Non-destructive Limits to Seed Growth and Leaf Protease Activities in Nodulating and Non-nodulating Soybean Isolines

Abstract

Leaf senescence leads to a progressive decline in the photosynthetic competence of the leaf. This paper describes some effects of source:sink imbalance on leaf protein catabolism and senescence in soybean. We manipulated pod growth by restricting 100 or 50 % (PR-100 or PR-50, respectively) of young pods at the R4 stage in plastic drinking straws. This effectively reduces final seed mass without interrupting the vascular connections of pods. Nodulating (NOD+) and non-nodulating (NOD−) isolines of the ‘Clay’ soybean were grown in drainage lysimeters and three pod-restriction (PR) treatments were compared. Pod restriction decreased seed biomass per plant as a result of lower individual seed mass, which was only partially balanced by the increase in seed number. The nitrogen concentration in seeds remained unchanged in NOD+ plants, while it increased with the degree of sink restriction in seeds of NOD− plants. Leaf soluble protein, CO2 exchange rate and seed nitrogen content were consistently lower in NOD− plants; the leaf protein level remained stable with time in PR-100 plants, decreased for PR-50 and dropped for controls. Endoprotease (HBase) and carboxypeptidase (CPase) activities were significantly lower in leaves from PR-100 plants, while aminopeptidase activity was enhanced, indicating a de novo synthesis of leaf protein. This is consistent with the reported accumulation of vegetative storage proteins (VSPs) in soybean and other legumes after moderate or severe sink reduction. Thus, small modifications of the source:sink ratio such as those obtained by the non-destructive PR technique have an impact on leaf protein catabolism. Nodulating and non-nodulating soybean isolines showed similar responses to PR in terms of leaf senescence initiation and progression, but the rate of the processes appear to be largely influenced by plant N status.