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Photosynthate costs associated with the utilization of different nitrogen–forms: influence on the carbon balance of plants and shoot–root biomass partitioning
Author(s) -
ZERIHUN AYALSEW,
McKENZIE BRUCE A.,
MORTON JAMES D.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.1998.00893.x
Subject(s) - shoot , biomass (ecology) , ammonium , biomass partitioning , nitrogen , photosynthesis , carbon fibers , nitrate , assimilation (phonology) , botany , glutamine , nitrogen balance , agronomy , biology , chemistry , amino acid , ecology , biochemistry , linguistics , materials science , philosophy , organic chemistry , composite number , composite material
The photosynthate costs of processes (amino acid and protein synthesis and turnover, and pH regulation) associated with the utilization of nitrate (NO 3 − ), ammonium (NH 4 + ) or glutamine (Gln) for plant growth were estimated. Based on these estimates, the effects of these forms of nitrogen (N) on the carbon balance of plants and on shoot–root biomass allocation were evaluated. The results indicated that NO 3 − as an N source for plant growth is not substantially more expensive to utilize than either NH 4 + or Gln, particularly in the long term when costs due to protein turnover dominate the total costs of N utilization. It is also suggested that the photosynthate use in processes associated with N assimilation has little impact on the carbon balance of plants, and hence on shoot–root biomass allocation.