Cytokinin Dynamics during the Response to Nitrogen in Two Contrasting Plectranthus Genotypes

Nitrogen response was compared in two Plectranthus species, Plectranthus parviflorus and Plectranthus ambiguus, which differ substantially in their phenotypic reaction to nitrogen limitation. The leaves of the former species gradually yellow during the nitrogen stress but are retained on the plant. This species copes with nitrogen deficiency also by gradual hydrolysis of starch grains. The latter species, P. ambiguus, responds by abscission of lower leaves. As plant hormones cytokinins are involved in nitrogen response as well as in regulation of the chlorophyll content, their dynamics were followed to explore the fast responses as well as the impact of nitrogen treatment. Both plant species responded to nitrogen deficiency/supplementation in similar ways, by downregulation and upregulation, respectively, of active cytokinins. However, the different phenotypic reactions imposed by nitrogen limitation were associated with specific regulation of cytokinin pool accompanying the stress response by the two species. The increase of the active cytokinins on nitrogen resupply was faster and stronger in the regreening species, P. parviflorus than in P. ambiguus. However, the P. ambiguus plants maintained higher basal levels of all cytokinin metabolites as well as chlorophyll content when compared with P. parviflorus. Nitrogen deficiency was associated in this species with accumulation of cis-zeatin-type cytokinins, which preceded abscission of lower and later on of middle leaves. The achieved results indicate that phenotypic variations in the response to nitrogen deficiency/supplementation are associated with significant quantitative and qualitative differences in the cytokinin pool.