced in the presence of 4.0 mM sodium. In both species, browning of leaf margins and necrosis were evident in the Na-treated plants. The observed symptoms were associated with high concentrations of sodium in the tissues. Neither species appears to have control over sodium uptake and translocation.     

Root morphology and nutritional status of Japanese red cedar saplings subjected to in situ levels of aluminum in forest soil solution

There is little information on the effects of in situ levels of aluminum (Al) in the forest soil solution on the root morphology of Japanese red cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don). We evaluated whether morphological and nutritional changes in the white roots of Japanese red cedar saplings grown in glass-bead culture for 18 weeks occurred in response to Al solutions at five concentrations: 0 (control), 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0mM. Branching white roots treated with 0.5 or 1.0mM Al had some stunted, brown, thickened tips. Their mean lengths were significantly shorter than those of roots treated with 0.05 or 0.1mM Al. The maximum diameters of white roots treated with 0.5 or 1.0mM Al were significantly larger than those of the control. Treatment with 0.5 or 1.0mM Al reduced the concentrations of Ca and Mg in the white roots and increased the concentration of Al compared with the control. These results indicate that between 0.1 and 0.5mM Al, a drastic change occurs in the effects of Al on the morphology and nutritional status of white roots of Japanese red cedar saplings, and suggest that the Al levels in Japanese forest soils may induce morphological changes in the white roots.     

Nitrate content, amino acid composition and growth of yellow birch seedlings in response to light and nitrogen source

Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) seedlings were grown for three months in a greenhouse at two radiant flux densities-full light (FL) and 50% shade (LL)-and with three nitrogen sources- ammonium only (NH(4) (+)), nitrate only (NO(3) (-)) and a 1:1 mixture of ammonium and nitrate (NH(4) (+)/NO(3) (-))-in a completely randomized factorial design. The total biomass of seedlings grown under low light (LL) did not vary significantly with nitrogen source; although NO(3) (-)-treated seedlings were smaller and had a significantly lower (P 相似文献   

Induction of callose in roots of Norway spruce seedlings after short-term exposure to aluminum

Callose (1,3-beta-glucan) is a suggested physiological indicator of aluminum (Al) toxicity in crop plants. It is not known if callose serves a similar function in forest trees, because quantitative data on callose formation in tree roots are limited, particularly under controlled conditions. To evaluate callose as a physiological indicator of Al toxicity in tree roots, we quantified callose formation in roots of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings. Seedlings were grown in simulated soil solutions in the presence or absence (control) of Al under controlled conditions. In seedlings grown in solutions containing 280 microM Al, callose concentrations in roots were twice as high as control values after 6 h of Al treatment and 5 times higher than control values after 1 day. Thereafter, root callose concentrations gradually decreased and were only twice as high as control values after 7 days. The presence of various Al concentrations in the simulated soil solutions indicated that callose was induced by a relatively low Al concentration (84 microM). We conclude that callose in tree roots is an indicator of Al toxicity.     

Role of exudation of organic acids and phosphate in aluminum tolerance of four tropical woody species

Responses of Melaleuca leucadendra (L.) L., Melaleuca cajuputi Powell, Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth. and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. to aluminum (Al) toxicity at low pH are poorly understood. We investigated effects of low pH and exudation of ligands by roots on Al tolerance of these species. Seedlings were grown hydroponically in nutrient solutions at pH 4.2 or 3.5 containing AlCl3 at concentrations ranging from 0 to 4 mM Al. The presence of 4 mM Al at pH 3.5 depressed growth in all species. Growth depression was greatest in E. camaldulensis, least in A. auriculiformis. In the low Al treatment (0.5 mM Al), roots of M. cajuputi tended to have the highest Al concentration among species, whereas in the 4 mM Al treatment, the highest Al concentration was found in roots of E. camaldulensis. Aluminum application enhanced root exudation of citrate in all species, with the enhancement in M. cajuputi, M. leucadendra and A. auriculiformis being similar and much greater than in E. camaldulensis. Exudation of oxalate and phenolic compounds was greater in E. camaldulensis than in the other species. The presence of Al enhanced phosphate exudation in all species, particularly in A. auriculiformis. Acacia auriculiformis was tolerant to low pH, probably because the presence of an unknown substance increased the pH. Application of 0.38 mM Al alleviated the toxicity of the pH 3.5 treatment in E. camaldulensis and M. cajuputi, whereas low pH alleviated Al toxicity in A. auriculiformis. We conclude that exudation of ligands such as citrate and phosphate only partly accounts for interspecific differences in Al tolerance among the tropical woody plants studied, whereas the reciprocal alleviation of Al toxicity and low pH differed considerably among the species.     

Nutrient uptake by intact mycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris seedlings: a diagnostic tool to detect copper toxicity

We developed a nondestructive method for detecting early toxic effects of inflethal copper (Cu) concentrations on ectomycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal (NM) Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings. The fungal symbionts examined were Paxillus involutus (Fr.) Fr., Suillus luteus (Fr.) S.F. Gray and Thelephora terrestris (Ehrh.) Fr. The accumulation of Cu in needles and fungal development (ergosterol) in roots and infstrate were assessed. Inorganic phosphate (P(i)) and ammonium (NH(4) (+)) uptake capacities were determined in a semi-hydroponic cultivation system on intact P-limited plants that were exposed for 3 weeks to 0.32 (control), 8 or 16 &mgr;moles Cu(2+). Short-term effects of a 1-hour exposure to 32 &mgr;moles Cu(2+) on nutrient uptake rates were also determined. None of the Cu(2+) treatments affected plant growth or root ergosterol concentrations. The active fungal biomass in infstrate invaded by S. luteus was reduced by 50% in the 16 &mgr;M Cu(2+) treatment compared with the control treatment; however, colonization by S. luteus prevented an increased accumulation of Cu in the needles. In contrast, the 16 &mgr;M Cu(2+) treatment caused a 2.2-fold increase in needle Cu concentration in NM plants. Ergosterol concentrations in the infstrate colonized by P. involutus and T. terrestris were not affected by 16 &mgr;molar Cu(2+). Although P. involutus and T. terrestris were less sensitive to Cu(2+) than S. luteus, T. terrestris did not prevent the accumulation of Cu in needles of its host plant in the 16 &mgr;molar Cu(2+) treatment. Mycorrhizal plants consistently had higher P(i) and NH(4) (+) uptake capacities than NM plants. In the control treatment, specific P(i) uptake rates were almost 10, 4 and 3 times higher in plants associated with P. involutus, S. luteus and T. terrestris, respectively, than in NM plants, and specific NH(4) (+) uptake rates were about 2, 2 and 5 times higher, respectively, than those of NM seedlings. Compared with the corresponding control plants, a 3-week exposure to 8 &mgr;M Cu(2+) had no effect on the nutrient uptake potential of plants. In contrast, the 16 &mgr;M Cu(2+) treatment significantly reduced P(i) uptake capacity of all plants and decreased NH(4) (+) uptake capacity of seedlings colonized by S. luteus or T. terrestris. The 32 &mgr;M Cu(2+) 1-h shock treatment reduced specific NH(4) (+) and P(i) uptake rates of roots colonized by S. luteus to 39 and 77%, respectively, of the original rates. The Cu(2+) 1-h shock treatment reduced the NH(4) (+) uptake rate of NM plants by 51%.     

Ammonium and nitrate acquisition by plants in response to elevated CO2 concentration: the roles of root physiology and architecture

We examined changes in root system architecture and physiology and whole-plant patterns of nitrate reductase (NR) activity in response to atmospheric CO2 enrichment and N source to determine how changes in the form of N supplied to plants interact with rising CO2 concentration ([CO2]). Seedlings of Betula alleghaniensis Britt. and Pinus strobus L., which differ in growth rate, root architecture, and the partitioning of NR activity between leaves (Betula) and roots (Pinus), were grown in ambient (400 microl l(-1)) and elevated (800 microl l(-1)) [CO2] and supplied with either nitrate (NO3-) or ammonium (NH4+) as their sole N source. After 15 weeks of growth, plants were harvested and root system architecture, N uptake kinetics, and NR activity measured. Betula alleghaniensis responded to elevated [CO2] with significant increases in growth, regardless of the source of N. Pinus strobus showed no significant response in biomass production or allocation to elevated [CO2]. Both species exhibited significantly greater growth with NH4+ than with NO3-, along with lower root:shoot biomass ratios. Betula showed significant increases in total root length in response to elevated [CO2]. However, root N uptake rates in Betula (for both NO3- and NH4+) were either reduced or unchanged by elevated [CO2]. Pinus showed the opposite response to elevated [CO2], with no change in root architecture, but an increase in maximal uptake rates in response to elevated [CO2]. Nitrate reductase activity (on a mass basis) was reduced in leaves of Betula in elevated [CO2], but did not change in other tissues. Nitrate reductase activity was unaffected by elevated [CO2] in Pinus. Scaling this response to the whole-plant, NR activity was reduced in elevated [CO2] in Betula but not in Pinus. However, because Betula plants were larger in elevated [CO2], total whole-plant NR activity was unaffected.     

Storage and internal cycling of nitrogen in relation to seasonal growth of Sitka spruce

Three-year-old clonal cuttings of Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. were grown for two years (1988-1989) in sand irrigated with a nutrient solution containing either 1.0 mol N m(-3) (low N) or 6.0 mol N m(-3) (high N) NH(4)NO(3). In 1988, all the N provided was enriched with (15)N to 4.95 atom % (labeled N). In 1989, N was supplied with (15)N at natural abundance (unlabeled N). The recovery of unlabeled and labeled N in new foliage was used to quantify the internal cycling of N. In the high-N treatment, trees had two flushes of shoot growth and a period of rapid root growth, which coincided with the second flush of shoot growth in August. The timing of root growth and the first flush of shoot growth was similar in the low-N treatment, but there was no second flush of shoot growth and a greater proportion of biomass was recovered in roots. By November 1989, the root/needle dry matter ratio was 1.95 for the low-N trees and 1.36 for the high-N trees. Nitrogen was stored overwinter in roots and current-year needles. During the first six weeks of growth in the spring of 1989, stored N was remobilized for new foliage growth. Subsequent growth depended on root uptake of N. Remobilization of stored N was apparently not affected by the current N supply, because the amount of unlabeled N recovered in foliage produced in 1988 was the same for both N treatments. During 1989, the proportion of (15)N remobilized from roots relative to that from leaves produced in 1988 was greater in low-N trees than in high-N trees. In the autumn of both years, there was rapid uptake of N into roots and current-year needles. The effects of N supply on tree growth and nitrogen use efficiency are discussed in terms of the capacity for both N storage and internal cycling.     

Nitrogen mobilization, nitrogen uptake and growth of cuttings obtained from poplar stock plants grown in different N regimes and sprayed with urea in autumn

Nitrogen mobilization, nitrogen uptake and growth of cuttings obtained from poplar stock plants fertigated with different nitrogen (N) treatments and sprayed with urea in autumn were studied. Stock plants propagated from poplar cuttings were trained to a single shoot and fertigated with 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 mmol l(-1) N during the first growing season. In October, a subset of stock plants from each N fertigation treatment was sprayed twice with either 3% urea or water, and overwintered outside. In March, total tree biomass and total N concentration and content of stems were estimated for stock plants in each treatment, and cuttings were taken from the middle of each stock plant and stored in plastic bags at 2 degrees C. In mid-April, cuttings were planted in 7.5-l pots containing N-free medium and grown outdoors with a weekly fertigation with nutrient solution containing 0 or 10 mmol l(-1) 15NH4 15NO3. In mid-July, cuttings were harvested, and new shoot (new stems and leaves), shank (old cutting stem) and roots were analyzed for new biomass growth and total N and 15N content. Growth of stock plants was positively related to N supply in the previous growing season. Foliar urea application in autumn had no effect on subsequent stock plant growth even though urea sprays increased both N concentration and content in stem tissues. Biomass growth of cuttings obtained from stock plants was closely related to their N content when the cuttings were grown in an N-free medium regardless of previous treatments applied to the stock plants. When N was supplied in the growth medium, the strength of the relationship between regrowth and N content of cuttings was significantly reduced. Cuttings from stock plants treated with foliar urea and grown in a N-free medium remobilized between 75 and 82% of their total N for new growth, whereas cuttings from plants receiving no urea spray remobilized only between 60 and 69% of their total N for new growth. Current N fertilization of the cuttings reduced the percentage of N remobilized. We conclude that new growth of poplar cuttings in spring was more dependent on currently applied N than on reserve N, and urea N applied as a spray in autumn was more easily remobilized than N taken up by roots during the previous season.     

Root system architecture and receptivity to mycorrhizal infection in seedlings of Cedrus atlantica as affected by nitrogen source and concentration

Effects of nitrogen (N) source and concentration on root system architecture and receptivity to mycorrhizal infection were studied in seedlings of Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica Manetti) grown in root observation boxes in a controlled-environment chamber. Nitrogen was supplied in a solution containing either NO3-; or NH4+ at a concentration of either 0.25 or 5.0 mM. Root extension was recorded twice weekly by tracing the roots growing in contact with the transparent face of the root observation box. Among treatments, lateral root production and branching density were greatest with 5.0 mM NO3-. Inoculation with mycelium of Tricholoma cedrorum Malencon was carried out 3 months after the start of the N treatments. The highest percentage of mycorrhizal roots, and the greatest amounts of living mycelium (estimated by the ergosterol assay) were observed in the NO3- treatments. Differences in root branching density among the N treatments were insufficient to explain the observed differences among treatments in the extent of mycorrhizal infection of seedlings.     

Magnesium nutrition and photosynthesis in Pinus radiata: clonal variation and influence of potassium

Magnesium (Mg) nutrition and photosynthesis were studied in clones of Pinus radiata D. Don grown in sand culture for 21 weeks at four Mg concentrations (0.008, 0.04, 0.2 and 0.4 mM) and three potassium (K) concentrations (0.25, 0.5 and 2.5 mM). We found significant clonal variation in Mg nutrition of P. radiata. Plants grown at 0.04 mM [Mg] or less showed pronounced visible symptoms of foliar Mg deficiency. Net photosynthetic rate and leaf conductance were closely related to shoot Mg concentrations below a concentration of 0.6 mg Mg g(DW) (-1). Potassium enhanced the development of visible symptoms of foliar Mg deficiency. At the lowest Mg concentration tested (0.008 mM), the severity of needle chlorosis and necrosis increased with increasing K concentration in the culture solution. With increasing Mg concentration, 2.5 mM [K] in the culture solution markedly increased root Mg concentration, but decreased shoot Mg concentration, suggesting that excessive K inhibited Mg mobilization from roots to shoots. Rates of growth and photosynthesis were both severely inhibited at 0.008 mM [Mg].     

Nitrogen-related root variables of trees along an N-deposition gradient in Europe

We measured fine root N concentration, root in vivo nitrate reductase activity (NRA) and root uptake capacity for (15)NH(4) (+) and (15)NO(3) (-) along an N-deposition gradient from northern Sweden to central Europe, encompassing a variation in N deposition rates of < 5 to about 40 kg N ha(-1) year(-1). The focus was on Picea abies (L.) Karst., but Fagus sylvatica L. in central Europe and Pinus sylvestris L. and Betula spp. in northern Sweden were also studied. We assumed that, with an increased supply of N, root N concentration would increase, activity of the inducible enzyme nitrate reductase (NR) in roots would increase, particularly with an increasing supply of NO(3) (-), and root uptake capacity for inorganic N would decline, reflecting a lower demand for N. As expected, fine root N concentration in P. abies increased along the gradient from 1.1% (d.w. basis) at the northern site to 2.1% at central European sites. This variation compared with an amplitude of 0.7-1.5% for foliage. Root in vivo NRA was low in northern Sweden, and higher in central Europe. Picea abies and broad-leaved species had similar root NRA. At one location in Denmark and one in France, however, root NRA in the spring was very high in F. sylvatica. Root uptake capacity for NO(3) (-), as measured in excised roots, was low throughout the transect, but in P. abies, it was high for NH(4) (+) in northern Sweden and decreased by a factor of 4 with increasing N deposition. A similar pattern was found in the broad-leaved species. Unless the higher availability of NO(3) (-) and lower specific root uptake capacity per unit root mass for inorganic N in central Europe (compared with northern Sweden) is balanced by a higher root biomass, the central European forests will be a weaker sink for N.