The effect of oxygen on nitrate and nitrite assimilation in leaves of Zea mays L. under dark conditions

The assimilation of nitrate under dark-N2 and dark-O2 conditions in Zea mays leaf tissue was investigated using colourimetric and 15N techniques for the determination of organic and inorganic nitrogen. Studies using 15N indicated that nitrate was assimilated under dark conditions. However, the rate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Planta 1986-11, Vol.169 (3), p.339-344
Main Authors: Watt, M.P. (Widwatersrand Univ., Johannesburg (South Africa). Botany Dept.), Gray, V.M, Cresswell, C.F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Anaerobic conditions
Anaerobiosis
ASIMILACION
ASSIMILATION
AZOTE
Biological and medical sciences
Blatt
Chloroplasts
Dunkelheit
Economic plant physiology
FEUILLE
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
HOJAS
LEAVES
Metabolism
Metabolism. Physicochemical requirements
METABOLISME DE L'AZOTE
METABOLISMO DEL NITROGENO
Nitrat
NITRATE
NITRATES
NITRATOS
Nitrit
NITRITE
NITRITES
NITRITOS
NITROGEN
NITROGEN METABOLISM
Nitrogen metabolism and other ones (excepting carbon metabolism)
NITROGENO
Nutrition. Photosynthesis. Respiration. Metabolism
OXIGENO
OXYGEN
OXYGENE
Plant physiology and development
Plants
Sauerstoff
Spinach
Stickstofform
Stickstoffstoffwechsel
Zea
ZEA MAYS
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Summary:The assimilation of nitrate under dark-N2 and dark-O2 conditions in Zea mays leaf tissue was investigated using colourimetric and 15N techniques for the determination of organic and inorganic nitrogen. Studies using 15N indicated that nitrate was assimilated under dark conditions. However, the rate of nitrate assimilation in the dark was only 28% of the rate under non-saturating light conditions. No nitrite accumulated under dark aerobiosis, even though nitrate reduction occurred under these conditions. The pattern of nitrite accumulation in leaf tissue in response to dark-N2 conditions consisted of three phases: an initial lag phase, followed by a period of rapid nitrite accumulation and finally a phase during which the rate of nitrite accumulation declined. After a 1-h period of dark-anaerobiosis, both nitrate reduction and nitrite accumulation declined considerably. However, when O2 was supplied, nitrate reduction was stimulated and the accumulated nitrite was rapidly reduced. Anaerobic conditions stimulated nitrate reduction in leaf tissue after a period of dark-aerobic pretreatment.
ISSN:0032-0935
1432-2048
DOI:10.1007/BF00392129