TY - JOUR

T1 - CO2 elevation and nutrient patchiness interactively affect morphology, nitrogen uptake, partitioning and use efficiency of Nicotiana tabacum L. (tobacco) during anthesis

AU - Zhang, Lin

AU - Li, Guitong

AU - Li, Caibin

AU - Liu, Fulai

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - The stimulation effect of elevated [CO2] (e[CO2]) on plant growth is modulated by nitrogen (N) availability, yet the mechanisms of this modulation under patchy N supply remain largely elusive. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which patchy nutrient supply in the root-zone influence on N uptake, partitioning and use efficiency of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) grown under e[CO2]. A split-root pot experiment was conducted on tobacco plants grown at ambient (a[CO2], 400 μmol L−1) and e[CO2] (800 μmol L−1) conditions during anthesis. Plants were subjected to two fertilizer levels [0 and 113-29-214 (N-P-K) mg kg−1 soil] and three fertilization regimes (partial root-zone fertilization, PRN, couple root-zone fertilization, CRN and no fertilization, CK). Elevated [CO2] significantly decreased N concentrations in all tobacco organs, with the greatest reduction in leaves. Positive responses of tobacco biomass and NUE to e[CO2] were recorded, and a large amount of 15N labelled fertilizer-N was partitioned to stems at the expense to leaves. Compared to the partially fertilized root, an equal N concentration was observed in the non-fertilized root. In addition, compared with CRN, PRN increased the root exudates of sugar and organic acid; however, the increased root biomass by nutrient patchiness did not enhance plant total N uptake. Collectively, e[CO2] could sustain N assimilation and distribution of tobacco plants in response to natural heterogeneous nutrient available in the soil caused by patchy fertilization.

AB - The stimulation effect of elevated [CO2] (e[CO2]) on plant growth is modulated by nitrogen (N) availability, yet the mechanisms of this modulation under patchy N supply remain largely elusive. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which patchy nutrient supply in the root-zone influence on N uptake, partitioning and use efficiency of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) grown under e[CO2]. A split-root pot experiment was conducted on tobacco plants grown at ambient (a[CO2], 400 μmol L−1) and e[CO2] (800 μmol L−1) conditions during anthesis. Plants were subjected to two fertilizer levels [0 and 113-29-214 (N-P-K) mg kg−1 soil] and three fertilization regimes (partial root-zone fertilization, PRN, couple root-zone fertilization, CRN and no fertilization, CK). Elevated [CO2] significantly decreased N concentrations in all tobacco organs, with the greatest reduction in leaves. Positive responses of tobacco biomass and NUE to e[CO2] were recorded, and a large amount of 15N labelled fertilizer-N was partitioned to stems at the expense to leaves. Compared to the partially fertilized root, an equal N concentration was observed in the non-fertilized root. In addition, compared with CRN, PRN increased the root exudates of sugar and organic acid; however, the increased root biomass by nutrient patchiness did not enhance plant total N uptake. Collectively, e[CO2] could sustain N assimilation and distribution of tobacco plants in response to natural heterogeneous nutrient available in the soil caused by patchy fertilization.

KW - elevated CO

KW - N allocation

KW - N use efficiency

KW - Nicotiana tabacum L.

KW - patchy root-zone fertilization

U2 - 10.1111/jac.12610

DO - 10.1111/jac.12610

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85131909572

VL - 208

SP - 523

EP - 535

JO - Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science

JF - Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science

SN - 0931-2250

IS - 4

ER -