Supplying nitrate before bud break induces pronounced changes in nitrogen nutrition and growth of young poplars
Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: Tree nutrient research concentrated on endogenous C and N remobilisation in spring has neglected to acknowledge the possibilities of significant effects of N uptake before bud break, especially on the quality of regrowth and N reserve remobilisation. To investigate this subject, experimental studies were performed on young poplars (Populus tremula×Populus alba, clone INRA 717-1B4) grown with a controlled nutrient supply: (i) without N, 'control'; (ii) N supplied throughout the course of the experiment, 'N-supply'; and (iii) N supplied only before bud break, 'N-pulse'. Results confirm the hypothesis that poplar scions can significantly take up nitrate before bud break, amounting to ~34% of the total N stored the previous year. After bud break, emerging leaves restart the sap flow, which increased nitrate uptake to support the regrowth. N-pulse and N-supply treatments were found to have significant effects shortly after a growth period, i.e. by increasing N content of all tissues (e.g. 37 and 81% in new shoots respectively), leaf area (18 and 29%) and specific leaf area (20 and 35%). Therefore, results confirm the hypothesis that early N supply plays a significant role in the N status and N remobilisation involved in the spring regrowth of young trees.
Source: Functional Plant Biology
DOI: 10.1071/fp12129
Institutions: Prince of Songkla University, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Physique et Physiologie Intégratives de l'Arbre en Environnement Fluctuant, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université Blaise Pascal, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Lorraine, Université de Franche-Comté
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2161005016