Nutrient-Limited Growth Rates: Roles of Nutrient-Use Efficiency and of Adaptations to Increase Uptake Rate

Abstract Growth rate varies across plant species and represents an important ecological strategy for competition, resource use and fitness. However, empirical studies often show a low predictability of functional traits to tree growth. We measured stem diameter and height growth rates of 96 juvenile trees (2 to 5 m tall) of eight evergreen and eight deciduous broadleaf tree species over three consecutive years in a subtropical forest in southwestern China. We examined the relationships between tree growth rates and 20 leaf/stem traits that associated with carbon gain, stem hydraulics and nutrient use efficiency, as well as the difference between evergreen and deciduous trees. We found that cross-species variations of stem diameter/height growth rate can be predicted by leaf photosynthetic capacity, leaf mass per area, xylem theoretical specific hydraulic conductivity, wood density and photosynthetic nutrient use efficiencies. Higher leaf carbon assimilation and lower leaf/stem constructing costs facilitate deciduous species to be more resource acquisitive and consequently faster growth within a relatively shorter growing season, whereas evergreen species exhibit a more conservative strategies and thus slower growth. Further, stem growth rates of evergreen species showed were more dependence on leaf carbon gains, whereas stem hydraulic efficiency were more important for deciduous tree growth. Our results suggest that physiological traits (photosynthesis, hydraulics, nutrient use efficiency) can predict tree diameter and height growth of subtropical tree species. The differential resource acquisition and use strategies and their associations with tree growth between evergreen and deciduous trees provide insights in explaining the co-existence of evergreen and deciduous tree species in subtropical forests.

Download Full-text

Foliar nutrient dynamics, growth, and nutrient use efficiency of Hamamelis virginiana in three forest microsites

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b85-204 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 63 (8) ◽

pp. 1476-1481 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Ralph E. J. Boerner

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Nutrient Availability ◽

Growth Rates ◽

Nutrient Dynamics ◽

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Phosphorus Uptake ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Valley Bottom ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Use Efficiency

To determine the relative importance of soil moisture and soil nutrient availability in determining levels of nutrient use efficiency, seasonal nutrient dynamics and growth rates were determined for individuals of Hamamelis virginiana L., an understory tree, in three forest microsites. The mixed oak site had the lowest levels of soil nutrients and moisture, the mixed mesophytic site the highest nutrient availability, and the valley bottom the highest moisture levels. Foliar nitrogen and phosphorus levels declined over the season in all trees, while calcium levels increased with time. Relative growth rates did not differ significantly among sites, though growth varied inversely with tree mass. Proportional nitrogen resorption was highest in trees at the fertile mesophytic site. Phosphorus and calcium use efficiency were higher at the infertile mixed oak site than the others, and phosphorus resorption was highest in trees from the mixed oak site. Projected nitrogen uptake needs for the next growing season were least at the mixed mesophytic site, while projected phosphorus uptake needs were least at the mixed oak site. Within the ranges of moisture and soil pH – nutrient availability present, growth and nitrogen dynamics seemed most closely correlated to soil moisture, and phosphorus dynamics to phosphorus availability. This differential dependence among elements on moisture levels is suggested to be the underlying reason for differences in the form of the relationship between proportional resorption and soil availability of N and P for a variety of woody species.

Download Full-text

Tomato Production in Florida Using Fertigation Technology

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-hs1392-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Mary Dixon ◽

Guodong Liu

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Vegetable Crop ◽

High Demand ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Use Efficiency

Tomato is in high demand because of its taste and health benefits. In Florida, tomato is the number one vegetable crop in terms of both acreage and value. Because of its high value and wide acreage, it is important for tomato production to be efficient in its water and nutrient use, which may be improved through fertigation practices. Therefore, the objective of this new 7-page article is to disseminate research-based methods of tomato production utilizing fertigation to enhance yield and nutrient use efficiency. Written by Mary Dixon and Guodong Liu, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1392

Download Full-text

Connecting Crop Nutrient Use Efficiency to Future Soil Productivity

10.24047/bc10248 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 102 (4) ◽

pp. 8-10

Author(s):

Fernando García ◽

Andrés Grasso ◽

María González Sanjuan ◽

Adrián Correndo ◽

Fernando Salvagiotti

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Management ◽

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Soil Productivity ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Grain Crop ◽

Wide Scale ◽

Use Efficiency

Trends over the past 25 years indicate that Argentina’s growth in its grain crop productivity has largely been supported by the depletion of the extensive fertility of its Pampean soils. Long-term research provides insight into sustainable nutrient management strategies ready for wide-scale adoption.

Download Full-text

Improved nutrient management in cereals using Nutrient Expert and machine learning tools: Productivity, profitability and nutrient use efficiency

Agricultural Systems ◽

10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103181 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 192 ◽

pp. 103181

Author(s):

Jagadish Timsina ◽

Sudarshan Dutta ◽

Krishna Prasad Devkota ◽

Somsubhra Chakraborty ◽

Ram Krishna Neupane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Nutrient Management ◽

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Learning Tools ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Use Efficiency

Download Full-text

Inoculation with isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi influences growth, nutrient use efficiency and gas exchange traits in micropropagated apple rootstock ‘Marubakaido’

Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) ◽

10.1007/s11240-020-01994-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Murilo Dalla Costa ◽

Tássio Dresch Rech ◽

Silmar Primieri ◽

Bruna Greicy Pigozzi ◽

Simone Silmara Werner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gas Exchange ◽

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽

Apple Rootstock ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Use Efficiency

Download Full-text

Common Bean Yield and Zinc Use Efficiency in Association with Diazotrophic Bacteria Co-Inoculations

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11050959 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 959

Author(s):

Arshad Jalal ◽

Fernando Shintate Galindo ◽

Eduardo Henrique Marcandalli Boleta ◽

Carlos Eduardo da Silva Oliveira ◽

André Rodrigues dos Reis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Common Bean ◽

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Growth Yield ◽

Staple Food ◽

Human Beings ◽

Rhizobium Tropici ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Zn Nutrition ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Soil Zn

Enrichment of staple food with zinc (Zn) along with solubilizing bacteria is a sustainable and practical approach to overcome Zn malnutrition in human beings by improving plant nutrition, nutrient use efficiency, and productivity. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of a staple food of global population and has a prospective role in agronomic Zn biofortification. In this context, we evaluated the effect of diazotrophic bacterial co-inoculations (No inoculation, Rhizobium tropici, R. tropici + Azospirillum brasilense, R. tropici + Bacillus subtilis, R. tropici + Pseudomonas fluorescens, R. tropici + A. brasilense + B. subtilis, and R. tropici + A. brasilense + P. fluorescens) in association with soil Zn application (without and with 8 kg Zn ha−1) on Zn nutrition, growth, yield, and Zn use efficiencies in common bean in the 2019 and 2020 crop seasons. Soil Zn application in combination with R. tropici + B. subtilis improved Zn accumulation in shoot and grains with greater shoot dry matter, grain yield, and estimated Zn intake. Zinc use efficiency, recovery, and utilization were also increased with co-inoculation of R. tropici + B. subtilis, whereas agro-physiological efficiency was increased with triple co-inoculation of R. tropici + A. brasilense + P. fluorescens. Therefore, co-inoculation of R. tropici + B. subtilis in association with Zn application is recommended for biofortification and higher Zn use efficiencies in common bean in the tropical savannah of Brazil.

Download Full-text

Plant Biostimulants from Cyanobacteria: An Emerging Strategy to Improve Yields and Sustainability in Agriculture

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10040643 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 643

Author(s):

Gaia Santini ◽

Natascia Biondi ◽

Liliana Rodolfi ◽

Mario R. Tredici

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Future Research ◽

Plant Tolerance ◽

Metabolic Plasticity ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Cyanobacterial Species ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Promising Source ◽

Plant Treatment

Cyanobacteria can be considered a promising source for the development of new biostimulants as they are known to produce a variety of biologically active molecules that can positively affect plant growth, nutrient use efficiency, qualitative traits of the final product, and increase plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. Moreover, the cultivation of cyanobacteria in controlled and confined systems, along with their metabolic plasticity, provides the possibility to improve and standardize composition and effects on plants of derived biostimulant extracts or hydrolysates, which is one of the most critical aspects in the production of commercial biostimulants. Faced with these opportunities, research on biostimulant properties of cyanobacteria has undergone a significant growth in recent years. However, research in this field is still scarce, especially as regards the number of investigated cyanobacterial species. Future research should focus on reducing the costs of cyanobacterial biomass production and plant treatment and on identifying the molecules that mediate the biostimulant effects in order to optimize their content and stability in the final product. Furthermore, the extension of agronomic trials to a wider number of plant species, different application doses, and environmental conditions would allow the development of tailored microbial biostimulants, thus facilitating the diffusion of these products among farmers.

Download Full-text