Determination of the uptake and utilization of nitrogen in Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. using ¹⁵N isotope

Figures & data

Table 1 Effect of nitrogen (N) supply on plant growth and development at 20 weeks after planting

Treatment	Plant height (cm)	No. leaves per plant	No. new shoots per plant
Control	46.1 ns	3.8 a	4.3 a
N-free solution	46.0	2.5 b	2.3 b
Values within columns followed by different letters are significantly different at P < 0.05. ns, no significant difference.

Table 2 Mean nitrogen (N) content of plants in N-free solution compared with control plants

Treatment	N content (mg plant^−1)
	Stage 2 (9 WAP)	Stage 3 (24 WAP)
Control	222 a	301 a
N-free solution	139 b	171 b
Values within columns followed by different letters are significantly different at P < 0.05. WAP, weeks after planting.

Figure 1  Distribution of nitrogen (N) among organs at different stages of growth.

Figure 2  Utilization of nitrogen (N) at different stages of growth. AN, absorbed nitrogen; ON, original nitrogen.

Figure 3  Original nitrogen (ON), absorbed nitrogen (AN)1 and AN2 fractions in (a) old rhizomes, (b) shoots and (c) compact spikes at different stages of growth.

Figure 4  Original nitrogen (ON) and absorbed nitrogen (AN) fractions in new rhizomes and new storage roots at harvest (Stage 3: 24 weeks after planting).