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Nitrogen fertilisation reduces sink strength of poplar ectomycorrhizae during recovery after drought more than phosphorus fertilisation

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Abstract

Background and aims

Drought reduces the carbon (C) flux from leaves (source) to mycorrhizal roots (sink); however, during recovery from drought, C flux exceeds the levels observed in irrigated controls. This process could be source- or sink-controlled. We studied this source–sink relationship in an agronomically used poplar clone grown at different levels of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilisation as used in silvoarable agroforestry systems.

Methods

We conducted a fully factorial pot experiment combining four fertiliser and two drought regimes. Gas exchange and chlorophyll and flavonol indices were regularly monitored. One week after rewatering, we performed 13CO2 pulse labelling. At harvest, enzyme activities of ectomycorrhizal root tips were determined.

Results

After one week of recovery, we observed an excess in C allocation to ectomycorrhizae (ECM) in non-N-fertilised treatments. However, net photosynthesis only recovered to the level of continuously irrigated controls. Drought increased chitinase, cellulase, phosphatase and peptidase activities, but the latter only in N-fertilised treatments.

Conclusions

We add evidence that the allocation of recently assimilated C is most likely sink-controlled. Less C allocation to recovering ECM supplied with fertiliser may be either due to better nutritional status and hence higher stress tolerance, or due to partitioning between above and below-ground sinks.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers, the handling editor and Diethart Matthies (Philipps University of Marburg) for valuable comments to improve the manuscript, Tatjana Gartner for measurements in the greenhouse, Peter Kary for technical support, Peter Grill for analysis of leaf phosphorus content. The plant material was kindly provided by Karolina Faust from the Bavarian Office for Forestal Seed and Plant Breeding (ASP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Allergens in Ecosystems, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D -, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    U. T. Nickel, F. Buegger & K. Pritsch

  2. Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D -, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    J. B. Winkler & S. Mühlhans

  3. Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, D-85350, Freising, Germany

    J. C. Munch

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  1. U. T. Nickel
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Correspondence to U. T. Nickel.

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Nickel, U.T., Winkler, J.B., Mühlhans, S. et al. Nitrogen fertilisation reduces sink strength of poplar ectomycorrhizae during recovery after drought more than phosphorus fertilisation. Plant Soil 419, 405–422 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3354-2

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