The effects of inorganic nitrogen (N) forms (NH4+ NO3− or both) at equimolar (0.5 mM) concentrations on growth, biomass allocation, photosynthesis, nitrate reductase activity (NRA) and N uptake rates of Arundo donax were investigated in hydroponic culture. Plants supplied with NH4+, or NH4NO3 had significantly higher above-ground biomass, leaf length, shoot number and shoot production rates than NO3− fed plants, whereas the relative growth rates, below-ground biomass, and other plant morphological parameters were indifferent to N nutrition. Leaf photosynthetic pigment concentrations and leaf specific area of NO3− −fed plants were lower than those of plants grown on NH4+, or NH4NO3. In addition, NH4+ and NH4NO3 fed plants had higher light-saturated rate of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance than NO3− fed plants and there were no differences in leaf dark respiration among N-form treatments. Both leaves and roots of A. donax had NRA, but NRA was much greater in leaves, particularly when plants were fed with NO3−. The N uptake rate of A. donax was greatest when supplied as NH4NO3 (1.10 ± 0.34 mg N g−1root DM h−1) although not different from the N uptake rate with NH4+ alone (0.61 ± 0.08 mg N g−1root DM h−1), whilst NO3− uptake velocities were similar among N-form treatments. Our results indicate that although some traits perform better in the presence of NH4+, presumably due to lower energetic costs of NH4+ uptake, A. donax grows well with either NH4+ or NO3−. This reflects its ability to grow well in both wetland and terrestrial soil types, which is an important consideration for its use as a candidate species for paludiculture.

Ammonium and nitrate are both suitable inorganic nitrogen forms for the highly productive wetland grass Arundo donax, a candidate species for wetland paludiculture / B.T. Tho, C. Lambertini, F. Eller, H. Brix, B.K. Sorrell. - In: ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING. - ISSN 0925-8574. - 105:(2017), pp. 379-386. [10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.04.054]

Ammonium and nitrate are both suitable inorganic nitrogen forms for the highly productive wetland grass Arundo donax, a candidate species for wetland paludiculture

C. Lambertini
Secondo
;
2017

Abstract

The effects of inorganic nitrogen (N) forms (NH4+ NO3− or both) at equimolar (0.5 mM) concentrations on growth, biomass allocation, photosynthesis, nitrate reductase activity (NRA) and N uptake rates of Arundo donax were investigated in hydroponic culture. Plants supplied with NH4+, or NH4NO3 had significantly higher above-ground biomass, leaf length, shoot number and shoot production rates than NO3− fed plants, whereas the relative growth rates, below-ground biomass, and other plant morphological parameters were indifferent to N nutrition. Leaf photosynthetic pigment concentrations and leaf specific area of NO3− −fed plants were lower than those of plants grown on NH4+, or NH4NO3. In addition, NH4+ and NH4NO3 fed plants had higher light-saturated rate of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance than NO3− fed plants and there were no differences in leaf dark respiration among N-form treatments. Both leaves and roots of A. donax had NRA, but NRA was much greater in leaves, particularly when plants were fed with NO3−. The N uptake rate of A. donax was greatest when supplied as NH4NO3 (1.10 ± 0.34 mg N g−1root DM h−1) although not different from the N uptake rate with NH4+ alone (0.61 ± 0.08 mg N g−1root DM h−1), whilst NO3− uptake velocities were similar among N-form treatments. Our results indicate that although some traits perform better in the presence of NH4+, presumably due to lower energetic costs of NH4+ uptake, A. donax grows well with either NH4+ or NO3−. This reflects its ability to grow well in both wetland and terrestrial soil types, which is an important consideration for its use as a candidate species for paludiculture.
Biomass; Giant reed; Inorganic nitrogen; Leaf biochemistry; Nitrate reductase activity; Paludiculture; Photosynthesis; Uptake velocity
Settore BIO/03 - Botanica Ambientale e Applicata
2017
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/922963
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