Interactive effects of nitrogen and irradiance on growth and partitioning of dry mass and nitrogen in young tomato plants

Abstract

The interactive effects of irradiance and N on growth of young tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were studied. Plants were grown at 70 or 300 μmol photons m^–2 s^–1, hereafter referred to as 'low' and 'high' irradiance, and at a range of exponential N supply rates (70–370 mg g^–1 d^–1) or at a constant concentration in the nutrient solution of 12 mM NO₃^–. At both irradiance levels, leaf area ratio was more important than net assimilation rate (NAR) in explaining effects of N on growth at mild N limitation. However, at severe N limitation, NAR became the most important parameter, as indicated by calculated growth response coefficients. Furthermore, this study shows that N supply and growth irradiance interacted strongly. The decrease of specific leaf area with increasing N limitation and increasing growth irradiance correlated with increasing leaf dry mass percentage and starch concentration. Furthermore, at low irradiance, plants partitioned more dry mass to the stem. Dry mass partitioning to roots increased with decreasing plant N concentration, and this relation appeared to be independent of irradiance. Shading increased plant N concentration and decreased dry mass partitioning to roots. Also, the relationship between plant N concentration and N partitioning to different plant organs was largely independent of growth irradiance.