Effect of salinity on nitrogen metabolism in wheat

Objectives of our studies were to quantify effects of salinity on growth and nitrogen metabolism of wheat and to measure variation in response of different cultivars, hybrids, and classes. Methods and criteria for identifying resistance to salinity in wheat, particularly effects on nitrogen metabolism also were tested. Variation in response to salinity was measured by subjecting seedlings of six wheats to one control treatment (‐0.1 bars) and two stress treatments (‐3.5 and ‐10.4 bars) from NaCl, MgSO₄, and MgCl₂ in hydroponic solutions. Both stress treatments retarded growth; wheats significantly varied at ‐3.5 bars but not at ‐10.4 bars. Stress decreased root and shoot nitrate N and total N contents. Studies with one wheat cultivar showed that salinity decreased activity of nitrate reductase enzyme and stimulated accumulation of proline. Salinity more adversely affected vegetative stages than reproductive stages of plants grown to maturity. We concluded that salinity affected wheat by both osmotic effects and antagonism of nitrate metabolism from chloride. Absolute growth and relative growth at different stress levels were superior to differences in nitrogen metabolism as selection criteria for salinity tolerance.     

EFFECT OF PREVIOUS NITROGEN STARVATION ON NO3 − AND NH4 + UPTAKE AND ASSIMILATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENDOGENOUS SOLUBLE CARBOHYDRATE UTILIZATION IN MOROCCAN WHEAT SEEDLINGS

Uptake of the two forms of nitrogen NO₃ ^? and NH₄ ⁺ and nitrate reduction have been studied in two varieties of Moroccan wheat seedlings, cvs. Sais and Jouda, cultivated under controlled conditions in a hydroponic medium. The available form of nitrogen in the medium had a direct effect on the rate of nitrogen absorption. A brief nitrogen starvation increased the root length and stimulated accumulation of soluble carbohydrates, especially in the root tissues. A resupply of nitrogen stimulated ammonium and nitrate uptake and assimilation with higher mobilization of the soluble carbohydrates previously accumulated in root seedlings. It is suggested that root nitrogen and carbohydrate status might both regulate nitrate uptake and reduction in Moroccan wheat seedlings.

The seedlings raised with the nitrate supply accumulated nitrate in the vacuole as an osmoticum. Shoots are the preferential site for such accumulation. The accumulation of mineral nitrogen was absent in the seedlings cultivated with ammonium supply but was compensated by accumulation of soluble organic nitrogen.     

Influence of Nitrate:Ammonium Ratios on Growth and Elemental Concentration in Two Azalea Cultivars

Abstract

Rooted cuttings of Rhododendron canescens “Brook” and Rhododendron austrinum were grown in sand culture with a modified Hoagland's solution under greenhouse conditions. The effect of varying ammonium:nitrate (NO₃ ^?:NH₄ ⁺) ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100) on growth, chlorophyll content, plant quality, and elemental tissue concentration were determined. With NO₃ ^? as the nitrogen (N) form, both azalea cultivars exhibited less vegetative growth, lower overall plant quality, with leaves showing visual chlorotic symptoms in comparison to plants receiving NH₄ ⁺ as the N‐form. Leachate pH was highest with NO₃ ^? as the predominate N‐form and decreased significantly with each increment of NH₄ ⁺. With both azalea cultivars, N‐form significantly influenced uptake and utilization of essential plant nutrients. Leaf concentrations of N, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), boron (B), and molybdenum (Mo) were highest with NO₃ ^?‐N. Leaf elemental concentrations of phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) increased as NH₄ ⁺ supplied more of the N‐ratio. Significant differences in Mg, Mn, and Zn were observed between species. Results from this study show that foliar N concentration is not an accurate indicator of plant growth response. Further investigations are needed to determine if foliarchlorosis and low growth rates observed with NO₃ ^? fed plants due to an Fe deficiency, to low nitrate reductase (NR) activity in the leaves, or to a combination of these factors.     

淹涝胁迫和氮形态对苗期玉米糖、氮代谢底物量的影响

采用砂培培养方法,比较研究淹水和不同氮形态(铵态氮、硝态氮以及铵态氮︰硝态氮为1︰1)对苗期玉米根、茎鞘和叶的糖、氮代谢底物——可溶性糖、还原糖、硝态氮和游离氨基酸等物质含量的影响。结果表明,当淹涝胁迫持续7 d时,在非淹涝胁迫条件下,铵态氮处理的根、茎鞘和叶的可溶性糖和游离氨基酸含量均显著高于硝态氮处理(P<0.05);在淹涝胁迫条件下,硝态氮处理的根、茎鞘和叶的生物量干重显著低于铵态氮处理(P<0.05),其根和叶的生物量干重也显著低于铵态氮、硝态氮混合处理(P<0.05)。与非淹涝条件相比,在淹涝胁迫条件下,硝态氮处理的根系和叶的硝态氮含量显著降低(P<0.05),降低幅度分别高达62.6%和30.0%;此外,与非淹涝条件相比,在淹涝胁迫条件下,铵态氮处理的根的可溶性糖、还原糖以及游离氨基酸含量,茎鞘的可溶性糖和还原糖含量以及叶的可溶性糖和游离氨基酸含量均显著升高(P<0.05),而硝态氮处理仅根、茎鞘和叶的还原糖含量以及叶的游离氨基酸含量显著升高(P<0.05)。因此,在本试验条件下,由于糖、氮代谢底物含量充足,铵态氮处理的苗期玉米具有相对较强的耐淹涝胁迫能力。     

Comparing Nutrient Availability in Low-Fertility Soils using Ion Exchange Resin Capsules

Assessing the nutrient status of low-input, low-fertility desert soils poses some unique challenges. Commonly used soil analysis procedures and resin capsules generally assess nutrient status of fertile agricultural soils. Ion-exchange resin capsules (Unibest Company, Bozeman, Mont.) provide a viable alternative. A study was conducted to determine effectiveness of resin capsules to extract low levels of nutrients applied to native soils. Loamy sand and sandy clay loam desert soils from Utah were treated with combinations of four rates of nitrogen (N) as ammonium nitrate (34–0–0), three rates of phosphorus (P) as phosphoric acid (0–72–0), and two rates of iron sulfate (FeSO₄·7H₂O) and zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄·7H₂O) (include an untreated control). Each soil treatment was implanted with a resin capsule placed into either 250 or 1000 cm³ of soil after addition of water equivalent to 50% field capacity and incubated for either 60 or 120 days at 25 °C. After the appropriate incubation time, capsules were washed and extracted using 2 M hydrochloric acid (HCl), and the extract was used to measure iron (Fe), ammonium (NH₄)-N, nitrate (NO₃)-N, sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn). Conventional soil tests were completed on incubated soils (60 or 120 days). Resin capsules reflected NH₄-N and P fertilizer applied at low rates in the loamy sand but not in the sandy clay loam. Neither Fe nor Zn application was reflected in resin capsules, but the accompanying S was clearly quantified. In comparison to conventional soil test procedures, resin capsule NH₄-N was clearly a better indicator than KCl-extractable NH₄-N; resin capsule NO₃-N was effective, but not as good an indicator as water extraction; and resin capsule P was reflective of soil applied P in loamy sand but not in sandy clay loam, whereas sodium bicarbonate was effective in both soils. Resin capsules show promise for use in low-input conditions, but additional understanding of interactions in variable soils is needed.     

Effect of nutrient solution salinity and ionic concentration on parsley (Petroselinum crispum Mill.) essential oil yield and content

The growth and essential oil (EO) production of parsley were evaluated in response to salinity and nutrient solution concentrations in a soilless culture. Parsley plants that were 60 days old were potted in a coconut fiber and peat moss medium and were treated with four different nutrient solutions, including T1, T2, T3 and T4. The T1 nutrient solution was the standard, the T2 and T3 solutions contained incremental macronutrient concentrations with an electrical conductivity (EC) of up to 2.2 and 3.2 dS m^?1, respectively, and the T4 solution was the same as T2 but with sodium chloride (NaCl) and an incremental macronutrient concentration with an EC of 3.2 dS m^?1. Next, these plants were grown for 90 days in a greenhouse with natural daylight in Nador, Morocco. Shoot and root growth significant decreased with increasing EC. However, the salinity that resulted from the addition of NaCl did not affect plant growth in the nutrient solutions. The optimum obtained growth and EO production were 1.2 and 2.2 dS m^?1, respectively. Consequently, the optimum EC value (based on the EO production) of parsley in the soilless culture was 1.2–2.2 dS m^?1.     

Fertilizer location modifies root zone salinity,root morphology,and water‐stress resistance of tree seedlings according to the watering regime in a dryland reforestation

There is a direct relationship between soil nutrient concentration in localized zones and root proliferation and elongation under well‐watered conditions. However, in field studies under semiarid conditions this relationship can change due to higher salt accumulation and soil dryness that affect root growth, water stress resistance, and seedling survival. We assessed the effect of different locations of fertilizer placement in the soil profile and water availability on root zone salinity, root development and ecophysiological responses of Quillaja saponaria Mol. after outplanting. A single dose (6 g L^?1) of controlled‐release nitrogen fertilizer (CRF_N) was placed at 0 cm (top layer), 15 cm (middle layer), or 30 cm (bottom layer) depth in the containers in a greenhouse, in addition to an unfertilized treatment (control). After 6 months, seedlings were transplanted to the field and subjected to weekly watering regimes (2 L plant^?1 and unwatered). Morphological and ecophysiological parameters were periodically measured on seedlings, as well as soil electrical conductivity (EC). After 1 year, the shoot : root ratio of unwatered seedlings decreased as a function of CRF_N placement depth, which was attributed to lower shoot growth and not to greater root growth. The root morphology of the bottom layer treatment was negatively affected by high EC in unwatered seedlings. Greater total root length and root volume of the middle layer treatment was found only when well‐watered; however, this did not contribute to improve physiological responses against water stress. The lowest EC and the highest photochemical efficiency, net photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance were shown by unfertilized seedlings, independent of water availability. Our findings suggest that varying depth of CRF_N placement does not contribute significantly to improve root growth under water restriction. Water supplements, independently of the CRF_N location in the substrate, contribute to decrease root zone salinity, and consequently, improve root volume growth.     

适宜无机盐及浓度抑制麦胚脂肪酶存在时油水界面张力

为了探明无机盐稳定化脂肪酶的潜在机理,该文以小麦胚芽脂肪酶为研究对象,基于界面酶学的分析方法,研究添加浓度介于1.0×10-9~1.0×10-2 mol/L的Na~+、K+、Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+)的氯化物对小麦胚芽脂肪酶存在的油-水界面特性的影响。结果表明,当小麦胚芽脂肪酶体系浓度为1.7×10-6 mol/L时,一价金属中Na~+更有利于抑制油-水界面的表面张力(P0.05),对麦胚脂肪酶存在时的油水界面特性影响也较大;二价金属离子Ca~(2+)对界面张力的影响趋势与一价离子不同,在高浓度时反而增加界面张力;当油水界面上存在脂肪酶的催化底物(三油酸甘油酯)和产物(油酸)时,添加浓度分别为10-6、10-6、10-4和10-9mol/L的Na~+、K~+、Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+)均可一定程度上降低油水界面张力,从而降低麦胚脂肪酶的作用效果,三油酸甘油酯存在时Mg~(2+)的作用效果最明显(P0.05),油酸存在时Na+的作用效果最明显(P0.05)。综上,无机盐金属离子主要通过影响麦胚脂肪酶在油水界面的聚集行为及底物结构状态起到钝化麦胚脂肪酶的作用,该结果可为麦胚脂肪酶存在时界面的活性调控及麦胚的稳定化处理提供参考。     

风沙吹蚀与干湿循环作用下风积沙混凝土抗氯盐侵蚀机理

针对风蚀区盐湖及盐渍土环境下服役的混凝土,配制满足特殊环境下工程要求的风积沙混凝土.分析风沙吹蚀与干湿循环耦合作用下风积沙混凝土抗氯盐侵蚀的损伤过程,借助超景深三维显微镜、X射线衍射物相分析、核磁共振孔隙分析等手段探讨风积沙混凝土抗氯盐侵蚀耐久性机理.研究表明风沙吹蚀对混凝土表面产生破坏,干湿循环对混凝土内部造成损伤;风沙吹蚀对混凝土表面造成的“吹蚀坑”可为盐离子入侵混凝土内部提供“通道”;氯盐侵蚀后生成以Friedel盐为代表的腐蚀结晶物,可填充1～4 nm胶凝孔,消耗Ca(OH)2等有效物质,迫使4～10nm小毛细孔增多,随盐蚀损伤程度加剧,10～20 nm中毛细孔和20～100 nm大毛细孔向＞100 nm非毛细孔发展,非毛细孔彼此贯通产生裂纹,致使混凝土加速破坏.该研究可为风积沙混凝土在风蚀区氯盐环境下农业水利工程建设与应用提供依据.     

滨海盐碱地不同造林树种林地土壤盐碱化特征

采用野外取样与室内分析测试相结合的方法,对不同林地土壤的全盐量、阴阳离子组成、总碱度、p H、电导率、碱化度等指标进行了系统研究。结果表明:对照空地与各林地土壤中均无CO32-存在,造林可明显改变土壤中Na+、Cl-、SO42-、HCO3-等可溶性盐离子的含量,降低土壤全盐含量,造林地土壤阴离子由SO42-+Cl-为主演变为SO42-+HCO3-为主。土壤p H、碱化度和总碱度的变化趋势一致,不同造林地土壤碱化程度以紫穗槐林地最大,柽柳林地次之。土壤全盐含量(y)和电导率(x)间呈极显著线性正相关,故可用电导率计算含盐量进行研究区域的盐渍化程度分级。研究结果可为阐明滨海盐碱地的盐碱化过程、指导土壤改良提供参考。