Summary
The pathway of a specific nitrogen application to tobacco plants was traced with N15. The spectroscopic N15-analysis was found to be a reliable, fast, and convenient method. Total-N concentration always increases from bottom to top leaves. From a specific application, nitrogen will preferentially move into growing tissues, but even there a substantial fraction of N originates from previous applications. As time proceeds, the label decreases in new growth even without an additional N-supply. Noticeable amounts of labeled N will also move into old, even senescent leaves which actually show a net loss of N, and even in such leaves, N will be incorporated into proteins at a fast rate. It is concluded that there is a continuous influx and efflux of N and a continuous turnover in all living parts of the plants including old, yellow leaves.
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The author wishes to thank Prof. Dr. G. Michael, Director, Institute of Plant Nutrition, Stuttgart-Hohenheim for helpful discussions and for generous support of the project.
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Oertli, J.J. Use of optical spectroscopic N15-analyses to trace a specific nitrogen application in tobacco plants. Plant Soil 25, 49–64 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01347961
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01347961