scholarly journals Crop Mass and N Status as Prerequisite Covariables for Unraveling Nitrogen Use Efficiency across Genotype-by-Environment-by-Management Scenarios: A Review

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Lemaire ◽  
Ignacio Ciampitti

Due to the asymptotic nature of the crop yield response curve to fertilizer N supply, the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE, yield per unit of fertilizer applied) of crops declines as the crop N nutrition becomes less limiting. Therefore, it is difficult to directly compare the NUE of crops according to genotype-by-environment-by-management interactions in the absence of any indication of crop N status. The determination of the nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) allows the estimation of crop N status independently of the N fertilizer application rate. Moreover, the theory of N dilution in crops indicates clearly that crop N uptake is coregulated by (i) soil N availability and (ii) plant growth rate capacity. Thus, according to genotype-by-environment-by-management interactions leading to variation in potential plant growth capacity, N demand for a given soil N supply condition would be different; consequently, the NUE of the crop would be dissimilar. We demonstrate that NUE depends on the crop potential growth rate and N status defined by the crop NNI. Thus, providing proper context to NUE changes needs to be achieved by considering comparisons with similar crop mass and NNI to avoid any misinterpretation. The latter needs to be considered not only when analyzing genotype-by-environment-by-management interactions for NUE but for other resource use efficiency inputs such as water use efficiency (colimitation N–water) under field conditions.

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 350
Author(s):  
Francisco Albornoz ◽  
Adriana Nario ◽  
Macarena Saavedra ◽  
Ximena Videla

The use of grafting techniques for horticultural crops increases plant tolerance to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Tomato production under greenhouse conditions relies on plants grafted onto vigorous rootstocks because they sustain crops for longer periods. Growers under Mediterranean conditions usually grow crops in passive greenhouses during the summer and winter season, to provide fresh products throughout the year. No information is available with regard to the effect of the environment on nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) in tomato plants grafted onto rootstocks with different vigor. In the present study, NUE, along with its components—uptake (NUpE) and utilization (NUtE) efficiencies—were evaluated in tomato plants grafted onto two interspecific rootstocks, conferring medium (“King Kong”) or high (“Kaiser”) vigor to the plants. The evaluations were carried out during the vegetative and reproductive stage in plants subjected to different environmental conditions resulting in different plant growth rates. The grafting treatments did not affect NUE, NUpE or NUtE in young plants, but at the reproductive stage, differences were found during the summer season (high N demand) where the vigorous rootstock increased NUpE from 55%, in non-grafted plants, to 94%, with the consequent differences in NUE. During the winter crop, no differences in NUE were found between the vigorous rootstock and non-grafted plants, but the less vigorous (cold-tolerant) rootstock enhanced NUpE. Significant positive relationships were found between plant growth rate and both NUE and NUpE, while NUtE decreased with increasing growth rate.


Agronomy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Azher Nawaz ◽  
Xiaojie Han ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Zuhua Zheng ◽  
Fareeha Shireen ◽  
...  

Nitrogen availability is the key determinant of plant growth and development. The improvement of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in crops is an important consideration. In fruit and vegetables, such as watermelon, rootstocks are often utilized to control soil borne diseases and improve plant performance to a range of abiotic stresses. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of 10 wild watermelon rootstocks (ZXG-516, ZXG-941, ZXG-945, ZXG-1250, ZXG-1251, ZXG-1558, ZXG-944, ZXG-1469, ZXG-1463, and ZXG-952) to improve the plant growth and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of the watermelon cultivar: Zaojia 8424. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a comprehensive parameter that represents the ability of a plant to absorb nitrogen (N) and convert the supplied resources to the dry biomass. Wild watermelon rootstocks substantially improved plant growth, rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductivity, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, rate of transpiration, nitrogen uptake efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, and nitrogen utilization efficiency of watermelon. NUE of watermelon grafted onto ZXG-945, ZXG-1250, and ZXG-941 was improved by up to 67%, 77%, and 168%, respectively, at optimum N supply. Similarly, at low N supply (0.2 mM), NUE of watermelon grafted onto ZXG-1558 and ZXG-516 was improved by up to 104% and 175%, respectively. In conclusion, grafting onto some wild rootstocks can improve nitrogen use efficiency of watermelon, and this improved nitrogen use efficiency could be attributed to better N uptake efficiency of wild watermelon rootstocks.


2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Y. Yuan ◽  
Han Y. H. Chen ◽  
Ling H. Li

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) can be divided into two components, i.e. N productivity (A) and the mean residence time (MRT). Controlled experiments indicate that there is not a trade-off between A and MRT within species, but this theory has not been well tested in field conditions. Here, we studied the A, MRT and NUE of Stipa krylovii Roshev. in a grassland over 4 years of N fertilisation experimentation. The three parameters (A, MRT and NUE) were significantly related to soil N supply and there was a negative relationship between A and MRT within this species (r = –0.775, P < 0.05), i.e. plants with higher A had lower MRT. Our results showed a trade-off between A and MRT within this Stipa species and this observed trade-off was attributed to different responses of A and MRT to soil fertility.


2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. Ma ◽  
M. Li ◽  
L. M. Dwyer ◽  
G. Stewart

Little information is available comparing agronomic performance and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) for N application methods such as foliar spray, soil application, and ear injection in maize (Zea mays L.). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of various N application methods on total stover dry matter, grain yield, and NUE of maize hybrids using a 15N-labeling approach. A field experiment was conducted on a Dalhousie clay loam in Ottawa and a Guelph loam in Guelph for 2 yr (1999 and 2000). Three N application methods were tested on two maize hybrids, Pioneer 3893 and Pioneer 38P06 Bt. At planting, 60 kg N ha-1 as ammonium nitrate was applied to all treatments. In addition, 6.5 kg N ha-1 and 13.5 kg N ha-1 as 15N-labeled urea were applied to either foliage (Treatment I) or soil (Treatment II) at V6 and V12 stages, respectively. In Treatment III, 20 kg N ha-1 as 15N-labeled urea was injected into space between ear and husks at silking. The results showed that compared with soil N application neither foliar spray nor injection through ear affected grain yield or stover dry matter. The NUE values ranged from 12 to 76% for N fertilizer applied at V6 a nd V12 stages, or at silking for all treatments. There was no interaction of hybrid × N application methods on any variables measured with the only exception that for soil N application, grain NUE in Pioneer 38P06 Bt was significant higher than in Pioneer 3893. The difference in total N and NUE of grain and stover between soil N application and foliar N spray was inconsistent. However, NUE was substantially higher for N injection through the ear than for foliar or soil application without differential responses between the two hybrids. Nitrogen injection through the ear at silking might have altered N redistribution within the plant and improved NUE. Hence, it can potentially enhance grain protein content. Foliar N spray is not advocated for maize production in Ontario. Key words: Maize, Zea mays, nitrogen application methods, nitrogen-15, yield, nitrogen use efficiency


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mousumi Mondal ◽  
Milan Skalicky ◽  
Sourav Garai ◽  
Akbar Hossain ◽  
Sukamal Sarkar ◽  
...  

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is adorned as the one of the important sources of vegetable oil, protein, vitamins and several minerals, which could mitigate the nutritional gap worldwide. However, peanut cultivation in winter suffers from low temperature stress and knowledge lacuna regarding the optimum dose nitrogen. Therefore, the present investigations were carried out during the winter seasons 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 at the district seed farm of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, an agricultural university in West Bengal, India (23°26’ N, 88°22´ E, elevation 12 m above mean sea level) to facilitate the comprehensive study of plant growth, productivity and profitability of an irrigated peanut crop under varied levels of nitrogen: with and without a rhizobium inoculants and with and without polythene mulch. Quality traits and nutrient dynamics were also itemized. Fertilizing with 100% of the recommended dose of nitrogen combined with rhizobium inoculant and polythene mulch significantly enhanced peanut plant growth, yield and yield-attributing traits, while resulting in the maximum fertilizer (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) uptake by different plant parts. The greatest number of root nodules occurred in the treatment that received 75% of the recommended dose of nitrogen with rhizobium supplementation under polythene mulch, while 50% of the recommended dose of nitrogen with no rhizobium resulted in maximum fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency. Applying the full recommended dose of nitrogen with the rhizobium inoculants and mulch resulted in maximum profitability in the peanut crop.


2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 589-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Zebarth ◽  
G. Tai ◽  
R. Tarn ◽  
H. de Jong ◽  
P. H. Milburn

One approach for reducing the contribution of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production to nitrate contamination of groundwater is to develop cultivars which utilize N more efficiently. In this study, variation in N use efficiency (NUE; dry matter production per unit crop N supply) characteristics of 20 commercial potato cultivars of North American and European origin were evaluated in 2 yr. Cultivars were grown with or without application of 100 kg N ha-1 as ammonium nitrate banded at planting. The recommended within-row spacing was used for each cultivar and no irrigation was applied. Plant dry matter and N accumulation were determined prior to significant leaf senescence. Crop N supply was estimated as fertilizer N applied plus soil inorganic N measured at planting plus apparent net soil N mineralization. Nitrogen use efficiency decreased curvilinearly with increasing crop N supply. Nitrogen use efficiency was lower for early-maturing cultivars compared to mid-season and late-maturing cultivars. A curvilinear relationship was obtained between plant dry matter accumulation and plant N accumulation using data for all cultivars. Deviations from this relationship were interpreted as variation in N utilization efficiency (NUtE; dry matter accumulation per unit N accumulation). Significant differences in NUtE were measured among cultivars of similar maturity. Nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE; plant N content per unit crop N supply) and soil nitrate concentration measured at plant harvest were uniformly low for all cultivars when crop N supply was limited, but varied among cultivars when N was more abundant. This suggests that potato cultivars vary more in terms of N uptake capacity (plant N accumulation in the presence of an abundant N supply) than in terms of NUpE. Key words: Solanum tuberosum, N mineralization, dry matter accumulation, N accumulation, N utilization efficiency


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilde Antonella Di Benedetto ◽  
◽  
Maria Rosaria Corbo ◽  
Daniela Campaniello ◽  
Mariagrazia Pia Cataldi ◽  
...  

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2364
Author(s):  
Shanay T. Williams ◽  
Sally Vail ◽  
Melissa M. Arcand

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is essential for sustainable agriculture, especially in high-N-demanding crops such as canola (Brassica napus). While advancements in above-ground agronomic practices have improved NUE, research on soil and below-ground processes are limited. Plant NUE—and its components, N uptake efficiency (NUpE), and N utilization efficiency (NUtE)—can be further improved by exploring crop variety and soil N cycling. Canola parental genotypes (NAM-0 and NAM-17) and hybrids (H151857 and H151816) were grown on a dark brown chernozem in Saskatchewan, Canada. Soil and plant samples were collected at the 5–6 leaf stage and flowering, and seeds were collected at harvest maturity. Soil N cycling varied with phenotypic stage, with higher potential ammonium oxidation rates at the 5–6 leaf stage and higher urease activity at flowering. Seed N uptake was higher under higher urea-N rates, while the converse was true for NUE metrics. Hybrids had higher yield, seed N uptake, NUtE, and NUE, with higher NUE potentially owing to higher NUtE at flowering, which led to higher yield and seed N allocation. Soil N cycling and soil N concentrations correlated for improved canola NUE, revealing below-ground breeding targets. Future studies should consider multiple root characteristics, including rhizosphere microbial N cycling, root exudates, and root system architecture, to determine the below-ground dynamics of plant NUE.


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