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Physiological Investigation of the Impact of Nitrogen and Sulphur Application on Seed and Oil Yield of Rapeseed ( Brassica campestris L.) and Mustard ( Brassica juncea L. Czern. and Coss.) Genotypes
Author(s) -
Ahmad A.,
Abraham G.,
Abdin M. Z.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of agronomy and crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-037X
pISSN - 0931-2250
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-037x.1999.00307.x
Subject(s) - brassica , rapeseed , agronomy , yield (engineering) , biology , sulfur , chemistry , materials science , metallurgy , organic chemistry
Field experiments were conducted to determine the physiological basis of the effects of N and S interactions on seed and oil yield of Brassica species. Five combinations of N and S (in kg ha −1 ) 0S+100N (T 1 ), 40S+60N (T 2 ), 40S+100N (T 3 ), 60S+100N (T 4 ) and 60S+150N (T 5 ), were used for this purpose. Nitrate reductase (NR) activity and ATP‐sulphurylase activity in the leaves were measured at various growth stages, as the two enzymes catalyse rate‐limiting steps of the assimilatory pathways of nitrate and sulphate, respectively. The activities of these enzymes were strongly correlated with seed and oil yield. The highest nitrate reductase activity, ATP‐sulphurylase activity and yield were achieved with the combination T 3 in both species. Any variation from this combination decreased the activity of these enzymes, resulting in a reduction of the seed and oil yield of Brassica species. The higher seed and oil yield achieved in these species at T 3 could be due to optimization of leaf soluble protein and photosynthetic rate, as these parameters are influenced by N and S assimilation.