Welcome to Acta Agronomica Sinica，

Acta Agron Sin ›› 2011, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (07): 1259-1265.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2011.01259

• TILLAGE & CULTIVATION · PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Responses of Corn (Zea mays L.) Nitrogen Status Indicators to Nitrogen Rates and Soil Moisture

ZHU Juan-Juan1,LIANG Yin-Li1,2,Tremblay Nicolas3,*   

  1. 1 College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; 2 Institute of Soil Water and Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China; 3 Horticulture Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 430 Bloul. Gouin, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, J3B 3E6, Canada
  • Received:2010-12-20 Revised:2011-03-27 Online:2011-07-12 Published:2011-05-11
  • Contact: Nicolas.Tremblay@agr.gc.ca, Tel: +1-450-515-2102, Fax: +1-450-346-7740
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by SAGES funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-443-3).

PDF

1659

Cited

5

Abstract: Plants usually experience fluctuating water supply during their life cycle due to continuous changes in climatic factors. Soil water content (SWC) is one of the most critical factors affecting nitrogen (N) availability, movement, and uptake by crops. Consequently, SWC levels may confound the assessment of crop N status. The present study compared the sensitivity of tissue N concentration, SPAD readings, Dualex readings, and SPAD/Dualex ratios for assessing corn (Zea mays L.) N status under different water supply conditions. A greenhouse trial was conducted with four N fertilizer application rates (0, 50, 50+75, and 200 kg ha-1) and three watering levels (drought, drought followed by rewatering, and fully-watered). Tissue N concentration, SPAD, Dualex, and SPAD/Dualex values were influenced significantly by N rates and by SWC. Tissue N concentration, SPAD, and SPAD/Dualex increased with N rates, whereas Dualex decreased. In the first phase of reaction to drought, tissue N concentration, SPAD and SPAD/Dualex decreased rapidly but Dualex increased; however, the opposite pattern of response was observed in the long term. Under rewatering, tissue N concentration, Dualex and SPAD/Dualex gradually recovered, whereas SPAD values did not change significantly as they did in the drought treatment. There were highly significant relationships between SPAD (r=0.92), Dualex (r= -0.86), or SPAD/Dualex (r=0.63) and tissue N concentration. However, SPAD and Dualex were better predictors of tissue N concentration under drought conditions (SPAD:r=0.90;Dualex:r= -0.83) than under fully-watered conditions (SPAD:r=0.39; Dualex:r= -0.44) at the end of the trial. Among the indicators, Dualex was better able to discriminate N treatments, with consistent results across SWC levels.

Key words: Indicators, N status, drought, water recovery

[1]Argenta G, Ferreira da Silva P R, Sangoi L. Leaf relative chlorophyll content as an indicator parameter to predict nitrogen fertilization in maize. Ciência Rural, Santa Maria, 2004, 34: 1379–1387
[2]Piekielek W P, Fox R H, Toth J D, Macneal K E. Use of a chlorophyll meter at the early dent stages of corn to evaluate nitrogen sufficiency. Agron J, 1995, 87: 403–408
[3]Vidal I, Longeri L, Hètier J M. Nitrogen uptake and chlorophyll meter measurements in spring wheat. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst, 1999, 55: 1–6
[4]Tremblay N, Fortier É, Mellgren R, Belec C, Jenni S. The Dualex—a new tool to determine nitrogen sufficiency in broccoli. Acta Hortic, 2009, 824: 121–131
[5]Schröder J J, Neeteson J J, Oenema O, Struik P C. Does the crop or the soil indicate how to save nitrogen in maize production? Reviewing the state of the art. Field Crops Res, 2000, 66: 151–164
[6]Blackmer T M, Schepers J S. Use of a chlorophyll meter to monitor nitrogen status and schedule fertigation for corn. J Prod Agric, 1995, 8: 56–60
[7]Samborski S M, Tremblay N, Fallon E. Strategies to make use of plant sensors-based diagnostic information for nitrogen recommendations. Agron J, 2009, 101: 800–816
[8]Goulas Y, Cerovic Z G, Cartelat A, Moya I. Dualex: a new instrument for field measurements of epidermal ultraviolet absorbance by chlorophyll fluorescence. Appl Opt, 2004, 43: 4488–4496
[9]Cartelat A, Cerovic Z G, Goulas Y, Meyer S, Lelarge C, Prioul J L, Barbottinc A, Jeuffroy M H, Gate P, Agati G, Moya I. Optically assessed contents of leaf polyphenolics and chlorophyll as indicators of nitrogen deficiency in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Field Crops Res, 2005, 91: 35–49
[10]Tremblay N, Wang Z, Bèlec C. Evaluation of the Dualex for the assessment of corn nitrogen status. J Plant Nutr, 2007, 30: 1355–1369
[11]Ksouri R, Megdiche W, Debez A, Falleh H, Grignon C, Abdelly C. Salinity effects on polyphenol content and antioxidant activities in leaves of the halophyte Cakile maritime. Plant Physiol. Biochem, 2007, 45: 244–249
[12]Jones C G, Hartley S E. A protein competition model of phenolic allocation. OIKOS, 1999, 86: 27–44
[13]Meyer S, Cerovic Z G, Goulas Y, Montpied P, Demotes-Mainard S, Bidel L P R, Moya I, Dreyer E. Relationships between optically assessed polyphenols and chlorophyll contents and leaf mass per area ratio in woody plants: a signature of the carbon-nitrogen balance within leaves? Plant Cell Environ, 2006, 29: 1338–1348
[14]Cheruiyot E K, Mumera L M, Ngètich W K, Hassanali A, Wachira F. Polyphenols as potential indicators for drought tolerance in tea (Camellia sinensis L.). Biosci Biotechnol Biochem, 2007, 71: 2190–2197
[15]Liao C F H, Bartholomew WV. Relation between nitrate absorption and water transpiration by maize. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc, 1974, 38: 472–479
[16]Buljovcic Z, Engels C. Nitrate uptake ability by maize roots during and after drought stress. Plant Soil, 2001, 229: 125–135
[17]Martìnez D E, Guiamet J J. Distortion of the SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter readings by changes in irradiance and leaf water status. Agron J, 2004, 24:41–46
[18]Scalabrelli G, Saracini E, Remorini D, Massai R. Changes in leaf phenolic compounds in two grapevine varieties (Vitis vinifera L.) grown in different water conditions. Acta Hortic, 2007, 754: 295–299
[19]Estiarte M, Penuelas J, Kimball B A, Hendrix D L, Pinter P J, Wall G W, LaMorte R L, Hunsaker D J. Free-air CO2 enrichment of wheat: leaf flavonoid concentration throughout the growth cycle. Physiol Plant, 1999, 105: 423–433
[20]Isaac R A, Johnson W C. Determination of total nitrogen in plant tissue using a block digester. J Assoc Off Anal Chem, 1976, 59: 98–100
[21]Lachat Instruments. 2005. Methods list for automated ion analyzers (flow injection analyses, ion chromatography)
[2005-4-8] http://www. lachatinstruments.com/ applications/MethodsList.PDF.
[22]SAS Institute. SAS for windows. V.9.1. SAS Inst., Cary, NC, 2003
[23]Little T M, Hills F J. Agricultural Experimentation: Design and Analysis. Paperback. Wiley, 1978
[24]Hedeker D, Gibbons R D. Longitudinal data analysis. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, 2006
[25]Klaus H, Oscar K. Design and Analysis of Experiments. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, 2008
[26]Elwadie M E, Pierce F J, Qi J. Remote sensing of canopy dynamics and biophysical variables estimation of corn in Michigan. Agron J, 2005, 97: 99–105
[27]Schlemmer M R, Francis D D, Shanahan J F, Schepers J S. Remotely measuring chlorophyll content in corn leaves with differing nitrogen levels and relative water content. Agron J, 2005, 97: 106–112
[28]Sanchez R A, Hall A J, Trapani N, de Hunau R C. Effects of water stress on the chlorophyll content, nitrogen level and photosynthesis of leaves of two maize genotypes. Photosynth Res, 1983, 4: 35–47
[29]Muh J, Franke J, Borken W. Drying–rewetting events reduce C and N losses from a Norway spruce forest floor. Soil Biol Biochem, 2010, 42: 1303–1312
[30]Horner J D. Nonlinear effects of water deficits on foliar tannin concentration. Biochem Syst Ecol, 1990, 18: 211–213
[31]Nicolas M, Simpson R J, Lambers H, Dalling M J. Effects of drought on partitioning of nitrogen in two wheat varieties differing in drought-tolerance. Ann. Bot, 1985, 55: 743–754
[32]Liu R X, Zhou Z G, Guo W Q, Chen B L, Oosterhuis D M. Effects of N fertilization on root development and activity of water-stressed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants. Agric Water Manag, 2008, 95: 1261–1270
[1] Zhang Ning-Ning, Teng Yu-Fei, Ren Na-Na, Wei Xing-Zhuo, Yan Shu-Hao, Fan Ke-Xin, Wang Yong-Hong, Chen Wen-Kang, Zhang Xing-Hua, Zhu Wan-Chao, Xu Shu-Tu, Xue Ji-Quan. Phenotypic evaluation and plasticity analysis of drought resistance in 201 maize inbred lines [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(5): 1309-1325.
[2] Qin Yi-Yan, Fu Yao, Su Chang, Li Na, Xu Jing-Ru, Cheng Xiao-Ran, Zhang Qi, Zhao Ming-Hui. Functional analysis of OsST41 regulating salt tolerance in rice seedlings [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(3): 802-812.
[3] Yang Biao, Du Shuai-Kang, Zhang Ji-Wang, Shi Ying, Zhang Li-Li. Genome-wide identification of class III POD gene family in potato and its expression profile analysis [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(2): 405-420.
[4] Liu Hai-Bo, Zhang Lei, Wang Li-Qi, Shi Xiao-Li, Zhou Wen-Ying, Cui Guo-Xian, She Wei. Functional study of the BnGCL1 gene in ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) in response to drought stress [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(1): 14-27.
[5] Ji Xuan-Tong, Bian Chun-Song, Jin Li-Ping, Li Sen, Qin Jun-Hong, Li Guang-Cun. Responses of root-associated microorganisms of different drought-tolerant potato varieties to drought conditions [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(1): 165-177.
[6] Zhu Jin-Juan, Wang Hui-Ping, Yang Guo-Dong, Wang Yu-Cheng, Yang Chen, Wang Bin, Agustiani Nurwulan, Tu Jun-Ming, Bi Jun-Guo, Cui Ke-Hui, Huang Jian-Liang, Peng Shao-Bing, Yuan Shen. Effects of water management and variety type on grain yield and quality in ratoon rice [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(1): 295-315.
[7] Hu Cheng-Zhen, Gao Wei-Dong, Kong Bin-Xue, Wang Jian-Fei, Che Zhuo, Yang De-Long, Chen Tao. Genome-wide identification of the TaAPC11 gene family in wheat and functional characterization of TaAPC11-5B in drought stress responses [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(1): 148-164.
[8] Wang Ya-Zhi, Yang Biao, Ji Xiang-Lin, Shi Ying, Zhang Li-Li. Identification of drought-resistant resources and preliminary screening of drought resistant genes in diploid potatoes [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(1): 72-84.
[9] Kong Na, Liu Tao, Liu Wen-Ting, Chen Gang, Wen Li-Chao, Deng Zhi-Chao, Guo Mei, Li Wei, Guo Yong-Feng. Cloning of the NtCEP7 gene in tobacco and functional analysis of its encoded peptide in seedling-stage drought resistance [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2026, 52(1): 249-261.
[10] LI Yun-Xiang, GUO Qian-Qian, HOU Wan-Wei, ZHANG Xiao-Juan. Genome-wide association analysis of drought resistance traits in wheat seedlings introduced from ICARDA [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2025, 51(9): 2387-2398.
[11] HU Run-Hui, WANG Jun-Cheng, SI Er-Jing, ZHANG Hong, LI Xing-Mao, MA Xiao-Le, MENG Ya-Xiong, WANG Hua-Jun, LIU Qing, YAO Li-Rong, LI Bao-Chun. Screening of drought and salt tolerant germplasm during wheat seedling stage and comprehensive evaluation of drought and salt tolerance [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2025, 51(9): 2371-2386.
[12] HE Peng-Xu, YAO Li-Rong, CHEN Yuan-Ling, YAN Yan, ZHANG Hong, WANG Jun-Cheng, LI Bao-Chun, YANG Ke, SI Er-Jing, MENG Ya-Xiong, MA Xiao-Le, WANG Hua-Jun. Differences and correlations in physiological and molecular mechanisms of barley germination under drought stress [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2025, 51(9): 2412-2432.
[13] XU Yi-Wei, ZHANG Ying-Ying, LI Rui, YAN Yong-Liang, LIU Yun-Jun, KONG Zhao-Sheng, ZHENG Jun, WANG Yi-Ru. csp2 gene of Deinococcus gobiensis improves drought tolerance in maize [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2025, 51(8): 1981-1990.
[14] ZHANG Jian-Peng, WANG Guo-Rui, BIE Hai, YE Fei-Yu, MA Chen-Chen, LIANG Xiao-Han, LU Xiao-Min, SHANG Xiao-Li, CAO Li-Ru. Transcription factor ZmMYB153 enhances drought tolerance in maize seedlings by regulating stomatal movement through ABA signaling [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2025, 51(7): 1827-1837.
[15] YIN Yu-Meng, WANG Yan-Nan, KANG Zhi-He, QIAO Shou-Chen, BIAN Qian-Qian, LI Ya-Wei, CAO Guo-Zheng, ZHAO Guo-Rui, XU Dan-Dan, YANG Yu-Feng. Cloning and functional analysis of glutathione S-transferase gene IbGSTU7 in sweetpotato [J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2025, 51(7): 1736-1746.
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited
  Shared   
  Discussed   
No Suggested Reading articles found!
Add: No. 80 Xueyuan South Rd, Beijing 100081, P. R. China E-mail: zwxb301@caas.cn
Supported by Beijing Magtech Co.Ltd