Abstract
It is critical for spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in the semi-arid Loess Plateau to understand the impact of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on changes in N metabolism, photosynthetic parameters, and their relationship with grain yield and quality. The photosynthetic capacity of flag leaves, dry matter accumulation, and N metabolite enzyme activities from anthesis to maturity were studied on a long-term fertilization trial under different N rates [0 kg ha−1(N1), 52.5 kg ha−1 (N2), 105 kg ha−1 (N3), 157.5 kg ha−1 (N4), and 210 kg ha−1 (N5)]. It was observed that N3 produced optimum total dry matter (5407 kg ha−1), 1000 grain weight (39.7 g), grain yield (2.64 t ha−1), and protein content (13.97%). Our results showed that N fertilization significantly increased photosynthetic parameters and N metabolite enzymes at all growth stages. Nitrogen harvest index, partial productivity factor, agronomic recovery efficiency, and nitrogen agronomic efficiency were decreased with increased N. Higher N rates (N3–N5) maintained higher photosynthetic capacity and dry matter accumulation and lower intercellular CO2 content. The N supply influenced NUE by improving photosynthetic properties. The N3 produced highest chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, grain yield, grain protein, dry matter, grains weight, and N metabolite enzyme activities compared to the other rates (N1, N2, N4, and N5). Therefore, increasing N rates beyond the optimum quantity only promotes vegetative development and results in lower yields.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agegnehu G, Nelson PN, Bird MI (2016) Crop yield, plant nutrient uptake and soil physicochemical properties under organic soil amendments and nitrogen fertilization on nitisols. Soil Tillage Res 160:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2016.02.003
Ahammed GJ, Xu W, Liu A, Chen S (2018) COMT1 silencing aggravates heat stress-induced reduction in photosynthesis by decreasing chlorophyll content, photosystem II activity, and electron transport efficiency in tomato. Front Plant Sci 9:998. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.00998
Ali AM (2020) Using hand-held chlorophyll meters and canopy reflectance sensors for fertilizer nitrogen management in cereals in small farms in developing countries. Sensors 20:1127. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20041127
Astaneh N, Bazrafshan F, Zare M, Amiri B, Bahrani A (2021) Nano-fertilizer prevents environmental pollution and improves physiological traits of wheat grown under drought stress conditions. Sci Agro 12:41–47. https://doi.org/10.17268/sci.agropecu.2021.005
Balotf S, Kavoosi G, Kholdebarin B (2016) Nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase expression and activity in response to different nitrogen sources in nitrogen-starved wheat seedlings. Biotechnol Appl Bioch 63:220–229. https://doi.org/10.1002/bab.1362
Chen G, Cao H, Liang J, Ma W, Guo L, Zhang S, Jiang R, Zhang H, Goulding KW, Zhang F (2018) Factors affecting nitrogen use efficiency and grain yield of summer maize on smallholder farms in the North China plain. Sustain 10:363. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020363
Dahal K, Knowles VL, Plaxton WC, Hüner NP (2014) Enhancement of photosynthetic performance, water use efficiency and grain yield during long-term growth under elevated CO2 in wheat and rye is growth temperature and cultivar dependent. Environ Exp Bot 106:207–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2013.11.015
Deans RM, Farquhar GD, Busch FA (2019) Estimating stomatal and biochemical limitations during photosynthetic induction. Plant Cell Environ 42:3227–3240. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13622
Fan L, Yuan Y, Ying Z, Lam SK, Liu L, Zhang X, Liu H, Gu B (2019) Decreasing farm number benefits the mitigation of agricultural non-point source pollution in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:464–472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3622-6
Fang Y, Liang L, Liu S, Xu B, Siddique KH, Palta JA, Chen Y (2021) Wheat cultivars with small root length density in the topsoil increased post-anthesis water use and grain yield in the semi-arid region on the Loess Plateau. Eur J Agron 124:126243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2021.126243
FAO (2019) The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAO website. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC. Accessed 19 January 2019
Gaju O, Allard V, Martre P, Snape J, Heumez E, LeGouis J, Moreau D, Bogard M, Griffiths S, Orford S (2011) Identification of traits to improve the nitrogen-use efficiency of wheat genotypes. Field Crops Res 123:139–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.05.010
Gao J, Wang F, Hu H, Jiang S, Muhammad A, Shao Y, Sun C, Tian Z, Jiang D, Dai T (2018) Improved leaf nitrogen reutilisation and Rubisco activation under short-term nitrogen-deficient conditions promotes photosynthesis in winter wheat at the seedling stage. Funct Plant Biol 45:840–853. https://doi.org/10.1071/FP17232
Gao J, Luo Q, Sun C, Hu H, Wang F, Tian Z, Jiang D, Cao W, Dai T (2019) Low nitrogen priming enhances photosynthesis adaptation to water-deficit stress in winter wheat seedlings. Front Plant Sci 10:818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00818
Ghafoor I, Habib-ur-Rahman M, Ali M, Afzal M, Ahmed W, Gaiser T, Ghaffar A (2021) Slow-release nitrogen fertilizers enhance growth, yield, NUE in wheat crop and reduce nitrogen losses under an arid environment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13700-4
Ghosh M, Swain DK, Jha MK, Tewari VK (2020a) Chlorophyll meter-based nitrogen management in a rice-wheat cropping system in eastern India. Intl J Plant Prod 16:1–17
Ghosh M, Swain DK, Jha MK, Tewari VK, Bohra A (2020b) Optimizing chlorophyll meter (SPAD) reading to allow efficient nitrogen use in rice and wheat under rice-wheat cropping system in eastern India. Plant Prod Sci 23:270–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/1343943X.2020.1717970
Grant CA, O’Donovan JT, Blackshaw RE, Harker KN, Johnson EN, Gan Y, Lafond GP, May WE, Turkington TK, Lupwayi NZ (2016) Residual effects of preceding crops and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and crop and soil N dynamics of spring wheat and canola in varying environments on the Canadian prairies. Field Crops Res 192:86–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2016.04.019
Gu B, Ju X, Chang SX, Ge Y, Chang J (2017) Nitrogen use efficiencies in Chinese agricultural systems and implications for food security and environmental protection. Reg Environ Change 17:1217–1227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1101-5
Hageman R, Hucklesby D (1971) Nitrate reductase from higher plants. Methods enzymology. Elsevier, Amsterdam. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(71)23121-9
Hu H, Ning T, Li Z, Han H, Zhang Z, Qin S, Zheng Y (2013) Coupling effects of urea types and subsoiling on nitrogen–water use and yield of different varieties of maize in northern China. Field Crop Res 142:85–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2012.12.001
Husted S, Mattsson M, Möllers C, Wallbraun M, Schjoerring JK (2002) Photorespiratory NH4+ production in leaves of wild-type and glutamine synthetase 2 antisense oilseed rape. Plant Physiol 130:989–998. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.006759
Khatun A (2015) Urea deep placement in rice as an option for increasing nitrogen use efficiency. Open Access Libr J 2:1. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1101480
Kong L, Xie Y, Hu L, Feng B, Li S (2016) Remobilization of vegetative nitrogen to developing grain in wheat. Field Crops Res 196:134–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2016.06.015
Lambeck IC, Fischer-Schrader K, Niks D, Roeper J, Chi J-C, Hille R, Schwarz G (2012) Molecular mechanism of 14–3-3 protein-mediated inhibition of plant nitrate reductase. J Biol Chem 287:4562–4571. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M111.323113
Li C-X, Yun S, Zhang L-l (2018) Effects of long-term organic fertilization on soil microbiologic characteristics, yield and sustainable production of winter wheat. J Int Agric 17:210–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61740-4
Lingling L, Renzhi Z, Zhuzhu L, Weili L, Junhong X, Liqun C, Bellotti B (2014) Evolution of soil and water conservation in rain-fed areas of China. Int Soil Water Conserv Res 2:78–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-6339(15)30015-0
Lv X, Zhang Y, Hu L, Zhang Y, Zhang B, Xia H, Du W, Fan S, Kong L (2021) Low-nitrogen stress stimulates lateral root initiation and nitrogen assimilation in wheat: roles of phytohormone signaling. J Plant Growth Regul 40:436–450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-020-10112-5
Ma G, Liu W, Li S, Zhang P, Wang C, Lu H, Wang L, Xie Y, Ma D, Kang G (2019) Determining the optimal N input to improve grain yield and quality in winter wheat with reduced apparent N loss in the North China Plain. Front Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00181
Ma Q, Li S, Xu Z, Fan S, Xia Z, Zhou C, Zhu M, Yu W (2020) Changes in N supply pathways under different long-term fertilization regimes in Northeast China. Soil Tillage Res 201:104609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2020.104609
Marques ACR, de Oliveira LB, Schwalbert R, Del Frari BK, Brunetto G, de Quadros FLF, Nabinger C, Nicoloso FT (2020) Growth strategies as determinants of CO2 sequestration and response to nitrogen fertilisation in C4 grasses in South American natural grasslands. Crop past Sci 71:776–784. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP19301
Nigro D, Fortunato S, Giove SL, Mangini G, Yacoubi I, Simeone R, Blanco A, Gadaleta A (2017) Allelic variants of glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase genes in a collection of durum wheat and association with grain protein content. Diversity 9:52. https://doi.org/10.3390/d9040052
O’neal D, Joy K (1973) Glutamine synthetase of pea leaves. I. Purification, stabilization, and pH optima. Arch Biochem Biophy 159:113–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-9861(73)90435-9
Pateman J (1969) Regulation of synthesis of glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase in micro-organisms. Biochem J 115:769–775. https://doi.org/10.1042/bj1150769
Prawira-Atmaja M, Khomaini H, Maulana H, Harianto S, and Rohdiana D (2018) Changes in chlorophyll and polyphenols content in Camellia sinensis var. sinensis at different stage of leaf maturity. IOP Conference Series: Earth Environ Sci IOP Publishing.pp 012010. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/131/1/012010
Rowe WB, Ronzio RA, Wellner VP, Meister A (1970) Glutamine synthetase. Methods in enzymology. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 900–910. https://doi.org/10.1016/0076-6879(71)17304-1
Sabagh AE, Hossain A, Barutçular C, Iqbal MA, Islam MS, Fahad S, Sytar O, Çiğ F, Meena RS, Erman M (2020) Consequences of salinity stress on the quality of crops and its mitigation strategies for sustainable crop production: An outlook of arid and semi-arid regions. Environment, climate, plant and vegetation growth. Springer, Cham, pp 503–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49732-3_20
Shangguan Z, Shao M, Dyckmans J (2000) Nitrogen nutrition and water stress effects on leaf photosynthetic gas exchange and water use efficiency in winter wheat. Environ Exp Bot 44:141–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0098-8472(00)00064-2
Sieling K, Kage H (2021) Apparent fertilizer N recovery and the relationship between grain yield and grain protein concentration of different winter wheat varieties in a long-term field trial. Eur J Agron 124:126246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2021.126246
Sinclair TR, Rufty TW (2012) Nitrogen and water resources commonly limit crop yield increases, not necessarily plant genetics. Glob Food Sec 1:94–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2012.07.001
Suprayogi Y, Clarke J, Bueckert R, Clarke F, Pozniak C (2010) Nitrogen remobilization and post-anthesis nitrogen uptake in relation to elevated grain protein concentration in durum wheat. Can J Plant Sci 91:273–282. https://doi.org/10.4141/CJPS10185
Taheri A, Abad HHS, Nourmohammadi G, Ardabili MS (2021) Investigating quantitative and qualitative performance of bread wheat genotypes under different climatic conditions. Gesunde Pflanzen 73:229–238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-021-00547-5
Talaat NB (2021) Polyamine and nitrogen metabolism regulation by melatonin and salicylic acid combined treatment as a repressor for salt toxicity in wheat plants. Plant Growth Regul 18:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-021-00740-6
Tyshko N, Sadykova E (2018) Genetically modified food products: development of safety asseessment system in russia. Health Risk Anal. https://doi.org/10.21668/health.risk/2018.4.14.eng
Vijayalakshmi P, Kiran TV, Rao YV, Srikanth B, Rao IS, Sailaja B, Surekha K, Rao PR, Subrahmanyam D, Neeraja C (2013) Physiological approaches for increasing nitrogen use efficiency in rice. Ind J Plant Physiol 18:208–222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40502-013-0042-y
Xiang D, Ma C, Song Y, Wu Q, Wu X, Sun Y, Zhao G, Wan Y (2019) Post-anthesis photosynthetic properties provide insights into yield potential of tartary buckwheat cultivars. Agronomy 9:149. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9030149
Xu H-c, Dai X-l CHU, J-p W-c, L-j YIN, Xin M, Shuxin D, M-r HE (2018) Integrated management strategy for improving the grain yield and nitrogen-use efficiency of winter wheat. J Int Agric 17:315–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61805-7
Xu A, Li L, Xie J, Wang X, Coulter JA, Liu C, Wang L (2020) Effect of long-term nitrogen addition on wheat yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and residual soil nitrate in a semiarid area of the loess plateau of China. Sustain 12:1735. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051735
Yang X, Lu Y, Ding Y, Yin X, Raza S (2017) Optimising nitrogen fertilisation: a key to improving nitrogen-use efficiency and minimising nitrate leaching losses in an intensive wheat/maize rotation (2008–2014). Field Crops Res 206:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.02.016
Yi L, Jinyan Z, Dongli H, Shunying Y, Yanhua S (2020) Arabidopsis under ammonium over-supply: characteristics of ammonium toxicity in relation to the activity of ammonium transporters. Pedosphere 30:314–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(20)60011-X
Yildirim M, Barutcular C, Koc M, Dizlek H, Hossain A, Islam MS, Toptas I, Basdemir F, Albayrak O, Akinci C (2018) Assessment of the grain quality of wheat genotypes grown under multiple environments using GGE biplot analysis. Fresenius Environ Bull 27:4830–4837
Zhang F, Chen X, Vitousek P (2013) An experiment for the world. Nature 497:33–35. https://doi.org/10.1038/497033a
Zhang X, Gu B, van Grinsven H, Lam SK, Liang X, Bai M, Chen D (2020) Societal benefits of halving agricultural ammonia emissions in China far exceed the abatement costs. Nature Commun 11:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18196-z
Zheng X, Yu Z, Zhang Y, Shi Y (2021) Effect of nitrogen rates on wheat photosynthesis, anatomical parameters and photoassimilate partitioning in North China Plain. Int J Plant Prod 15:161–172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-020-00123-3
Zhou B, Serret MD, Pie JB, Shah SS, Li Z (2018) Relative contribution of nitrogen absorption, remobilization, and partitioning to the ear during grain filling in chinese winter wheat. Front Plant Sci 9:1351. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01351
Funding
The research was supported by the Education science and technology innovation project of Gansu Province (GSSYLXM-02) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31761143004) and The Young Instructor Fund Project of Gansu Agricultural University (GAU-QDFC-2020-03).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
LL involved in funding acquisition, conceptualization, and supervision. , ZE, AX, and ZM performed data collection. ZE, JX, and BK did formal analysis. ZE contributed to investigation and writing-original draft. JX participated in methodology. CL involved in resources and project administration. LL, SA, and BK involved in writing-review and editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Handling Editor: Mikihisa Umehara.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Effah, Z., Li, L., Xie, J. et al. Regulation of Nitrogen Metabolism, Photosynthetic Activity, and Yield Attributes of Spring Wheat by Nitrogen Fertilizer in the Semi-arid Loess Plateau Region. J Plant Growth Regul 42, 1120–1133 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10617-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10617-1