Nitrogen Assimilatory Enzymes and Amino Acid Content in Inoculated Foliar Fertilized Pea Plants Grown at Reduced Molybdenum Concentration

ABSTRACT

A possibility to improve nitrogen assimilation in nitrogen fixing Molybdenum (Mo) deficient pea plants was shown. The influence of foliar supplied nutrients in addition to root nutrition resulted in reducing the unfavorable effects of inorganic nitrogen on nodule function and Mo deficiency on the nitrogen assimilatory enzymes. Inoculated pea plants were grown on liquid nutrient solution both with and without Mo. The following variants were tested: Mo supplied plants with root nutrition (F1 + Mo); Mo supplied plants with root and foliar nutrition (F2 + Mo); Mo deficient plants with root nutrition (F1 − Mo); and Mo deficient plants with root and foliar nutrition (F2 − Mo). Foliar application of nutrients had a positive effect on the glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase enzyme activities in the roots and nodules of Mo deficient plants. It was found that the foliar fertilization reduced the inhibitory effect of Mo shortage on the aspartate/asparagine content in the pea shoots.

Keywords:

• amino acids
• foliar fertilizer
• glutamate synthase
• glutamine synthetase
• molybdenum
• pea (Pisum sativum L)

Notes

∗Data are expressed as means ± SE. Reported values were averaged from three independent extractions (n = 3).