Nitrogen accumulation and nitrate reductase activity in MM. 106 apple trees as affected by nitrate supply

Abstract

The effect of nitrate supply in the nutrient solution on N accumulation was investigated in various organs of MM.106 apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh.). Increasing nitrate supply increased the concentration and amount of total N in leaves and stems, but there was a saturation point of total N accumulation in response to the nitrate supply. The increased accumulation of total N in leaves and stems with increasing nitrate supply were due to increases in reduced N, since nitrate N remained relatively constant. Reduced N contents of trunk bark and trunk wood were significantly decreased when low nitrate was supplied, whereas that of roots was changed insignificantly. Most organs contained only a small portion of their total N as nitrate. The activities of nitrate reductase (NR) were measured using an in vivo assay either with or without nitrate for estimating reduced N accumulation. The in vivo —N03- NR assay may be a better way to estimate the accumulation of reduced N than the in vivo +N03- NR assay since...