Wheat Plants and Nitrogen Uptake from Amino Acids
Author Information
Author(s): Paul W. Hill, Richard S. Quilliam, Thomas H. DeLuca, John Farrar, Mark Farrell, Paula Roberts, Kevin K. Newsham, David W. Hopkins, Richard D. Bardgett, David L. Jones
Primary Institution: Bangor University
Hypothesis
Non-symbiotic higher plants are able to take up and assimilate amino acids and small peptides supplied at low concentrations, irrespective of enantiomeric form.
Conclusion
Wheat can utilize L-peptide and D-amino acid nitrogen at rates comparable to L-amino acids and inorganic nitrogen.
Supporting Evidence
- Plants took up L-alanine, D-alanine, and L-trialanine at rates of 0.9±0.3, 0.3±0.06, and 0.3±0.04 µmol g−1 root DW h−1, respectively.
- D-alanine was taken up at a rate five-fold higher than NO3- when other forms of nitrogen were available.
- Plants lost approximately 60% of amino acid carbon taken up in respiration, regardless of the enantiomeric form.
Takeaway
Wheat plants can use different forms of nitrogen from the soil, including some that we didn't think were important before.
Methodology
Wheat roots were exposed to solutions of labeled amino acids and peptides to measure uptake rates.
Limitations
The study focused only on wheat and may not represent other plant species' abilities to utilize these nitrogen forms.
Participant Demographics
Wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.)
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.004
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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