Nitrate Uptake of Rice as Affected by Growth Stages and Ammonium

Solution culture experiments were carried out to study the NO3- uptake kinetics by rice roots and the nitrate reductase activity (NRA) in leaves of four typical rice genotypes (conventional indica, conventional japonica, hybrid indica, and hybrid japonica) at different growth stages. The effects of NH4+ on the NO3- uptake kinetics was also studied. The results indicated that the four genotypes responded differently to NO3- and NH4+. Comparing indica rice with japonica rice, hybrid rice with conventional rice, formers absorbed NO3-more rapidly than laters. The superiority of indica rice and hybid rice for NO3- uptake was mainly due to the higher Vmax at the early growth stage (20 days) and the higher affinity of nitrate transporters for NO3- at the middle growth stage (50 days). At both growth stages NH4+ significantly inhibited NO3- uptake for japonica rice, but showed little effect for indica rice. Conversely, NH4+ stimulated the uptake of NO3- for hybrid rice. NH4+ could repress NRA in leaves of all four genotypes with a sensitive order as following: hybrid japonica > hybrid indica > conventional indica > conventional japonica.

Evaluation of the Role of Mixed Amino Acids in Nitrate Uptake and Assimilation in Leafy Radish by Using ^(15)N-Labeled Nitrate

In this paper, the role of mixed amino acids in nitrate uptake and assimilation was evaluated in leafy radish by using ^15N labeled nitrate. The mixtures of alanine, β-alanine, aspartic acid, asparagines, glutamic acid, glutamine, and glycine were sprayed to plant leaf two or four times. The activity of the enzymes related to the process of NO3- reduction （nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase and glutamine synthetase） was affected differently depending on the application rate of mixed amino acids. Applying mixed amino acids increased the fresh weight, dry weight, and N yield. The NO3 content was reduced to 24-38%, but no significant differences were observed in amino acids and proteins. In addition, the nitrogen derived from fertilizer and the ^15N-NO3-recovery rate increased to 2-8% and 15-47%, respectively. These results strongly suggest that the positive effect of mixed amino acids on nitrate uptake and assimilation might be attributed to the regulation on NO3- uptake and assimilation, but not to the preference for amino acids as sources of reduced nitrogen.

Ammonium Effects on Nitrate Uptake by Roots of Upland and Paddy Rice Seedlings Related to Membrane Potential Differences

Nitrate uptake characteristics and ammonium effects on nitrate uptake were compared between upland rice （Brazilian upland rice） and paddy rice （Wuyujing 3 and Yangdao 6） through the glass microelectrode technique and the concentration gradient method of uptake kinetics.Results indicated that nitrate uptake by rice seedlings and ammonium effects were depending on membrane potential of root cells.And upland rice and paddy rice presented obviously different responses.For all cultivars,the nitrate treatments induced rapid depolarization and then slow repolarization of membrane potential in root epidermal cells,and even hyperpolarization was observed when nitrate concentration was low.The membrane potential of epidermal cells in Brazilian upland rice roots was larger and its response to NO3- was bigger than those of two paddy rice cultivars.Depolarization of membrane potential was amplified when ammonium was simultaneously added with nitrate into the measure medium,but repolarization was reduced,even disappeared.Brazilian upland rice seedlings had high Vmax of nitrate uptake and low Km,furthermore,Vmax and Km were little affected by ammonium,but Vmax of Wuyujing 3 was reduced significantly.Therefore,inhibition of NH4＋ differed obviously between upland rice and paddy rice.

Rice transcription factors OsLBD37/38/39 regulate nitrate uptake by repressing OsNRT2.1/2.2/2.3 under high-nitrogen conditions

Nitrate(NO_(3)^(-)) uptake involves a finely regulated and complex multilevel response system.Elucidating the molecular mechanism of nitrate uptake may lead to improving the growth and productivity of plants in the presence of dynamic variation in nitrate concentration.In this study,we identified three lateral organ boundaries domain(LBD)transcription factors,OsLBD37,OsLBD38,and OsLBD39,as regulators of nitrate uptake in response to nitrogen(N)availability.OsLBD37,OsLBD38,and OsLBD39 were induced by ammonium and glutamine in rice roots.Individual or collective knockout of OsLBD37,OsLBD38,and OsLBD39 led to increased concentrations of nitrate and increased expression of OsNRT2.1,OsNRT2.2,and OsNRT2.3respectively under high-N conditions,whereas overexpression of each of these three LBD genes produced opposite effects where N accumulation was reduced.Dual-luciferase reporter assay further confirmed that OsLBD37,OsLBD38,and OsLBD39 possessed transcription inhibitory activities in rice protoplast cells,downregulating the expression of OsNRT2.1/OsNRT2.2/OsNRT2.3.Yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays showed that OsLBD37 interacted with OsLBD37,OsLBD38,and OsLBD39in the nucleus.Together,these results show that OsLBD37,OsLBD38,and OsLBD39 collaborate to inhibit the expression of OsNRT2.1/OsNRT2.2/OsNRT2.3 transporters under N-sufficient conditions,thereby helping rice plants avoid excessive nitrate accumulation that may affect their growth.

Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Rice through Enhancing Root Nitrate Uptake Mediated by a Nitrate Transporter, NRT1.1B

Nitrogen （N） is one of most important nutrients for crop production, which makes up 1%-5% of total plant dry matter （Marschner, 2012）. Due to the limited availability of N in soil, application of N fertilizers has been an important agronomic practice to increase crop yield. However, over-application of N fertilizers has caused pollution of N in soil, water and air. It was estimated that the nitrogen use efficiency （NUE, the total biomass or grain yield produced per unit of applied fertilizer N） in cereal crops is as low as 33% （Raun and Johnson, 1999）. Therefore, improving NUE together with reducing application of N fertilizers is an important issue for environment and sustainable production of crops. This is especially important for rice, which is a staple food for half population in the world.

Phosphorylation regulation of nitrogen,phosphorus,and potassium uptake systems in plants

The uptake of ammonium,nitrate,phosphorus,and potassium ions by roots is mediated by specific ion transporter or channel proteins,and protein phosphorylation regulation events occurring on these proteins and their regulators determine their ultimate activity.Elucidating the mechanism by which protein phosphorylation modification regulates nutrient uptake will advance plant breeding for high nutrientuse efficiency.In this review,it is concluded that the root nutrient absorption system is composed of several,but not all,members of a specific ion transporter or channel family.Under nutrient-starvation conditions,protein phosphorylation-based regulation of these proteins and associated transcription factors increases ion transporter-or channel-mediated nutrient uptake capacity via direct function activity enhancement,allowing more protein trafficking to the plasma membrane,by strengthening the interaction of transporters and channels with partner proteins,by increasing their protein stability,and by transcriptional activation.Under excessive nutrient conditions,protein phosphorylation-based regulation suppresses nutrient uptake by reversing these processes.Strengthening phosphorylation regulation items that increase nutrient absorption and weakening phosphorylation modification items that are not conducive to nutrient absorption show potential as strategies for increasing nutrient use efficiency.

Physiological and Molecular Response of Wheat Roots to Nitrate Supply in Seedling Stage

The objective of this study was to understand the morphological,physiological,and molecular responses of wheat roots to nitrate supply at seedling stage.Two wheat genotypes,Jimai 22 and Shannong 15,were grown in Hoagland＇s nutrient solution with different nitrate levels at seedling stage.Results indicated that the plant dry weight and N accumulation increased with the increase of nitrate supply.The number of axial root,total uptake area （TUA）,and active uptake area （AUA） increased with more nitrate supply.Correlation analysis indicated that significant positive correlations existed between N accumulation and dry weight,N accumulation and AUA,and N accumulation and AUA/TUA.Although,the expressions of NRT2.1,NRT2.2,and NRT2.3 decreased with nitrate supply increased,the expressions of NRT1,NRT2.1,and NRT2.3 could maintain high level at N3 treatment.The free amino acid and NO3- content in shoot also increased with the increased nitrate application,but no significant difference was found in root among the treatments.These results implied that the increase of N uptake by nitrate supply was due to the morphological and physiological responses of wheat roots and the high expression level of TaNRT genes.Similarly,the contribution of morphological,physiological,and molecular parameters was different between two genotypes of wheat.

Root Morphology, Plant Growth, Nitrate Accumulation and Nitrogen Metabolism of Temperate Lettuce Grown in the Tropics with Elevated Root-Zone CO2 at Different Root-Zone Temperatures

This paper investigated the effects of root-zone (RZ) CO2 concentration ([CO2]) on root morphology and growth, nitrate (NO3-) uptake and assimilation of lettuce plants at different root-zone temperatures (RZT). Elevated RZ [CO2] stimulated root development, root and shoot growth compared to ambient RZ [CO2]. The greatest increase in root growth was observed in plants grown under elevated RZ [CO2] of 50,000 ppm. However, RZ [CO2] of 10,000 ppm was sufficient to achieve the maximal leaf area and shoot productivity. Lettuce plants exhibited faster shoot and root growth at 20°C-RZT than at ambient (A)-RZT. However, under elevated RZ [CO2], the magnitude of increased growth was greater at A-RZT than at 20°C-RZT. Compared to RZ [CO2] of 360 ppm, elevated RZ [CO2] of 10,000 ppm increased NO3- accumulation and nitrate reductase activity (NRA) in both leaves and roots. NO3- concentrations of leaf and root were higher at 20°C-RZT than at A-RZT in all plants. NRA was higher in root than in leaf especially under A-RZT. The total reduced nitrogen (TRN) concentration was significantly higher in plants grown under elevated RZ [CO2] of 10,000 ppm than under ambient RZ [CO2] of 360 ppm with greater concentration in 20°C-RZT plants than in A-RZT plants. These results imply that elevated RZ [CO2] significantly affected root morphology, root and shoot growth and N metabolism of temperate lettuce with greater impacts at A-RZT than at 20°C-RZT. These findings have practical significance to vegetable production by growing the vegetable crops at cool-RZT with elevated RZ [CO2] to enhance its productivity.