Growth, root morphology and leaf physiology of watermelon as affected by various rates and forms of nitrogen in the hydroponic system

Yıl 2020, Cilt: 4 Sayı: 2, 134 - 141, 15.06.2020

Abdullah Ulaş

https://doi.org/10.31015/jaefs.2020.2.2

Cited By: 1

Öz

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different rates and forms of nitrogen (N) on shoot growth and root morphological and leaf physiological responses of watermelon (cv. Crimson Tide F1) under hydroponic growth condition. The nutrient solution experiment was conducted between January - March in 2018 by using an aerated Deep Water Culture (DWC) technique in a fully automated climate room placed in the Plant Physiology Laboratory of Erciyes University, Faculty of Agriculture, Kayseri in Turkey. Plants were tested under two N-Rates (N1: 1000 and N2: 2000 µM N) and three different N-Forms (Am-N: NH4+, Nit-N: NO3-, 50% mixture of both N-Forms Mix-N: NH4+NO3) by growing in 8 L pots filled continuously aerated nutrient solution (modified Hoagland). The experiment was conducted with a completely randomized block design with four replications. From each pot two plants were harvested 42 days after treatment (DAT) by separating into stem, leaf and root fractions. The results indicated that shoot growth, root morphological and leaf physiological responses were significantly (p<0.001) affected by N-Rate, N-Form and N-Rate x N-Form interaction. The lowest performance under sole Am-N supply was achieved, since it severely reduced shoot and root growth and leaf area development as compared to sole Nit-N and Mix-N treatments. Irrespective of N rates, best growth performance in shoot growth was achieved under Mix-N supply, while root growth significantly improved under sole Nit-N supply. All these clearly indicate that the application of sole ammonium (1000 µM N) is detrimentally toxic for hydroponically grown watermelon plants. On the other hand, a 50% mixed of ammonium with nitrate even at a higher dose (N2: 2000 µM ammonium N) can be more advantageous for the growth and development of watermelon plants grown in the hydroponic system. Furthermore, our study showed that the effects of N-Form (Nit-N and Mix-N) on the improvement of shoot growth, root morphology and leaf physiological development and photosynthesis were significantly higher than the effects of N-Rate. Therefore, the application of nitrogen fertilizers in the form of Mix-N could be a useful N management strategy for growth and yield of watermelon plants under hydroponic conditions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Nitrogen, Watermelon, N-form, Ammonium toxicity

Destekleyen Kurum

Erciyes University

Teşekkür

Plant Physiology Laboratory of Erciyes University

Kaynakça

• Atkinson, C. J. (1985): Nitrogen acquisition in four co‐existing species from an upland acidic grassland. Physiologia Plantarum, 63(4), 375-387 [Google Scholar].
• Below, F.E. (1987): Effect of mixed N nutrition on nutrient accumulation, partitioning, and productivity of corn. J. Fert. Issues 4, 79-85 [Google Scholar].
• Bennet, W.F., Pesek, J. Hanway, J.J. (1964): Effect of nitrate and ammonium on growth of corn in nutrient solution sand culture. Agronomy Journal 56, 342-345 [Google Scholar].
• Blacquiere, T., Voortman, E., Stulen, I. (1988): Ammonium and nitrate nutrition in Plantago lanceolata L. and Plantago major L. spp. major, 3: nitrogen metabolism. Plant and Soil. 104, 129-141 [Google Scholar].
• Chaillou, S., Morot-Gaudry, J. F., Salsac, L., Lesaint, C., Jolivet, E. (1986): Compared effects of NO3-and NH4+ on growth and metabolism of French bean. Physiol. vég, 24, 679-687 [Google Scholar].
• Chaillou, S., Vessey, J. K., Morot-Gaudry, J. F., Raper Jr, C. D., Henry, L. T., & Boutin, J. P. (1991). Expression of characteristics of ammonium nutrition as affected by pH of the root medium. Journal of Experimental Botany, 42(2), 189-196 [Google Scholar].
• De Visser, R. (1985): Efficiency of respiration and energy requirements of N assimilation in roots of Pisum sativum. Physiologia plantarum, 65(2), 209-218 [Google Scholar].
• Feil, B. (1994): Growth and ammonium: nitrate uptake ratio of spring wheat cultivars under a homogeneous and a spatially separated supply of ammonium and nitrate. Journal of plant nutrition, 17(5), 717-728 [Google Scholar].
• Ganmore-Neumann, R., Kafakafi, U. (1980): Root temperature and percentage NO3/NH4+ effect on tomato plant development. I. Morphology and growth. Agron. J. 72, 758-761 [Google Scholar].
• Grindlay, D.J.C. (1997): REVIEW Towards an explanation of crop nitrogen demand based on the optimization of leaf nitrogen per unit leaf area. J. Agric. Sci. 128: 377-396 [Google Scholar].
• Hageman, R. H. (1984): Ammonium versus nitrate nutrition of higher plants. p. 67-85. In. R. D. Hauck (ed.) Nitrogen in crop production. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI [Google Scholar].
• Haynes, R. J., Goh, K. M. (1978): Ammonium and nitrate nutrition of plants. Biological Reviews, 53(4), 465-510 [Google Scholar].
• Hirasawa, T.; Hsiao, T.C. (1999): Some characteristics of reduced leaf photosynthesis at midday in maize growing in the field. Field Crops Res. 62, 53–62. [Google Scholar]
• Huffman, J.R. (1989): Effects of enhanced ammonium nitrogen availability for corn. J. Agron. Educ. 18, 93-97 [Google Scholar].
• Kinzel, H. (1983): Influence of limestone, silicates and soil pH on vegetation. In Physiological plant ecology III (pp. 201-244). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg [Google Scholar].
• Labconco, C. (1998): A guide to Kjeldahl nitrogen determination methods and apparatus. Labconco Corporation: Houston, TX, USA [Google Scholar].
• Magalhäes, J.R., Wilcox, G.E. (1983): Tomato growth and nutrient uptake patterns as influenced by nitrogen form and light intensity. J. Plant Nutrition 6, 941-956 [Google Scholar].
• Marschner, H. (1995) Mineral nutrition of higher plants. Academic Press, London, San Diego, New York. 231-234 [Google Scholar].
• Raab, T.K., Terry, N. (1995): Carbon, nitrogen, and nutrient interactions in Beta vulgaris L. as influenced by nitrogen source, NO3- versus NH4+. Plant Physiol. 107, 575-584 [Google Scholar].
• SAS Institute (2003): SAS for Windows 9.1. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.
• Sattelmacher, B., Klotz, F., Marschner, H. (1990): Influence of the Nitrogen Level on Root-Growth and Morphology of 2 Potato Varieties Differing in Nitrogen Acquisition. Plant Soil, 123, 131–137. [Google Scholar].
• Schulte Auf’m Erley, G., Wijaya, K.A., Ulas, A., Becker, H., Wiesler, F., Horst, W.J. (2007): Leaf senescence and N uptake parameters as selection traits for nitrogen efficiency of oilseed rape cultivars. Physiol. Plant. 2007, 130, 519–531. [Google Scholar].
• Sommer, K. (1994): Stickstoffdüngung und Stickstoffrecycling nach dem "CULTAN"Verfahren. In: Lehr- und Forschungsschwerpunkt "Umweltverträgliche und standortgerechte Landwirtschaft" an der Landwirtschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. Forschungsberichte 14, 6-33 [Google Scholar].
• Takács, E., Técsi, L. (1992): Effects of NO3-/NH4+ ratio on photosynthetic rate, nitrate reductase activity and chloroplast ultrastructure in three cultivars of red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Journal of plant physiology, 140(3), 298-305 [Google Scholar].
• Ulas, A., Schulte Auf’m Erley, G., Kamh, M., Wiesler, F., Horst, W.J. (2012): Root-growth characteristics contributing to genotypic variation in nitrogen efficiency of oilseed rape. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci. 175, 489–498 [Google Scholar].
• Ulas, A., Wiesler, F., Horst, W.J. (2013): Growth and mineral element composition of rape cultivars as affected by various N-forms. Soil-Water Journal, Vol. 2, Number 2 (1). 15-22. [Google Scholar].
• Ulas, A., Doganci, E., Ulas, F., Yetisir, H. (2019): Root-growth Characteristics Contributing to Genotypic Variation in Nitrogen Efficiency of Bottle Gourd and Rootstock Potential for Watermelon. Plants, 8(3), 77 [Google Scholar].
• Wiesler, F. (1997): Agronomical and physiolgical aspects of ammonium and nitrate nutrition of plants. Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenk. 160, 227-238 [Google Scholar].
• Wilcox, G. E., Magalhaes, J. R., Silva, F. L. I. M. (1985): Ammonium and nitrate concentrations as factors in tomato growth and nutrient uptake. Journal of plant nutrition, 8(11), 989-998 [Google Scholar].