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Zanin L, Tomasi N, Casagrande D, Danuso F, Buoso S, Zamboni A, Varanini Z, Pinton R, Blanchini F. A mechanistic mathematical model for describing and predicting the dynamics of high-affinity nitrate intake into roots of maize and other plant species. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2023; 175:e14021. [PMID: 37882311 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
A fully mechanistic dynamical model for plant nitrate uptake is presented. Based on physiological and regulatory pathways and based on physical laws, we form a dynamic system mathematically described by seven differential equations. The model evidences the presence of a short-term positive feedback on the high-affinity nitrate uptake, triggered by the presence of nitrate around the roots, which induces its intaking. In the long run, this positive feedback is overridden by two long-term negative feedback loops which drastically reduces the nitrate uptake capacity. These two negative feedbacks are due to the generation of ammonium and amino acids, respectively, and inhibit the synthesis and the activity of high-affinity nitrate transporters. This model faithfully predicts the typical spiking behavior of the nitrate uptake, in which an initial strong increase of nitrate absorption capacity is followed by a drop, which regulates the absorption down to the initial value. The model outcome was compared with experimental data and they fit quite nicely. The model predicts that after the initial exposure of the roots with nitrate, the absorption of the anion strongly increases and that, on the contrary, the intensity of the absorption is limited in presence of ammonium around the roots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Zanin
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Nicola Tomasi
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Daniele Casagrande
- Dipartimento Politecnico di Ingegneria e Architettura, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Francesco Danuso
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Sara Buoso
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Anita Zamboni
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Zeno Varanini
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Pinton
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Franco Blanchini
- Dipartimento di Matematica, Informatica e Fisica, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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Sheeran L, Rasmussen A. Aerial roots elevate indoor plant health: Physiological and morphological responses of three high-humidity adapted Araceae species to indoor humidity levels. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:1873-1884. [PMID: 36786325 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a global increase in urban greenspace appreciation. Indoor plants are equally important for improving mental health and air quality but despite evolving in humid (sub)tropical environments with aerial root types, planting systems ignore aerial resource supply. This study directly compared nutrient uptake preferences of aerial and soil-formed roots of three common houseplant species under high and ambient relative humidities. Growth and physiology parameters were measured weekly for Anthurium andreanum, Epipremnum aureum and Philodendron scandens grown in custom made growth chambers. Both aerial and soil-formed roots were then fed mixtures of nitrate, ammonium and glycine, with one source labelled with 15 N to determine uptake rates and maximum capacities. Aerial roots were consistently better at nitrogen uptake than soil roots but no species, root type or humidity condition showed a preference for a particular nitrogen source. All three species grew more in high humidity, with aerial roots demonstrating the greatest biomass increase. Higher humidities for indoor niches, together with fertiliser applications to aerial roots will support indoor plant growth, creating lush calming indoor environments for people inhabitants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sheeran
- Division of Agriculture and Environmental Science, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - Amanda Rasmussen
- Division of Agriculture and Environmental Science, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
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3
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Azizah FN, Purwanto BH, Tawaraya K, Rachmawati D. Characterization of yield and cumulative nitrous oxide emission of maize varieties in responses to different nitrogen application rates. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17290. [PMID: 37383202 PMCID: PMC10293727 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of maize is usually below 60%. Considering future food supply and climate change, selective breeding of maize with high nitrogen (N)-efficient varieties, covering genetic diversities, is an effective strategy for identifying specific elements for controlling NUE and productivity per arable farming unit while reducing environmental damage. This study evaluated the yield and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission of 30 maize varieties under two different N doses of 57.5 kg N ha-1 (N1, N-sufficient) and 173 kg N ha-1 (N3, N-high) applied in two equal splits on 2 and 4 weeks after germination (WAG). Then, the tested maize varieties were categorized into four groups based on the grain yield and cumulative N2O, that is, efficient-efficient (EE) under both N1 and N3, high-N efficient (HNE) under N3 only, low-N efficient (LNE) under N1 only, and nonefficient-nonefficient (NN) under neither N1 nor N3. Maize yield was significantly positively correlated with shoot biomass, N-accumulation, and kernel-number under N1 and with N2O-flux at 5 WAG, NH4+, shoot biomass, and all of yield components under N3, whereas cumulative N2O showed a significant positive correlation with NO3- under N3 only and with N2O flux at 3 WAG under both N levels. The EE generally showed higher grain yield, yield components, N-accumulation, dry matter accumulation, root volume, and NH4+ in soil and lower cumulative N2O and NO3- in soil relative to NN maize varieties. The EE variety groups of maize can be a feasible strategy for increasing N fertilizer efficiency without reducing maize production as well as decrease the negative impact of N lost in agricultural system.
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Xia X, Wei Q, Xiao C, Ye Y, Li Z, Marivingt-Mounir C, Chollet JF, Liu W, Wu H. Genomic survey of NPF and NRT2 transporter gene families in five inbred maize lines and their responses to pathogens infection. Genomics 2023; 115:110555. [PMID: 36596368 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Besides manipulating nitrate uptake and allocation, nitrate transporters (NRTs) are also known to play crucial roles in pathogen defense and stress response. By blasting with the model NRT genes of poplar and Arabidopsis, a total of 408 gene members were identified from 5 maize inbred lines in which the number of NRTs ranged from 72 to 88. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the NRT genes of maize were classified into NRT1/PTR (NPF), NRT2 and NRT3 subfamilies, respectively. Marked divergence of the duplication patterns of NRT genes were identified, which may be a new basis for classification and identification of maize varieties. In terms of biotic stress, NRT2.5A showed an enhanced expression during the pathogen infection of Colletotrichum graminicola, while NRT1c4C was down-regulated, suggesting that maize NRT transporters may have both positive and negative roles in the disease resistance response. This work will promote the further studies of NRT gene families in maize, as well as be beneficial for further understanding of their potential roles in plant-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyao Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qiuhe Wei
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chunxia Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yiping Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Cécile Marivingt-Mounir
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et des Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP), Unité Mixte de Recherche CNRS 7285, Université de Poitiers, 4 rue Michel Brunet, TSA 51106, F-86073 Poitiers, Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-François Chollet
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et des Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP), Unité Mixte de Recherche CNRS 7285, Université de Poitiers, 4 rue Michel Brunet, TSA 51106, F-86073 Poitiers, Cedex 9, France
| | - Wende Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Hanxiang Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China.
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Chattha MS, Ali Q, Haroon M, Afzal MJ, Javed T, Hussain S, Mahmood T, Solanki MK, Umar A, Abbas W, Nasar S, Schwartz-Lazaro LM, Zhou L. Enhancement of nitrogen use efficiency through agronomic and molecular based approaches in cotton. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:994306. [PMID: 36237509 PMCID: PMC9552886 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.994306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Cotton is a major fiber crop grown worldwide. Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for cotton production and supports efficient crop production. It is a crucial nutrient that is required more than any other. Nitrogen management is a daunting task for plants; thus, various strategies, individually and collectively, have been adopted to improve its efficacy. The negative environmental impacts of excessive N application on cotton production have become harmful to consumers and growers. The 4R's of nutrient stewardship (right product, right rate, right time, and right place) is a newly developed agronomic practice that provides a solid foundation for achieving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cotton production. Cropping systems are equally crucial for increasing production, profitability, environmental growth protection, and sustainability. This concept incorporates the right fertilizer source at the right rate, time, and place. In addition to agronomic practices, molecular approaches are equally important for improving cotton NUE. This could be achieved by increasing the efficacy of metabolic pathways at the cellular, organ, and structural levels and NUE-regulating enzymes and genes. This is a potential method to improve the role of N transporters in plants, resulting in better utilization and remobilization of N in cotton plants. Therefore, we suggest effective methods for accelerating NUE in cotton. This review aims to provide a detailed overview of agronomic and molecular approaches for improving NUE in cotton production, which benefits both the environment and growers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sohaib Chattha
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Agro-Product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Qurban Ali
- Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Muhammad Haroon
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | | | - Talha Javed
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sadam Hussain
- Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Tahir Mahmood
- Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Manoj K. Solanki
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Aisha Umar
- Institute of Botany, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Waseem Abbas
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shanza Nasar
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat Hafiz Hayat Campus, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Lauren M. Schwartz-Lazaro
- School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Lei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Agro-Product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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Zhang Y, Li J, Zhou D, Song J, Gao J. Nitrogen Uptake and Distribution in Different Chinese Cabbage Genotypes under Low Nitrogen Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031573. [PMID: 35163497 PMCID: PMC8836141 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to understand the effects of low nitrogen (LN) stress on the growth and development in different genotypes of Chinese cabbage, the L40 genotype with high nitrogen utilization and the L14 genotype with LN utilization were selected as experimental materials. Field experiments and indoor hydroponic methods were used to study the different responses of two Chinese cabbage genotypes to low nitrogen levels. In this study, we also analyzed the genome-wide gene expression profiles of L40 and L14 in response to LN stress by high-throughput RNA sequencing technology. The results reveal that the L40 root system responds better to LN compared with L14. After LN stress, L40 can effectively absorb and transport NO3− and store it in the ground. It is precisely because of this characteristic of the L40 genotype that LN treatment did not have a significant effect on the chlorophyll (Chl) content and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of the L40 Chinese cabbage compared with the L14 Chinese cabbage. These two different Chinese cabbage genotypes were shown to have differently expressed genes related to nitrate transport, auxin synthesis, and glutamate dehydrogenase synthesis. These genes function in the nitrogen pathway, which are important candidates for understanding the molecular host-response mechanisms to LN stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihui Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250100, China; (Y.Z.); (J.L.); (D.Z.)
| | - Jingjuan Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250100, China; (Y.Z.); (J.L.); (D.Z.)
- Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Science, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Dandan Zhou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250100, China; (Y.Z.); (J.L.); (D.Z.)
| | - Jie Song
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250100, China; (Y.Z.); (J.L.); (D.Z.)
- Correspondence: (J.S.); or (J.G.)
| | - Jianwei Gao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250100, China; (Y.Z.); (J.L.); (D.Z.)
- Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Science, Jinan 250100, China
- Correspondence: (J.S.); or (J.G.)
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7
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Chen C, Chu Y, Huang Q, Zhang W, Ding C, Zhang J, Li B, Zhang T, Li Z, Su X. Morphological, physiological, and transcriptional responses to low nitrogen stress in Populus deltoides Marsh. clones with contrasting nitrogen use efficiency. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:697. [PMID: 34579659 PMCID: PMC8474845 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07991-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nitrogen (N) is one of the main factors limiting the wood yield in poplar cultivation. Understanding the molecular mechanism of N utilization could play a guiding role in improving the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of poplar. Results In this study, three N-efficient genotypes (A1-A3) and three N-inefficient genotypes (C1-C3) of Populus deltoides were cultured under low N stress (5 μM NH4NO3) and normal N supply (750 μM NH4NO3). The dry matter mass, leaf morphology, and chlorophyll content of both genotypes decreased under N starvation. The low nitrogen adaptation coefficients of the leaves and stems biomass of group A were significantly higher than those of group C (p < 0.05). Interestingly, N starvation induced fine root growth in group A, but not in group C. Next, a detailed time-course analysis of enzyme activities and gene expression in leaves identified 2062 specifically differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in group A and 1118 in group C. Moreover, the sensitivity to N starvation of group A was weak, and DEGs related to hormone signal transduction and stimulus response played an important role in the low N response this group. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified genes related to membranes, catalytic activity, enzymatic activity, and response to stresses that might be critical for poplar’s adaption to N starvation and these genes participated in the negative regulation of various biological processes. Finally, ten influential hub genes and twelve transcription factors were identified in the response to N starvation. Among them, four hub genes were related to programmed cell death and the defense response, and PodelWRKY18, with high connectivity, was involved in plant signal transduction. The expression of hub genes increased gradually with the extension of low N stress time, and the expression changes in group A were more obvious than those in group C. Conclusions Under N starvation, group A showed stronger adaptability and better NUE than group C in terms of morphology and physiology. The discovery of hub genes and transcription factors might provide new information for the analysis of the molecular mechanism of NUE and its improvement in poplar. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07991-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Yanguang Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Qinjun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Weixi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Changjun Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Tengqian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenghong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohua Su
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China. .,Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China. .,Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Huo L, Guo Z, Wang Q, Cheng L, Jia X, Wang P, Gong X, Li C, Ma F. Enhanced Autophagic Activity Improved the Root Growth and Nitrogen Utilization Ability of Apple Plants under Nitrogen Starvation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158085. [PMID: 34360850 PMCID: PMC8348665 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved degradation pathway for recycling damaged organelles and aberrant proteins, and its important roles in plant adaptation to nutrient starvation have been generally reported. Previous studies found that overexpression of autophagy-related (ATG) gene MdATG10 enhanced the autophagic activity in apple roots and promoted their salt tolerance. The MdATG10 expression was induced by nitrogen depletion condition in both leaves and roots of apple plants. This study aimed to investigate the differences in the growth and physiological status between wild type and MdATG10-overexpressing apple plants in response to nitrogen starvation. A hydroponic system containing different nitrogen levels was used. The study found that the reduction in growth and nitrogen concentrations in different tissues caused by nitrogen starvation was relieved by MdATG10 overexpression. Further studies demonstrated the increased root growth and the higher nitrogen absorption and assimilation ability of transgenic plants. These characteristics contributed to the increased uptake of limited nitrogen nutrients by transgenic plants, which also reduced the starvation damage to the chloroplasts. Therefore, the MdATG10-overexpressing apple plants could maintain higher photosynthetic ability and possess better growth under nitrogen starvation stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuqing Huo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Zijian Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
| | - Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
| | - Li Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
| | - Xin Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
| | - Ping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
| | - Xiaoqing Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
| | - Cuiying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Fengwang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi 712100, China; (L.H.); (Z.G.); (Q.W.); (L.C.); (X.J.); (P.W.); (X.G.)
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (F.M.)
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9
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Griffiths M, York LM. Targeting Root Ion Uptake Kinetics to Increase Plant Productivity and Nutrient Use Efficiency. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 182:1854-1868. [PMID: 32029523 PMCID: PMC7140967 DOI: 10.1104/pp.19.01496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Root system architecture has received increased attention in recent years; however, significant knowledge gaps remain for physiological phenes, or units of phenotype, that have been relatively less studied. Ion uptake kinetics studies have been invaluable in uncovering distinct nutrient uptake systems in plants with the use of Michaelis-Menten kinetic modeling. This review outlines the theoretical framework behind ion uptake kinetics, provides a meta-analysis for macronutrient uptake parameters, and proposes new strategies for using uptake kinetics parameters as selection criteria for breeding crops with improved resource acquisition capability. Presumably, variation in uptake kinetics is caused by variation in type and number of transporters, assimilation machinery, and anatomical features that can vary greatly within and among species. Critically, little is known about what determines transporter properties at the molecular level or how transporter properties scale to the entire root system. A meta-analysis of literature containing measures of crop nutrient uptake kinetics provides insights about the need for standardization of reporting, the differences among crop species, and the relationships among various uptake parameters and experimental conditions. Therefore, uptake kinetics parameters are proposed as promising target phenes that integrate several processes for functional phenomics and genetic analysis, which will lead to a greater understanding of this fundamental plant process. Exploiting this genetic and phenotypic variation has the potential to greatly advance breeding efforts for improved nutrient use efficiency in crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Larry M York
- Noble Research Institute, LLC, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73401
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10
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Iqbal A, Qiang D, Zhun W, Xiangru W, Huiping G, Hengheng Z, Nianchang P, Xiling Z, Meizhen S. Growth and nitrogen metabolism are associated with nitrogen-use efficiency in cotton genotypes. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2020; 149:61-74. [PMID: 32050119 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Crops, including cotton, are sensitive to nitrogen (N) and excessive use can lead to an increase in production costs and environmental problems. We hypothesized that the use of cotton genotypes with substantial root systems and high genetic potentials for nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) would best address these problems. Therefore, the interspecific variations and traits contributing to NUE in six cotton genotypes having contrasting NUEs were studied in response to various nitrate concentrations. Large genotypic variations were observed in morphophysiological and biochemical traits, especially shoot dry weight, root traits, and N-assimilating enzyme levels. The roots of all the cotton genotypes were more sensitive to low-than high-nitrate concentrations, and the genotype CCRI-69 had the largest root system irrespective of the nitrate concentration. The root morphological traits were positively correlated with N-utilization efficiency and were more affected by genotype than nitrate concentration. Conversely, growth and N-assimilating enzyme levels were more affected by nitrate concentration and were positively correlated with N-uptake efficiency. Based on shoot dry weight, CCRI-69 and XLZ-30 were identified as N-efficient and N-inefficient genotypes, respectively, and these results were confirmed by their contrasting root systems, N metabolism, and NUEs. In the future, multi-omics techniques will be performed to identify key genes/pathways involved in N metabolism, which may have the potential to improve root architecture and increase NUE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asif Iqbal
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China.
| | - Dong Qiang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China
| | - Wang Zhun
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China
| | - Wang Xiangru
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China
| | - Gui Huiping
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China
| | - Zhang Hengheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China
| | - Pang Nianchang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China
| | - Zhang Xiling
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China.
| | - Song Meizhen
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, PR China.
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11
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Karim MR, Wang R, Zheng L, Dong X, Shen R, Lan P. Physiological and Proteomic Dissection of the Responses of Two Contrasting Wheat Genotypes to Nitrogen Deficiency. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E2119. [PMID: 32204457 PMCID: PMC7139514 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen deficiency usually occurs along with aluminum toxicity in acidic soil, which is one of the major constraints for wheat production worldwide. In order to compare adaptive processes to N deficiency with different Al-tolerant wheat cultivars, we chose Atlas 66 and Scout 66 to comprehensively analyze the physiological responses to N deficiency, coupled with label-free mass spectrometry-based proteomics analysis. Results showed that both cultivars were comparable in most physiological indexes under N deficient conditions. However, the chlorophyll content in Scout 66 was higher than that of Atlas 66 under N deficiency. Further proteomic analysis identified 5592 and 5496 proteins in the leaves of Atlas 66 and Scout 66, respectively, of which 658 and 734 proteins were shown to significantly change in abundance upon N deficiency, respectively. The majority of the differentially expressed proteins were involved in cellular N compound metabolic process, photosynthesis, etc. Moreover, tetrapyrrole synthesis and sulfate assimilation were particularly enriched in Scout 66. Our findings provide evidence towards a better understanding of genotype-dependent responses under N deficiency which could help us to develop N efficient cultivars to various soil types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Rezaul Karim
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; (M.R.K.); (R.W.); (L.Z.); (X.D.); (R.S.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ruonan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; (M.R.K.); (R.W.); (L.Z.); (X.D.); (R.S.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; (M.R.K.); (R.W.); (L.Z.); (X.D.); (R.S.)
| | - Xiaoying Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; (M.R.K.); (R.W.); (L.Z.); (X.D.); (R.S.)
| | - Renfang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; (M.R.K.); (R.W.); (L.Z.); (X.D.); (R.S.)
| | - Ping Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; (M.R.K.); (R.W.); (L.Z.); (X.D.); (R.S.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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12
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Nitrogen Starvation Differentially Influences Transcriptional and Uptake Rate Profiles in Roots of Two Maize Inbred Lines with Different NUE. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20194856. [PMID: 31574923 PMCID: PMC6801476 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of crops is estimated to be less than 50%, with a strong impact on environment and economy. Genotype-dependent ability to cope with N shortage has been only partially explored in maize and, in this context, the comparison of molecular responses of lines with different NUE is of particular interest in order to dissect the key elements underlying NUE. Changes in root transcriptome and NH4+/NO3- uptake rates during growth (after 1 and 4 days) without N were studied in high (Lo5) and low (T250) NUE maize inbred lines. Results suggests that only a small set of transcripts were commonly modulated in both lines in response to N starvation. However, in both lines, transcripts linked to anthocyanin biosynthesis and lateral root formation were positively affected. On the contrary, those involved in root elongation were downregulated. The main differences between the two lines reside in the ability to modulate the transcripts involved in the transport, distribution and assimilation of mineral nutrients. With regard to N mineral forms, only the Lo5 line responded to N starvation by increasing the NH4+ fluxes as supported by the upregulation of a transcript putatively involved in its transport.
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13
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Dechorgnat J, Francis KL, Dhugga KS, Rafalski JA, Tyerman SD, Kaiser BN. Tissue and nitrogen-linked expression profiles of ammonium and nitrate transporters in maize. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 19:206. [PMID: 31109290 PMCID: PMC6528335 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-019-1768-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In order to grow, plants rely on soil nutrients which can vary both spatially and temporally depending on the environment, the soil type or the microbial activity. An essential nutrient is nitrogen, which is mainly accessible as nitrate and ammonium. Many studies have investigated transport genes for these ions in Arabidopsis thaliana and recently in crop species, including Maize, Rice and Barley. However, in most crop species, an understanding of the participants in nitrate and ammonium transport across the soil plant continuum remains undefined. RESULTS We have mapped a non-exhaustive set of putative nitrate and ammonium transporters in maize. The selected transporters were defined based on previous studies comparing nitrate transport pathways conserved between Arabidopsis and Zea mays (Plett D et. al, PLOS ONE 5:e15289, 2010). We also selected genes from published studies (Gu R et. al, Plant and Cell Physiology, 54:1515-1524, 2013, Garnett T et. al, New Phytol 198:82-94, 2013, Garnett T et. al, Frontiers in Plant Sci 6, 2015, Dechorgnat J et. al, Front Plant Sci 9:531, 2018). To analyse these genes, the plants were grown in a semi-hydroponic system to carefully control nitrogen delivery and then harvested at both vegetative and reproductive stages. The expression patterns of 26 putative nitrogen transporters were then tested. Six putative genes were found not expressed in our conditions. Transcripts of 20 other genes were detected at both the vegetative and reproductive stages of maize development. We observed the expression of nitrogen transporters in all organs tested: roots, young leaves, old leaves, silks, cobs, tassels and husk leaves. We also followed the gene expression response to nitrogen starvation and resupply and uncovered mainly three expression patterns: (i) genes unresponsiveness to nitrogen supply; (ii) genes showing an increase of expression after nitrogen starvation; (iii) genes showing a decrease of expression after nitrogen starvation. CONCLUSIONS These data allowed the mapping of putative nitrogen transporters in maize at both the vegetative and reproductive stages of development. No growth-dependent expression was seen in our conditions. We found that nitrogen transporter genes were expressed in all the organs tested and in many cases were regulated by the availability of nitrogen supplied to the plant. The gene expression patterns in relation to organ specificity and nitrogen availability denote a speciality of nitrate and ammonium transporter genes and their probable function depending on the plant organ and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Dechorgnat
- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, 2B Hartley Grove, Urrbrae, SA 5064 Australia
- University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, 380 Werombi Road, Brownlow Hill, NSW 2570 Australia
| | - Karen L. Francis
- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, 2B Hartley Grove, Urrbrae, SA 5064 Australia
| | - Kanwarpal S. Dhugga
- Genetic Discovery Group, DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA 50131-1004 USA
- Present Address: Genetic Resources Group, International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT), El Batan, 56237 Texcoco, Mexico
| | - J. Antony Rafalski
- Genetic Discovery Group, DuPont Crop Genetics Research, DuPont Experimental Station, Building E353, Wilmington, DE 198803 USA
| | - Stephen D. Tyerman
- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, 2B Hartley Grove, Urrbrae, SA 5064 Australia
| | - Brent N. Kaiser
- University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, 380 Werombi Road, Brownlow Hill, NSW 2570 Australia
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14
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Dechorgnat J, Francis KL, Dhugga KS, Rafalski JA, Tyerman SD, Kaiser BN. Root Ideotype Influences Nitrogen Transport and Assimilation in Maize. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:531. [PMID: 29740466 PMCID: PMC5928562 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Maize (Zea mays, L.) yield is strongly influenced by external nitrogen inputs and their availability in the soil solution. Overuse of nitrogen-fertilizers can have detrimental ecological consequences through increased nitrogen pollution of water and the release of the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide. To improve yield and overall nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), a deeper understanding of nitrogen uptake and utilization is required. This study examines the performance of two contrasting maize inbred lines, B73 and F44. F44 was selected in Florida on predominantly sandy acidic soils subject to nitrate leaching while B73 was selected in Iowa on rich mollisol soils. Transcriptional, enzymatic and nitrogen transport analytical tools were used to identify differences in their N absorption and utilization capabilities. Our results show that B73 and F44 differ significantly in their genetic, enzymatic, and biochemical root nitrogen transport and assimilatory pathways. The phenotypes show a strong genetic relationship linked to nitrogen form, where B73 showed a greater capacity for ammonium transport and assimilation whereas F44 preferred nitrate. The contrasting phenotypes are typified by differences in root system architecture (RSA) developed in the presence of both nitrate and ammonium. F44 crown roots were longer, had a higher surface area and volume with a greater lateral root number and density than B73. In contrast, B73 roots (primary, seminal, and crown) were more abundant but lacked the defining features of the F44 crown roots. An F1 hybrid between B73 and F44 mirrored the B73 nitrogen specificity and root architecture phenotypes, indicating complete dominance of the B73 inbred. This study highlights the important link between RSA and nitrogen management and why both variables need to be tested together when defining NUE improvements in any selection program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Dechorgnat
- Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia
| | - Karen L. Francis
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, Australia
| | | | - J. A. Rafalski
- Genetic Discovery Group, DuPont Crop Genetics Research, DuPont Experimental Station, Wilmington, DE, United States
| | - Stephen D. Tyerman
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, Australia
| | - Brent N. Kaiser
- Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Brent N. Kaiser,
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15
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Tegeder M, Masclaux-Daubresse C. Source and sink mechanisms of nitrogen transport and use. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 217:35-53. [PMID: 29120059 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 303] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Contents Summary 35 I. Introduction 35 II. Nitrogen acquisition and assimilation 36 III. Root-to-shoot transport of nitrogen 38 IV. Nitrogen storage pools in vegetative tissues 39 V. Nitrogen transport from source leaf to sink 40 VI. Nitrogen import into sinks 42 VII. Relationship between source and sink nitrogen transport processes and metabolism 43 VIII. Regulation of nitrogen transport 43 IX. Strategies for crop improvement 44 X. Conclusions 46 Acknowledgements 47 References 47 SUMMARY: Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth. World-wide, large quantities of nitrogenous fertilizer are applied to ensure maximum crop productivity. However, nitrogen fertilizer application is expensive and negatively affects the environment, and subsequently human health. A strategy to address this problem is the development of crops that are efficient in acquiring and using nitrogen and that can achieve high seed yields with reduced nitrogen input. This review integrates the current knowledge regarding inorganic and organic nitrogen management at the whole-plant level, spanning from nitrogen uptake to remobilization and utilization in source and sink organs. Plant partitioning and transient storage of inorganic and organic nitrogen forms are evaluated, as is how they affect nitrogen availability, metabolism and mobilization. Essential functions of nitrogen transporters in source and sink organs and their importance in regulating nitrogen movement in support of metabolism, and vegetative and reproductive growth are assessed. Finally, we discuss recent advances in plant engineering, demonstrating that nitrogen transporters are effective targets to improve crop productivity and nitrogen use efficiency. While inorganic and organic nitrogen transporters were examined separately in these studies, they provide valuable clues about how to successfully combine approaches for future crop engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mechthild Tegeder
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Céline Masclaux-Daubresse
- INRA-AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, UMR1318, ERL CNRS 3559, Saclay Plant Sciences, Versailles, France
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16
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Chen P, Du Q, Liu X, Zhou L, Hussain S, Lei L, Song C, Wang X, Liu W, Yang F, Shu K, Liu J, Du J, Yang W, Yong T. Effects of reduced nitrogen inputs on crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency in a long-term maize-soybean relay strip intercropping system. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184503. [PMID: 28910355 PMCID: PMC5598979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The blind pursuit of high yields via increased fertilizer inputs increases the environmental costs. Relay intercropping has advantages for yield, but a strategy for N management is urgently required to decrease N inputs without yield loss in maize-soybean relay intercropping systems (IMS). Experiments were conducted with three levels of N and three planting patterns, and dry matter accumulation, nitrogen uptake, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), competition ratio (CR), system productivity index (SPI), land equivalent ratio (LER), and crop root distribution were investigated. Our results showed that the CR of soybean was greater than 1, and that the change in root distribution in space and time resulted in an interspecific facilitation in IMS. The maximum yield of maize under monoculture maize (MM) occurred with conventional nitrogen (CN), whereas under IMS, the maximum yield occurred with reduced nitrogen (RN). The yield of monoculture soybean (MS) and of soybean in IMS both reached a maximum under RN. The LER of IMS varied from 1.85 to 2.36, and the SPI peaked under RN. Additionally, the NUE of IMS increased by 103.7% under RN compared with that under CN. In conclusion, the separation of the root ecological niche contributed to a positive interspecific facilitation, which increased the land productivity. Thus, maize-soybean relay intercropping with reduced N input provides a very useful approach to increase land productivity and avert environmental pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Chen
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Qing Du
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Li Zhou
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Sajad Hussain
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Lu Lei
- Renshou Weather Bureau, Meishan, P.R. China
| | - Chun Song
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Xiaochun Wang
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Weiguo Liu
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Feng Yang
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Kai Shu
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Jiang Liu
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Junbo Du
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Wenyu Yang
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Taiwen Yong
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P.R China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Southwest China (Ministry of Agriculture), Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, P. R. China
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17
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Trucillo Silva I, Abbaraju HKR, Fallis LP, Liu H, Lee M, Dhugga KS. Biochemical and genetic analyses of N metabolism in maize testcross seedlings: 1. Leaves. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2017; 130:1453-1466. [PMID: 28444412 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-017-2900-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Aside from the identification of 32 QTL for N metabolism in the seedling leaves of a maize testcross population, alanine aminotransferase was found to be a central enzyme in N assimilation. Excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer to grow commercial crops like maize is a cause of concern because of the runoff of excess N into streams and rivers. Breeding maize with improved N use efficiency (NUE) would reduce environmental pollution as well as input costs for the farmers. An understanding of the genetics underlying N metabolism is key to breeding for NUE. From a set of 176 testcrosses derived from the maize IBMsyn10 population grown in hydroponics, we analyzed the youngest fully expanded leaf at four-leaf stage for enzymes and metabolites related to N metabolism. Three enzymes, along with one metabolite explained 24% of the variation in shoot dry mass. Alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) stood out as the key enzyme in maintaining the cellular level of glutamate as it alone explained 58% of the variation in this amino acid. Linkage mapping revealed 32 quantitative trait loci (QTL), all trans to the genomic positions of the structural genes for various enzymes of N assimilation. The QTL models for different traits accounted for 7-31% of the genetic variance, whereas epistasis was generally not significant. Five coding regions underlying 1-LOD QTL confidence intervals were identified for further validation studies. Our results provide evidence for the key role of AlaAT in N assimilation likely through homeostatic control of glutamate levels in the leaf cells. The two QTL identified for this enzyme would help to select desirable recombinants for improved N assimilation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hari Kishan R Abbaraju
- Trait Discovery and Technology, DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
- AVX Corporation, One AVX Blvd., Fountain Inn, SC, 29644, USA
| | - Lynne P Fallis
- Trait Discovery and Technology, DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
- Department of Genetics, Developmental and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Hongjun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, China
| | - Michael Lee
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
| | - Kanwarpal S Dhugga
- Trait Discovery and Technology, DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA.
- International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT), El Batan, 56237, E.d. Mexico, Mexico.
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18
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Cao H, Qi S, Sun M, Li Z, Yang Y, Crawford NM, Wang Y. Overexpression of the Maize ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 Can Complement the Arabidopsis Nitrate Regulatory Mutant nlp7 by Restoring Nitrate Signaling and Assimilation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1703. [PMID: 29051766 PMCID: PMC5634353 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate is a key nutrient that affects maize growth and yield, and much has yet to be learned about nitrate regulatory genes and mechanisms in maize. Here, we identified nine ZmNLP genes in maize and analyzed the functions of two ZmNLP members in nitrate signaling. qPCR results revealed a broad pattern of expression for ZmNLP genes in different stages and organs with the highest levels of transcript expression of ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8. When ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 were overexpressed in the Arabidopsis nitrate regulatory gene mutant nlp7-4, nitrate assimilation and induction of nitrate-responsive genes in the transgenic plants were recovered to WT levels, indicating that ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 can replace the essential roles of the master nitrate regulatory gene AtNLP7 in nitrate signaling and metabolism. ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 are localized in the nucleus and can bind candidate nitrate-responsive cis-elements in vitro. The biomass and yield of transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 showed significant increase compared with WT and nlp7-4 mutant line in low nitrate conditions. Thus, ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 regulate nitrate signaling in transgenic Arabidopsis plants and may be potential candidates for improving nitrogen use efficiency of maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huairong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Shengdong Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Mengwei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Zehui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Yi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Nigel M. Crawford
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Yong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Wang,
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