Abstract
Background and aims
Ammonium (NH4+) toxicity in plants might occur when supplied with NH4+ as the sole nitrogen source or when exposed to high NH4+ levels. The mechanisms behind NH4+ toxicity and the potential of nitrate (NO3–) in mitigating the harmful effects of NH4+ are still poorly explored.
Methods
Cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Maximus) were cultivated in a pH-buffered medium under control (Hoagland solution containing 14 mM NO3– and 2 mM NH4+) or high NH4+ concentrations (16 and 25 mM) without or with 1.0 mM NO3– (as KNO3) for two weeks in a growth chamber.
Results
Toxicity symptoms characterized by localized chlorotic patches coincided with the sites of H2O2 accumulation and damaged reaction centers of photosystem II. When NO3– was supplemented, the leaf symptoms were diminished or eliminated. Nitrate treatment increased leaf ascorbic acid, carotenoids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins and enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes. The roots displayed a high toxicity tolerance with an efficient NH4+ assimilation capacity, and maintained carbohydrates level which was further enhanced by NO3–. Reduction of lignin under NH4+ toxicity and its subsequent increase by NO3 suggest that lignin may play a role in plant responses to NH4+ and NO3–.
Conclusion
Lack of growth reduction in the roots but severe NH4+ toxicity symptoms in the leaves leading ultimately to plant death indicates that the toxic effects of NH4+ primarily target chloroplasts. The extensive biochemical adaptations induced by NO3– at much lower concentrations than NH4+ suggest a signaling function for NO3–.
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Data availability
Data will be available upon request from the corresponding author.
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Roghieh Hajiboland was supported by a grant from the University of Tabriz (Grant No. 3/408447; 2023/04/18).
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Roghieh Hajiboland conceived the study, analyzed data and wrote the original draft; Miroslav Nikolic conceived the study and reviewed and edited the manuscript; Fatemeh Tavakoli cultivated the plants, and performed the elemental and biochemical analyses. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Tavakoli, F., Hajiboland, R. & Nikolic, M. Multiple mechanisms are involved in the alleviation of ammonium toxicity by nitrate in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Plant Soil (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06596-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06596-9