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Role of Nitrogen in Plant Growth and Development
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Role of Nitrogen in Plant Growth and Development

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 11570

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Louis Irving

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
Interests: Nitrogen; carbon; plant growth; parasitism; photosynthesis; germination; competition for resources

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nitrogen is a core component of a vast range of biological molecules and its availability is a fundamental factor in the growth and development of plants. At the individual plant level, nitrogen has a wide range of effects on plant growth and shape, while photosynthetic rates strongly correlate with tissue N concentrations, largely attributable to the need for large amounts of the CO2 fixing enzyme, Rubisco. At the ecological level, N availability limits ecosystem productivity in most natural and semi-natural ecosystems worldwide and has profound implications for ecological organisms both within and between trophic levels.  While nitrogen comprises approximately four-fifths of the planet’s atmosphere, this pool is unusable in its gaseous form for most plant species, except those with N-fixing bacterial symbionts. 

Over the last century, the commercial production of ammonia via industrial methods has facilitated a huge increase in food production, resulting in a global population explosion.  However, fertilizer leaching from agricultural soils has become a major ecological issue, causing eutrophication and a decline in environmental quality. Going forward, a massive increase in plant nutrient use efficiency will be required to support ongoing human development while minimizing damage caused to the environment.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions on a broad range of topics related to the relationship between plants and nitrogen. These may range from the molecular to the agronomic and ecological, and may cover any topic related to N capture, uptake, or its relation to plant growth and productivity.

Dr. Louis Irving
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • nitrogen
  • growth
  • photosynthesis
  • physiology
  • nitrogen uptake
  • nitrogen use efficiency
  • N remobilization

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 2465 KiB  
Article
Physiological and Agronomical Response of Coffee to Different Nitrogen Forms with and without Water Stress
by Victor Hugo Ramirez-Builes, Jürgen Küsters, Ellen Thiele and Juan Carlos Lopez-Ruiz
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1387; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101387 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 1845
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient in coffee, with a direct impact on productivity, quality, and sustainability. N uptake by the roots is dominated by ammonium (NH4+) and nitrates (NO3−), along with some organic forms at [...] Read more.
Nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient in coffee, with a direct impact on productivity, quality, and sustainability. N uptake by the roots is dominated by ammonium (NH4+) and nitrates (NO3−), along with some organic forms at a lower proportion. From the perspective of mineral fertilizer, the most common N sources are urea, ammonium (AM), ammonium nitrates (AN), and nitrates; an appropriate understanding of the right balance between N forms in coffee nutrition would contribute to more sustainable coffee production through the better N management of this important crop. The aim of this research was to evaluate the influences of different NH4-N/NO3-N ratios in coffee from a physiological and agronomical perspective, and their interaction with soil water levels. Over a period of 5 years, three trials were conducted under controlled conditions in a greenhouse with different growing media (quartz sand) and organic soil, with and without water stress, while one trial was conducted under field conditions. N forms and water levels directly influence physiological responses in coffee, including photosynthesis (Ps), chlorophyll content, dry biomass accumulation (DW), nutrient uptake, and productivity. In all of the trials, the plants group in soils with N ratios of 50% NH4-N/50% NO3-N, and 25% NH4-N/75% NO3-N showed better responses to water stress, as well as a higher Ps, a higher chlorophyll content, a higher N and cation uptake, higher DW accumulation, and higher productivity. The soil pH was significantly influenced by the N forms: the higher the NO3−-N share, the lower the acidification level. The results allow us to conclude that the combination of 50% NH4-N/50% NO3-N and 25% NH4-N/75% NO3-N N forms in coffee improves the resistance capacity of the coffee to water stress, improves productivity, reduces the soil acidification level, and improves ion balance and nutrient uptake. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Nitrogen in Plant Growth and Development)
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15 pages, 2715 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Wheat Gluten Content and Processing Quality: An Analysis of Drip Irrigation Nitrogen Frequency
by Tianjia Hao, Rong Chen, Jing Jia, Changxing Zhao, Yihang Du, Wenlu Li, Ludi Zhao and Hongxiao Duan
Plants 2023, 12(23), 3974; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12233974 - 26 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1397
Abstract
Drip irrigation is a water-saving and fertilizer-saving application technology used in recent years, with which the frequency of drip irrigation nitrogen application has not yet been determined. In order to investigate the effects of different drip irrigation nitrogen application frequencies on the processing [...] Read more.
Drip irrigation is a water-saving and fertilizer-saving application technology used in recent years, with which the frequency of drip irrigation nitrogen application has not yet been determined. In order to investigate the effects of different drip irrigation nitrogen application frequencies on the processing quality of medium-gluten wheat (Jimai22) and strong-gluten wheat (Jimai20 and Shiluan02-1), a two-year field experiment was carried out. Two frequencies of water and N application were set under the same conditions of total N application (210 kg·ha−1) and total irrigation (120 mm): DIF4, consisting of four equal applications of water and N (each of 30 kg·ha−1 of N application and 30 mm of irrigation) and DIF2, consisting of two equal applications of water and N (each of 60 kg·ha−1 of N application and 60 mm of irrigation). The results showed that IF4 significantly increased protein content by 2–8.6%, wet gluten content by 4.5–22.1%, and hardness value (p > 0.05), and PC2 was considered as a protein factor; the sedimentation value was highly significantly correlated with most of the parameters of the flour stretch (p < 0.01). DIF4 improved the stretching quality, and the flour quality of Jima22 was decreased, the flour quality of strong-gluten wheats Jimai20 and Shiluan02-1 was improved, and PC1 was considered to be the dough factor. In conclusion, although the frequency of nitrogen application by drip irrigation increased the protein factor and improved the tensile quality, the flour quality was not necessarily enhanced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Nitrogen in Plant Growth and Development)
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13 pages, 3243 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Nitrogen Application for Jojoba under Intensive Cultivation
by Arnon Dag, Shamir Badichi, Alon Ben-Gal, Aviad Perry, Noemi Tel-Zur, Yonatan Ron, Zipora Tietel and Uri Yermiyahu
Plants 2023, 12(17), 3132; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12173132 - 31 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1347
Abstract
Although jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) has been cultivated for years, information on its N requirements is limited. A 6-year study of mature jojoba plants grown under field conditions with an intensive management regime evaluated the effect of N application rate on plant [...] Read more.
Although jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) has been cultivated for years, information on its N requirements is limited. A 6-year study of mature jojoba plants grown under field conditions with an intensive management regime evaluated the effect of N application rate on plant nutrient status, growth, and productivity, and nitrate accumulation in the soil. Five levels of N application were tested: 50, 150, 250, 370, and 500 kg N ha−1. Fertilizers were provided throughout the growing season via a subsurface drip irrigation system. Leaf N concentration, in both spring and summer, reflected the level of N applied. A diagnostic leaf (youngest leaf that has reached full size) concentration of 1.3% N was identified as the threshold for N deficiency. Increasing rates of N application resulted in higher P levels in young leaves. Plant K status, as reflected in the leaf analysis, was not affected by N treatment but was strongly affected by fruit load. Vegetative growth was inhibited when only 50 kg N ha−1 was applied. Soil analysis at the end of the fertilization season showed substantial accumulation of nitrate for the two highest application rates. Considering productivity, N costs, and environmental risk, 150 kg N ha−1 is the recommended dosage for intensively grown jojoba. N deficiencies can be identified using leaf analysis, and excess N can be detected via soil sampling toward the end of the growing season. These results and tools will facilitate precise N fertilization in intensive jojoba plantations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Nitrogen in Plant Growth and Development)
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23 pages, 4219 KiB  
Article
Physiological and Morphological Responses of Blackberry Seedlings to Different Nitrogen Forms
by Yongkang Duan, Haiyan Yang, Hao Yang, Zhiwen Wei, Jilu Che, Wenlong Wu, Lianfei Lyu and Weilin Li
Plants 2023, 12(7), 1480; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12071480 - 28 Mar 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3231
Abstract
Blackberries are an emerging third-generation fruit that are popular in Europe, and specific nitrogen (N) supply is an important factor affecting their growth and development. To study the optimal N fertilizer for blackberry seedlings, no N (CK), nitrate (NO3−)–N, ammonium [...] Read more.
Blackberries are an emerging third-generation fruit that are popular in Europe, and specific nitrogen (N) supply is an important factor affecting their growth and development. To study the optimal N fertilizer for blackberry seedlings, no N (CK), nitrate (NO3−)–N, ammonium (NH4+)–N and urea were applied to one-year-old ‘Ningzhi 4’ blackberry plants at a key growth period (from May to August) to explore the effects of different N forms on the physiological characteristics. Correlation and principal component analysis were used to determine the relationships between various indexes. Ammonium (NH4+) or urea-fed plants had a better growth state, showed a greater plant height, biomass, SPAD values and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities and photosynthesis. In addition, NH4+ was beneficial to the accumulation of sugars and amino acids in leaves and roots, and promoted the transport of auxin and cytokinin to leaves. NO3− significantly inhibited root growth and increased the contents of active oxygen, malondialdehyde and antioxidants in roots. Correlation and principal component analysis showed that growth and dry matter accumulation were closely related to the antioxidant system, photosynthetic characteristics, amino acids and hormone content. Our study provides a new idea for N regulation mechanism of blackberry and proposes a scientific fertilization strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Nitrogen in Plant Growth and Development)
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