Atmospheric NH3 as plant nutrient: a case study with Brassica oleracea.

Nutrient-sufficient and nitrate- or sulfate-deprived plants of Brassica oleracea L. were exposed to 4 microl l(-1) NH3 (2.8 mg m(-3)), and effects on biomass production and allocation, N-compounds and root morphology investigated. Nitrate-deprived plants were able to transfer to atmospheric NH3 as nitrogen source, but biomass allocation in favor of the root was not changed by exposure to NH3. NH3 reduced the difference in total root length between nitrate-sufficient and nitrate-deprived plants, and increased the specific root length in the latter. The internal N status, therefore, might be involved in controlling root length in B. oleracea. Root surface area, volume and diameter were unaffected by both nitrate deprivation and NH3 exposure. In sulfate-deprived plants an inhibitory effect of NH3 on root morphological parameters was observed. These plants, therefore, might be more susceptible to atmospheric NH3 than nitrate-deprived plants. The relevance of the present data under field conditions is discussed.

The effect of Glc6P uptake and its subsequent oxidation within pea root plastids on nitrite reduction and glutamate synthesis.

In roots, nitrate assimilation is dependent upon a supply of reductant that is initially generated by oxidative metabolism including the pentose phosphate pathway (OPPP). The uptake of nitrite into the plastids and its subsequent reduction by nitrite reductase (NiR) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) are potentially important control points that may affect nitrate assimilation. To support the operation of the OPPP there is a need for glucose 6-phosphate (Glc6P) to be imported into the plastids by the glucose phosphate translocator (GPT). Competitive inhibitors of Glc6P uptake had little impact on the rate of Glc6P-dependent nitrite reduction. Nitrite uptake into plastids, using (13)N labelled nitrite, was shown to be by passive diffusion. Flux through the OPPP during nitrite reduction and glutamate synthesis in purified plastids was followed by monitoring the release of (14)CO(2) from [1-(14)C]-Glc6P. The results suggest that the flux through the OPPP is maximal when NiR operates at maximal capacity and could not respond further to the increased demand for reductant caused by the concurrent operation of NiR and GOGAT. Simultaneous nitrite reduction and glutamate synthesis resulted in decreased rates of both enzymatic reactions. The enzyme activity of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), the enzyme supporting the first step of the OPPP, was induced by external nitrate supply. The maximum catalytic activity of G6PDH was determined to be more than sufficient to support the reductant requirements of both NiR and GOGAT. These data are discussed in terms of competition between NiR and GOGAT for the provision of reductant generated by the OPPP.

Changes in growth and nutrient uptake in Brassica oleracea exposed to atmospheric ammonia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Plant shoots form a sink for NH3, and are able to utilize it as a source of N. NH3 was used as a tool to investigate the interaction between foliar N uptake and root N uptake. To what extent NH3 can contribute to the N budget of the plant or can be regarded as a toxin, was investigated in relation to its concentration and the N supply in the root environment. METHODS: Brassica oleracea was exposed to 0, 4 and 8 microL L(-1) NH3, with and without nitrate in the nutrient solution. Growth, N compounds, nitrate uptake rate, soluble sugars and cations were measured. KEY RESULTS: In nitrate-sufficient plants, biomass production was not affected at 4 microL L(-1) NH3, but was reduced at 8 microL L(-1) NH3. In nitrate-deprived plants, shoot biomass was increased at both concentrations, but root biomass decreased at 8 microL L(-1) NH3. The measured nitrate uptake rates agreed well with the plant's N requirement for growth. In nitrate-sufficient plants nitrate uptake at 4 and 8 microL L(-1) NH3 was reduced by 50 and 66 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present data do not support the hypothesis that NH3 toxicity is caused by a shortage of sugars or a lack of capacity to detoxify NH3. It is unlikely that amino acids, translocated from the shoot to root, are the signal metabolites involved in the down-regulation of nitrate uptake, since no relationship was found between changes in nitrate uptake and root soluble N content of NH3-exposed plants.

NaCl salinity affects lateral root development in Plantago maritima.

Root growth and morphology were assessed weekly in hydroponically-grown seedlings of the halophyte Plantago maritima L. during exposure to 0, 50, 100 and 200 mm NaCl for 21 d. Relative growth rate was reduced by 25% at 200 mm NaCl. The lower NaCl treatments did not affect relative growth rates. Primary and lateral roots responded differently to NaCl. While primary-root length increased at all NaCl concentrations, total lateral-root length increased at 50 and was not affected at 100 mm but was considerably reduced at 200 mm NaCl. NaCl concentrations of 50 and 100 mm, which had no effect on relative growth rate or total lateral-root length, severely affected root branching pattern in that the number of first, second and third order laterals was reduced. At 200 mm NaCl third order laterals were not formed at all. However, mean lateral-root length was increased at all NaCl concentrations and was highest at 200 mm NaCl. We conclude that the increase in total lateral-root length in plants at 50 and 100 mm NaCl was mainly caused by increased length growth, while the decrease in total lateral-root length at 200 mm was the consequence of inhibition of lateral root primordia and / or the activation of apical meristems rather than reduced length growth.

Spatial patterns of radial oxygen loss and nitrate net flux along adventitious roots of rice raised in aerated or stagnant solution.

Roots of rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in stagnant de-oxygenated solution contain a 'tight' barrier to radial oxygen loss (ROL) in basal zones, whereas roots of plants grown in aerated solution do not. It is generally accepted that the barrier to ROL involves anatomical modifications in the apoplast of cell layers exterior to the aerenchyma. A possible drawback of this adaptation is a reduced capacity for nutrient uptake. Whether or not induction of a barrier to ROL influences the capacity of adventitious roots of rice to take up NO3- was determined in the present study, using NO3--selective microelectrodes. When transferred into O2-free root medium, ROL from positions at 30-50 mm behind the tip of adventitious roots of plants raised in stagnant solution was only 4-6% of the rate from roots of plants raised in aerated solution, indicating the barrier to ROL was induced by growth in stagnant solution. For plants transferred into aerobic nutrient solution containing 0.1 mM NO3-, net NO3- uptake by these root zones, with or without a barrier to ROL, was the same. It is concluded that induction of a barrier to ROL had no effect on the capacity of adventitious roots of rice to take up NO3- from aerobic solution.

Gaseous ammonia counteracts the response of Scots pine needles to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Four-year-old saplings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were exposed for 8 wk in controlled-environment chambers to charcoal-filtered air (FA), FA supplemented with 754 mg m-3 (650 µl 1-1 )CO2 , FA supplemented with l00 µ m13 NH3 and FA+CO2 +NH3 . Elevated CO2 induced a significant increase in the concentrations of NH4 + and NO3 in the soil solution, while exposure to NH3 enhanced the soil NH4 - concentration. Elevated CO2 significantly increased needle biomass and area, and decreased specific leaf are (SLA) and N concentration in the needle. The activity of peroidase (POD) was decreased, while the activities of glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were only slightly affected. Gaseous NH3 enhanced the concentration of N. soluble proteins and the GS activity in the needless, while it decreased the POD and GDH activities. The effects of elevated CO2 + NH3 on needle biomass production, N Metabolism and POD activity were smaller than the effects of single exposures to elevated CO2 or NH3 . Suggesting that elevated CO2 and NH3 counteract each other and disturb needle physiology. The possible mechanisms underlying the negative interactions of elevated CO2 and NH3 and discussed. The expected stimulation of biomass production by elevated CO2 my be reduced in the presence of atmospheric NH3 .