Skip to main content

Influence of seed nitrogen content on seedling growth and recovery from nitrogen stress

Plant and Soil volume 271, pages 329–340 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

In low fertility conditions, germinating seedlings are heavily dependent upon N from seed reserves for growth and development. Experiments were conducted to examine the influence of seed N content and mobilization on leaf development and the ability to take up nitrate and up-regulate leaf growth processes during recovery from the period of N deprivation. Genetically homozygous soybean lines with a range of seed N contents were grown in hydroponics culture without an external N source. Microscopic analyses of the apical meristem and plant exposure to labeled 15N-nitrate allowed precise descriptions of changes in leaf initiation and nitrate uptake during recovery. In seedlings grown without N, inhibitions of leaf expansion and leaf initiation were detectible in the 2nd week after germination, and both were inversely related to the amount of N released from the seed. The S/R ratio decreased, indicating early N stress, but the S/R adjustments were not proportional to the degree of N stress as occurs with older plants, suggesting limitations in C availability. When external N was supplied to plants after 15 or 23 days of N deprivation, the induction period for nitrate uptake was longer than that normally observed with N-replete seedlings, and rates of growth during recovery from the N stress were correlated with initial seed N contents. The inhibition of individual leaf expansion was released only if leaves were at an early developmental stage. Leaf initiation at the apical meristem immediately responded to the presence of external nitrate, with initiation rates approaching those for +N controls. The results indicate that seedling vigor in infertile conditions and the ability to respond to available N are strongly influenced by seed resources.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • A D Bradshaw (1965) ArticleTitleEvolutionary significance of phenotypic plasticity in plants Adv. Genet. 13 115–155

    Google Scholar 

  • R Brouwer (1962) ArticleTitleNutritive influences on the distribution of dry matter in the plant Netherlands J. Agric. Sci. 10 399–408

    Google Scholar 

  • E A Bulsani R L Warner (1980) ArticleTitleSeed protein and nitrogen effects upon seedling vigor in wheat Agron. J. 72 657–666

    Google Scholar 

  • S W Buol F D Hole R J McCracken (1973) Soil Genesis and Classification Iowa State University Press Ames, IA 360

    Google Scholar 

  • J W Burton (1984) Breeding soybeans for improved protein quantity and quality R Shibles (Eds) Proceedings of the World Soybean Research Conference III. Westview Press, Inc. Boulder, CO 361–367

    Google Scholar 

  • M M Caldwell (1994) Exploiting nutrients in fertile soil microsites M M Caldwell R W Pearcy (Eds) Exploitation of Environmental Heterogeneity by Plants Academic Publishers San Diego 325–347

    Google Scholar 

  • F S Chapin (1991) ArticleTitleIntegrated responses of plants to stress Bioscience 41 27–36

    Google Scholar 

  • F S Chapin (1988) ArticleTitleEcological aspects of plant mineral nutrition Adv. Mineral Nutr. 3 161–191

    Google Scholar 

  • J Chiera J Thomas T W Rufty (2002) ArticleTitleLeaf initiation and development in soybean under phosphorus stress J. Exp. Bot. 368 473–481

    Google Scholar 

  • D T Clarkson B Touraine (1994) Morphological responses of plants to nitrate-deprivation; A role for abscisic acid? J Roy E A Garnier (Eds) Whole Plant Perspecitve on Carbon–Nitrogen Interactions Academic Publishing The Hague 187–196

    Google Scholar 

  • N M Crawford (1995) ArticleTitleNitrate: Nutrient and signal for plant growth Plant Cell 7 859–868 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXnt1Sgtr4%3D Occurrence Handle7640524

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • N M Crawford A D M Glass (1998) ArticleTitleMolecular and physiological aspects of nitrate uptake in plants Trends Plant Sci. 3 389–395

    Google Scholar 

  • H Doddema H Otten (1979) ArticleTitleUptake of nitrate by mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana, disturbed in uptake or reduction of nitrate III Regulation Physiol. Plant. 45 332–338 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE1MXhvVGlsLk%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A H Fitter (1994) Architecture and biomass allocation as components of the plastic response of root systems to soil heterogeneity M M Caldwell R W Pearcy (Eds) Exploitation of Environmental Heterogeneity by Plants Academic Publishers San Diego 305–323

    Google Scholar 

  • M Fenner (1992) ArticleTitleEnvironmental influences on seed size and composition Hortic. Rev. 13 183–213 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXjsFOrsw%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Z Gizlice T E Carter J W Burton (1994) ArticleTitleGenetic base for North American public soybean cultivars released between 1947 and 1988 Crop Sci. 34 1143–1151

    Google Scholar 

  • A D M Glass (2003) ArticleTitleNitrogen use efficiency of crop plants: Physiological constraints upon nitrogen absorption Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 22 453–470 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXptVCntr8%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • E A N Greenwood (1976) ArticleTitleNitrogen stress in plants Adv. Agron. 28 1–35 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE2sXhtFOmt7g%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J P Grime J C Crick J E Rincon (1986) The ecological significance of plasticity D H Jennings A J Trewavas (Eds) Plasticity in Plants Biologists Limited Cambridge 4–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Y Hara K Toriyama (1998) ArticleTitleSeed nitrogen accelerates the rates of germination, emergence, and establishment of rice plants Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 44 359–366

    Google Scholar 

  • J Imsande B Touraine (1994) ArticleTitleN demand and the regulation of nitrate uptake Plant Physiol. 105 3–7 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXjt1ajsro%3D Occurrence Handle12232181

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • T Ingestad (1979) ArticleTitleNitrogen stress in birch seedlings. II. N, K, P, Ca, and Mg nutrition Physiol. Plant. 45 149–157 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE1MXht1Sgsbg%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T Ingestad A Lund (1979) ArticleTitleNitrogen stress in birch seedlings. I. Growth technique and growth Physiol. Plant. 45 137–148 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE1MXhtlKkt70%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • W A Jackson D Flesher R H Hageman (1973) ArticleTitleNitrate uptake by dark-grown corn seedlings Plant Physiol. 51 120–127 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE3sXkt1Whtw%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larsson C M, Mattsson M, Duarte P, Samuelson M, Ohlen E, Oscarson P, Ingemarsson B, Larsson M, Lungborg T 1992 Uptake and assimilation of nitrate under nitrogen limitation. In:Proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe 33: Nitrogen Metabolism of Plants. Eds. Pelbeam P F, Mengel K. pp. 71–89. Oxford Science Publications

  • K Muntz (1996) ArticleTitleProteases and proteolytic cleavage of storage proteins in developing and germinating dicotyledonous seeds J. Exp. Bot. 47 605–622

    Google Scholar 

  • J L Nedel S E Ullrich W L Pan (1996) ArticleTitleEffect of seed size and protein content and N application timing on seedling vigor and grain yield of barley Pesqu. Agropecu. Bras. 31 113–119

    Google Scholar 

  • J A D Parrish F A Bazzaz (1985) ArticleTitleNutrient content of Abutilon theophrasti seeds and the competitive ability of the resulting plants Oecologia 65 247–251

    Google Scholar 

  • J W Radin J S Boyer (1982) ArticleTitleControl of leaf expansion by nitrogen nutrition in sunflower plants Plant Physiol. 69 771–775 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL38XhvVSis7g%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S K Ries (1971) ArticleTitleThe Relationship of protein content and size of bean seed with growth and yield J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 96 557–560

    Google Scholar 

  • U Roggatz A J S McDonald I Stadenberg U Schurr (1999) ArticleTitleEffects of nitrogen deprivation on cell division and expansion in leaves of Ricinus communis L Plant Cell Environ. 22 81–89

    Google Scholar 

  • T W Rufty (1998) Probing the carbon and nitrogen interaction: A whole plant perspective. pp. 255–273 C H Foyer W P Quick (Eds) A Molecular Approach to Primary Metabolism in Higher Plants Taylor and Francis Publishers Bristol, PA 255–273

    Google Scholar 

  • T W Rufty C D Raper S C Huber (1984) ArticleTitleAlterations in internal partitioning of carbon in soybean plants in response to nitrogen stress Can. J. Bot. 62 501–508 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2cXktVKju70%3D Occurrence Handle11540792

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R W Russell (1977) Plant Root Systems McGraw-Hill UK

    Google Scholar 

  • R S Smith M A Ellis (1980) ArticleTitleSoybean nodulation as influenced by seedling vigor Agron. J. 72 605–608

    Google Scholar 

  • D A Stratton (1989) ArticleTitleCompetition prolongs expression of maternal effects in seedlings of Erigeron annun Am. J. Bot. 76 1646–1653

    Google Scholar 

  • S E Sultan (2003) ArticleTitlePhenotypic plasticity in plants: A case study in ecological development Evol. Dev. 5 25–33 Occurrence Handle12492406

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R H Teyker W A Jackson R J Volk R H Moll (1988) ArticleTitleExogenous 15NO −3 efflux by two maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds during nitrogen deprivation Plant Physiol. 86 778–781 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXit1Srur0%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R Tischner (2000) ArticleTitleNitrate uptake and reduction in higher and lower plants Plant Cell Environ. 23 1005–1024 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXnslWgtL8%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • L Tolley-Henry C D Raper (1986) ArticleTitleNitrogen and drymatter partitioning in soybean plants during onset of and recovery from nitrogen stress Bot. Gaz. 147 392–399 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXitFejt78%3D Occurrence Handle11539711

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • N Trapani A J Hall M Weber (1999) ArticleTitleEffects of constant and variable nitrogen supply on sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) leaf cell number and size Ann. Bot. 84 599–606 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXmvVygs78%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • K D Tungate D J Susko T W Rufty (2002) ArticleTitleReproduction and offspring competitiveness of Senna obtusifolia are influenced by nutrient availability New Phytol. 154 661–669 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XkslWjtLc%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D J Watson (1947) ArticleTitleComparative physiological studies on the growth of field crops. II. The effect of varying nutrient supply on net assimilation rate and leaf area Ann. Bot. 11 375–407 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaH1cXhtV2htw%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R M Welch (1999) Importance of seed mineral nutrient reserves in crop growth and development Z Rengel (Eds) Mineral Nurtition of Crops Food Products Press New York 205–226

    Google Scholar 

  • K A Wilson B R Rightmire J C Chen A L Tan-Wilson (1986) ArticleTitleDifferetial proteolysis of glycinin and β-conglycinin polypeptides during soybean germination and seedling growth Plant Physiol. 82 71–76 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL28XlvVOktr8%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S R Wright T W Rufty H R Coble C D Raper (1999) ArticleTitleComparative responses of soybean (Glycine max), sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) to root-zone and aerial temperatures Weed Sci. 47 167–174 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXktVahsLc%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R D Wulff A Caceres J Schmitt (1994) ArticleTitleSeed and seedling responses to maternal and offspring environments in Plantago lanceolata Funct. Ecol. 8 763–769

    Google Scholar 

  • R D Wulff (1995) Environmental maternal effects on seed quality and germination J Kigel G Galili (Eds) Seed Development and Germination Marcel-Dekker New York 491–505

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7620, USA

    E. R. Naegle, J. W. Burton, T. E. Carter & T. W. Rufty

  2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 3127 Ligon St, Raleigh, NC, 27607

    J. W. Burton & T. E. Carter

Authors
  1. E. R. Naegle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. W. Burton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. E. Carter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. W. Rufty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. W. Rufty.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Naegle, E.R., Burton, J.W., Carter, T.E. et al. Influence of seed nitrogen content on seedling growth and recovery from nitrogen stress. Plant Soil 271, 329–340 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-004-3242-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-004-3242-4

Keywords

  • leaf expansion
  • leaf initiation
  • nitrate uptake
  • nitrogen stress
  • nitrogen stress recovery
  • soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill)