Seed reserve dependency of Leucaena leucocephala seedling growth for nitrogen and phosphorus
Martijn Slot A B , Danielle T. Palow A and Kaoru Kitajima A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
B Corresponding author. Email: mslot@ufl.edu
Functional Plant Biology 40(3) 244-250 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP12255
Submitted: 31 August 2012 Accepted: 13 October 2012 Published: 23 November 2012
Abstract
Mineral elements stored in seed reserves meet the nutrient demands of seedlings during their initial development and growth. We experimentally examined when seed reserves become insufficient to meet demands for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) of seedlings of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, a tropical woody legume. Seedlings were grown from seeds with four nutrient treatments: receiving all nutrients; all nutrients except N, all nutrients except P or deionised water. Growth curves were compared to quantify the time course of the onset of N and P deficiency during 8 weeks. N deficiency became significant for leaf area and biomass growth after 11 and 16 days, respectively, whereas P deficiency became significant after 31 days for both leaf area and biomass growth. Thus, seed reserves alone could support the P demands of seedlings for more than twice as long as N demands. As nutrient deficiency developed, seedlings adjusted increased relative biomass allocation to roots, diluted organ N and P concentrations but conserved 100% of the initial nutrient pool derived from the seed.
Additional keywords: growth analysis, Leucaena leucocephala, nitrogen limitation, nitrogen deficiency, phosphorus nutrition, seed reserves, seedling growth.
References
Allsopp N, Stock WD (1995) Relationships between seed reserves, seedling growth and mycorrhizal responses in 14 related shrubs (Rosidae) from a low-nutrient environment. Functional Ecology 9, 248–254.| Relationships between seed reserves, seedling growth and mycorrhizal responses in 14 related shrubs (Rosidae) from a low-nutrient environment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Barclay AS, Earl FR (1974) Chemical analyses of seeds III. Oil and protein content of 1253 species. Economic Botany 28, 178–236.
| Chemical analyses of seeds III. Oil and protein content of 1253 species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Barea JM, Salamanca CP, Herrera MA (1990) The role of VA mycorrhizae in improving nitrogen fixation by woody legumes in arid zones. In ‘Fast growing trees and nitrogen fixating trees’. (Eds D Werner, P Muller) pp. 303–311. (Gustav Fisher Verlag: Stuttgart, Germany)
Baruch Z, Goldstein G (1999) Leaf construction cost, nutrient concentration, and net CO2 assimilation of native and invasive species in Hawaii. Oecologia 121, 183–192.
| Leaf construction cost, nutrient concentration, and net CO2 assimilation of native and invasive species in Hawaii.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bolan NS (1991) A critical review on the role of mycorrhizal fungi in the uptake of phosphorus by plants. Plant and Soil 134, 189–207.
| A critical review on the role of mycorrhizal fungi in the uptake of phosphorus by plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXltFenu7o%3D&md5=6ac4e85e4b0bcdc5f0b428994cf51f5cCAS |
Burnham R, Johnson K (2004) South American palaeobotany and the origins of neotropical rainforests. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences 359, 1595–1610.
| South American palaeobotany and the origins of neotropical rainforests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Epstein E (1972) ‘Mineral nutrients of plants: principles and perspectives.’ (Wiley: New York)
Evans JR (1989) Photosynthesis and nitrogen relationships in leaves of C3 plants. Oecologia 78, 9–19.
| Photosynthesis and nitrogen relationships in leaves of C3 plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fenner M (1986) A bioassay to determine the limiting minerals for seeds from nutrient-deprived Senecio vulgaris plants. Journal of Ecology 74, 497–505.
| A bioassay to determine the limiting minerals for seeds from nutrient-deprived Senecio vulgaris plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL28XkvFKmtLY%3D&md5=56bbd6fd863ddc2c25cee0cf0a04e671CAS |
Fenner M, Lee WG (1989) Growth of seedlings of pasture grasses and legumes deprived of single mineral nutrients. Journal of Applied Ecology 26, 223–232.
| Growth of seedlings of pasture grasses and legumes deprived of single mineral nutrients.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL1MXltFCgsbY%3D&md5=187c4d32ecd5cb7e1e2e0a7340ef0576CAS |
Grubb PJ, Metcalfe DJ, Grubb EAA, Jones GD (1998) Nitrogen-richness and protection of seeds in Australian tropical rainforest: a test of plant defence theory. Oikos 82, 467–482.
| Nitrogen-richness and protection of seeds in Australian tropical rainforest: a test of plant defence theory.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Halliday J, Somasegaran P (1982) Nodulation, nitrogen fixation and rhizobium strain affinities in the genus Leucaena. In ‘Leucaena research in the Asian-Pacific region’. pp. 27–32. (IDRC: Ottawa)
Hanley ME, Fenner M (1997) Seedling growth of four fire-following Mediterranean plant species deprived of single mineral nutrients. Functional Ecology 11, 398–405.
| Seedling growth of four fire-following Mediterranean plant species deprived of single mineral nutrients.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Heath KD, Tiffin P (2007) Context dependence in the coevolution of plant and rhizobial mutualists. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences 274, 1905–1912.
Hikosaka K, Terashima I (1996) Nitrogen partitioning among photosynthetic components and its consequence in sun and shade plants. Functional Ecology 10, 335–343.
| Nitrogen partitioning among photosynthetic components and its consequence in sun and shade plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hirose T, Kitajima K (1986) Nitrogen uptake and plant growth. I. Effect of nitrogen removal on growth of Polygonum cuspidatum. Annals of Botany 58, 479–486.
| Nitrogen uptake and plant growth. I. Effect of nitrogen removal on growth of Polygonum cuspidatum.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Israel DW (1987) Investigation of the role of phosphorus in symbiotic dinitrogen fixation. Plant Physiology 84, 835–840.
| Investigation of the role of phosphorus in symbiotic dinitrogen fixation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXltFakt7g%3D&md5=04ddb5689d942f9a6d67ebaa4f23962dCAS |
Jones JB, Case BW (1996) Soil testing and plant analysis no. 3. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 3: chemical methods’. (Ed. DL Sparks) pp. 389–415. (Soil Science Society of America: Madison, WI)
Kitajima K (2002) Do shade-tolerant tropical tree seedlings depend longer on seed reserves? Functional growth analysis of three Bignoniaceae species. Functional Ecology 16, 433–444.
| Do shade-tolerant tropical tree seedlings depend longer on seed reserves? Functional growth analysis of three Bignoniaceae species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kitajima K (2007) Seed and seedling ecology. In ‘Handbook for functional plant ecology’. 2nd edn. (Eds FI Pugnaire, F Valladares) pp. 549–580. (Marcel Dekker: New York)
Kitajima K, Hogan KP (2003) Increases of chlorophyll a : b ratios during acclimation of tropical woody seedlings to nitrogen limitation and high light. Plant, Cell & Environment 26, 857–865.
| Increases of chlorophyll a : b ratios during acclimation of tropical woody seedlings to nitrogen limitation and high light.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lambers H, Chapin FS, Pons TL (2008) ‘Plant physiological ecology.’ 2nd edn. (Springer-Verlag: New York)
Lambers H, Mougel C, Jaillard B, Hinsinger P (2009) Plant–microbe–soil interactions in the rhizosphere: an evolutionary perspective. Plant and Soil 321, 83–115.
| Plant–microbe–soil interactions in the rhizosphere: an evolutionary perspective.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXos1emsro%3D&md5=460def97ca3cc8ebe7d481513161c39bCAS |
Lowe S, Browne M, Boudjelas S, De Poorter M (2000) 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species; a selection from the global invasive species database. The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) a specialist group of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Available at http://www.issg.org/database/species/reference_files/100English.pdf [Accessed 19 September 2011]
Mahmood A, Iqbal R, Quadri R, Naz S (2004) Some observations on mycorrhizae of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Pakistan Journal of Botany 36, 659–662.
Manjunath A, Bagyaraj DJ, Gopala Gowda HS (1984) Dual inoculation with VA mycorrhizae and Rhizobium is beneficial to Leucaena. Plant and Soil 78, 445–448.
| Dual inoculation with VA mycorrhizae and Rhizobium is beneficial to Leucaena.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McKey D (1994) Legumes and nitrogen: the evolutionary ecology of a nitrogen demanding lifestyle. In ‘Advances in legume systematics 5: the nitrogen factor’. (Eds JI Sprent, D McKey) pp. 211–228. (Royal Botanic Gardens: Kew, UK)
Milberg P, Lamont BB (1997) Seed/cotyledon size and nutrient content play a major role in early performance of species on nutrient-poor soils. New Phytologist 137, 665–672.
| Seed/cotyledon size and nutrient content play a major role in early performance of species on nutrient-poor soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mullen BF, Shelton HM, Gutteridge RC, Basford KE (2003) Agronomic evaluation of Leucaena. Part 1. Adaptation to environmental challenges in multi-environment trials. Agroforestry Systems 58, 77–92.
| Agronomic evaluation of Leucaena. Part 1. Adaptation to environmental challenges in multi-environment trials.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Munns DN, Mosse B (1980) Mineral nutrition of legume crops. In ‘Advances in legumes science’. (Eds RJ Summerfield, AH Bunting) pp. 115–125. (University of Reading Press: London)
Muthukumar T, Udaiyan K (2000) The role of seed resources in arbuscular mycorrhizal formation and growth of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. and Zea mays L. Mycorrhiza 9, 323–330.
| The role of seed resources in arbuscular mycorrhizal formation and growth of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. and Zea mays L.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Parniske M (2008) Arbuscular mycorrhiza: the mother of plant root endosymbioses. Nature Reviews Microbiology 6, 763–775.
| Arbuscular mycorrhiza: the mother of plant root endosymbioses.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXhtFWitL3J&md5=22611303f4059e7a4fb30c95127c8510CAS |
PLANTS Database, United States Department of Agriculture (2011) PLANTS database. Available at http://plants.usda.gov/java/ [Verified 29 October 2012]
Puthur JT, Prasad KVSK, Sharmila P, Pardha Saradhi P (1998) Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improves establishment of micropropagated Leucaena leucocephala plantlets. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 53, 41–47.
| Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improves establishment of micropropagated Leucaena leucocephala plantlets.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Radrizzani A, Shelton HM, Dalzell SA (2010) Response of Leucaena leucocephala pastures to phosphorus and sulfur application in Queensland. Animal Production Science 50, 961–975.
| Response of Leucaena leucocephala pastures to phosphorus and sulfur application in Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhtlWmtLfM&md5=d96fce96acd9513cc1ca8f5a1f8d2b64CAS |
Sanginga N (1992) Early growth and N2-fixation of Leucaena and Gliricidia at different levels of phosphorus application. Fertilizer Research 31, 165–173.
| Early growth and N2-fixation of Leucaena and Gliricidia at different levels of phosphorus application.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK38XltFSktbw%3D&md5=8fec2e97d12ad2bb43677dcddb2cf285CAS |
Sanginga N, Mulongoy K, Ayanaba A (1988) Response of Leucaena Rhizobium/symbiosis to mineral nutrients in southwestern Nigeria. Plant and Soil 112, 121–127.
| Response of Leucaena Rhizobium/symbiosis to mineral nutrients in southwestern Nigeria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL1MXhtFelt78%3D&md5=c0552361d29ee5b6f6a071c52d440ac0CAS |
Sanginga N, Bowen GD, Danso SKA (1991) Intra-specific variation in growth and P accumulation of Leucaena leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium as influenced by soil phosphate status. Plant and Soil 133, 201–208.
| Intra-specific variation in growth and P accumulation of Leucaena leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium as influenced by soil phosphate status.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXkslSntL8%3D&md5=603c4671c9b165d3ccc204166f146d8bCAS |
Taiz L, Zeiger E (2010) ‘Plant physiology.’ 5th edn. (Sinuaer Associates, Sunderland, MA, USA)
Tanford C, Reynolds J (2001) ‘Nature’s robots: a history of proteins.’ (Oxford University Press: Oxford)
Wellburn AR (1994) The spectral determination of chlorophylls a and b, as well as total carotenoids, using various solvents with spectrophotometers of different resolution. Journal of Plant Physiology 144, 307–313.
| The spectral determination of chlorophylls a and b, as well as total carotenoids, using various solvents with spectrophotometers of different resolution.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXmsFShsbY%3D&md5=ade0d949f2229beb57f5cee1f4b29517CAS |
