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Micronutrients and nitrogen metabolism

I. Effects of different levels of micronutrients on nitrogen constituents in maize plants

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Summary

Deficient as well as toxic levels of micronutrients either Co, Cu, Mn, Mo or Zn in the growth medium resulted in a significant decrease in dry matter accumulation and amount of total as well as protein N, increase in the content of total N and water-soluble protein content and caused some change in protein amino acid composition in maize plants as compared to the control. Activity of alkaline aminopeptidases was significantly higher due to deficiency or toxicity of the elements. Sephadex fractionation and gel acrylamide electrophoresis of tissue extract revealed the dominance of low-molecular-weight proteins in maize shoots in both the situations. The results of the present investigation suggest that restriction in protein synthesis under the deficiency as well as toxicity of micronutrients in the growth medium is associated with the accumulation of low-molecular-weight in the plant tissue.

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Author notes

  1. K. S. Dhillon (Assistant Soil Chemist)

    Present address: Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, 141004, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Moscow, USSR

    K. S. Dhillon (Assistant Soil Chemist), B. A. Yagodeen & A. C. Pleshkov

Authors
  1. K. S. Dhillon
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  2. B. A. Yagodeen
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  3. A. C. Pleshkov
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Dhillon, K.S., Yagodeen, B.A. & Pleshkov, A.C. Micronutrients and nitrogen metabolism. Plant Soil 73, 355–363 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184312

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184312

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