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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (2): 65-74.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022035

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Physiological responses of female and male Buchloe dactyloides plants to different nitrogen forms

Li-zhu GUO1(), Hui-zhen MENG1,2, Xi-feng FAN1, Ke TENG1, Wen-jun TENG1, Hai-feng WEN1, Yue-sen YUE1, Hui ZHANG1, Ju-ying WU1()   

  1. 1.Institute of Grassland,Flowers and Ecology,Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences,Beijing 100097,China
    2.College of Life Science,Northwest University,Xi’an 710069,China
  • Received:2022-01-18 Revised:2022-04-09 Online:2023-02-20 Published:2022-12-01
  • Contact: Ju-ying WU

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to explore the preference and responses of female and male buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) to different nitrogen forms, and provide technical data for optimal management of nitrogen fertilizer for B. dactyloides. Thus we investigated the effects of NO3--N (N1), NH4+-N (N2), NO3--N∶NH4+-N=1∶1 (N3) and a zero nitrogen treatment (CK) on growth traits, biomass, chlorophyll content, leaf nitrogen content and enzymes related to nitrogen metabolism of female and male buffalograss ramets in a glasshouse sand culture experiment. It was found that growth traits, biomass of different parts, aboveground biomass and total biomass of female buffalograss were significantly lower under the N2 treatment than under N1 and CK, with the result for N3 being intermediate between N1 and N2 treatment, indicating that treatment with NH4+-N alone may inhibit the growth of female buffalograss. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between the N1 treatment and CK in spacer length and diameter of male buffolagrass plants, but values for the N1 treatment were significantly greater than those under N2 and N3 treatments. Additionally, stolon node number, stolon length, root biomass, aboveground biomass and total biomass of male buffalograss were significantly greater under N1 than other treatments. Chlorophyll A content and total chlorophyll content of female and male buffolagrass were greater under the NO3--N treatment than CK. However, there was no significant difference between the three N-form treatments for female buffalograss, but male buffalograss under the N1 treatment differed significantly from N2 and N3 treatments. In the NH4NO3 treatment, leaf nitrogen content and three nitrogen metabolism related enzymes activities of female buffalograss were the highest, however, those of male buffalograss were highest under the N1 treatment. These results indicate that both female and male buffalograss plants prefer nitrate nitrogen; female buffalograss plants were found to be extremely sensitive to NH4+-N as the sole nitrogen source and their growth was inhibited, but mixed supply with ammonium and nitrate nitrogen alleviated or even improved the physiological function of N metabolism of female buffalograss; this response was not observed in male buffalograss. In summary, significant differences in the response of female and male buffalograss plants to different forms of nitrogen were found. This information could form a theoretical foundation for development of a differential nitrogen management of female and male buffolagrass.

Key words: Buchloe dactyloides, female and male, nitrogen form, biomass allocation, enzymes related to nitrogen metabolism