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Nitrogen Source Preference in Maize at Seedling Stage Is Mainly Dependent on Growth Medium pH.
- Source :
-
Agronomy . Sep2022, Vol. 12 Issue 9, p2149-2149. 15p. - Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- To improve crop nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE), plants must be supplied with their preferred form of nitrogen (N). However, whether pH affects crop N-form preference remains unclear. Here, we aimed to explore how maize (Zea mays L.) preference for NH4+ and NO3− is affected by pH and to determine the critical pH controlling this preference. Maize plants were grown with NH4+ or NO3− in different soils (pH 4.32–8.14) and nutrient solutions (pH 4.00–8.00). After harvest, plant dry weights, N content, N uptake, NRE, soil pH, and exchangeable aluminum (Al) were measured. Compared with the effect of NO3−, NH4+ decreased maize dry weight, N uptake, and NRE by 28–94% at soil pHs of 4.32 and 4.36 and a solution pH of 4.00, whereas it increased these parameters by 10–88% at soil pHs of 6.52–8.02 and solution pHs of 7.00 and 8.00. NO3− increased soil pH and decreased soil exchangeable Al content at soil pHs of 4.32–6.68. Critical soil and solution pHs for changing plant growth and N uptake preference for NH4+ vs. NO3− ranged from 5.08 to 5.40 and from 5.50 to 6.59, respectively. In conclusion, the preference of maize seedling growth and N uptake for NH4+ vs. NO3− mainly depends on the pH of the growth medium, and maize seedlings generally prefer NO3− in strongly acid soils but NH4+ in neutral to alkaline soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *ACID soils
*SODIC soils
*SOIL acidity
*SEEDLINGS
*NITROGEN
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20734395
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Agronomy
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 159273762
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092149