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Leaflet photosynthesis rate and carbon metabolite accumulation patterns in nitrogen-limited, vegetative soybean plants

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Abstract

Prolonged inorganic nitrogen (NO3 −+NH4 +) limitation of non-N2-fixing soybean plants affected leaflet photosynthesis rates, photosynthate accumulation rates and levels, and anaplerotic carbon metabolite levels. Leaflets of nitrogen-limited (N-Lim), 27–31-day-old plants displayed ≈ 15 to 23% lower photosynthesis rates than leaflets of nitrogen-sufficient (N-Suff) plants. In contrast, N-Lim plant leaflets displayed higher sucrose and starch levels and rates of accumulation, as well as higher levels of carbon metabolites associated with sucrose and starch synthesis, e. g., glycerate-3-phosphate and glucose phosphates, than N-Suff plant leaflets. Concurrently, levels of soluble protein, chlorophyll, and anaplerotic metabolites, e.g., malate and phosphoenolpyruvate, were lower in leaflets of N-Lim plants than N-Suff plants, suggesting that the enzymes of the anaplerotic carbon metabolite pathway were lower in activity in N-Lim plant leaflets. Malate net accumulation rates in the earliest part of the illumination period were lower in N-Lim than in N-Suff plant leaflets; however, by the midday period, malate accumulation rate in N-Lim plant leaflets exceeded that in leaflets of N-Suff plants. Further, soluble protein accumulation rates in leaflets of N-Suff and N-Lim plants were similar, and the rate of dark respiration, measured in the early part of the dark period, was higher in N-Lim plant leaflets than in N-Suff plant leaflets. It was concluded that during prolonged N-limitation, foliar metabolite conditions favored the channelling of a large proportion of the carbon assimilate into sucrose and starch, while assimilate flow through the anaplerotic pathway was diminished. However, in some daytime periods, there was a normal level of carbon assimilate channelled through the anaplerotic pathway for ultimate use in amino acid and protein synthesis.

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Abbreviations

ADPG-PPiase:

ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase

Ce:

CO2 in the leaf photosynthesis measuring cuvette

Ci:

leaf internal CO2 during photosynthesis measurement

Chl:

chlorophyll

DHAP:

dihydroxyacetone phosphate

GAP:

glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate

Gsw :

stomatal conductance with units as mmol H2O m−2 s−1

G1P:

glucose-1-phosphate

G6P:

glucose-6-phosphate

F6P:

fructose-6-phosphate

FBP:

fructose-1,6-bisphosphate

FBPase-pH 8.1:

chloroplastic fructose-1,6-bisP (C-1) phosphatase (pH 8.1)

MAL:

malate

N:

inorganic nitrogen, i.e. NO3 −+NH4 + (at levels and molar ratios indicated)

PE:

post-emergence

PEP:

phosphoenolpyruvate

PEPCase:

phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase

PGA:

3-phosphoglycerate

PYR:

pyruvate

PYR kinase:

pyruvate kinase

Pn:

net CO2 photoassimilation in leaves

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

PPRC:

pentose phosphate reductive cycle

RuBP:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate; rubisco-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

SLW:

specific leaf mass

SPS:

sucrose-6-phosphate synthase

TCA cycle:

tricarboxylic acid cycle; triose-P-DAP+GAP

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  1. Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Natural Resources Institute, Climate Stress Laboratory, USDA, Building 046A, 20705-2350, Beltsville, MD, USA

    J. Michael Robinson

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Robinson, J.M. Leaflet photosynthesis rate and carbon metabolite accumulation patterns in nitrogen-limited, vegetative soybean plants. Photosynth Res 50, 133–148 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00014884

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00014884

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