Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2024, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (8): 1050-1064.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2023.0200  cstr: 32100.14.cjpe.2023.0200

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of nitrogen addition level and NH4+-N to NO3--N ratio on photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in Cunninghamia lanceolata seedling

QUAN Xiao-Qiang1,2, WANG Yan-Ru1,2, LI Xiao-Yu1,2, LIANG Hai-Yan1,2, WANG Li-Dong1, YAN Xiao-Li1,2,*()   

  1. 1Forestry College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
    2Engineering Research Center of Chinese Fir, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350002, China
  • Received:2023-07-11 Accepted:2024-02-07 Online:2024-08-20 Published:2024-03-12
  • Contact: *YAN Xiao-Li(ccyanxiaoli@163.com)
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(32171773)

Abstract:

Aims To study the effects of different nitrogen (N) addition levels and NH4+-N to NO3--N ratios on photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of Cunninghamia lanceolata will provid a scientific basis for the management of nitrogen fertilization in C. lanceolata.

Methods One-year-old seedlings of C. lanceolata were cultured in sands with three N addition levels of 0.5 (N1), 1.0 (N2), and 2.0 mmol·L-1 (N3) and seven different N form ratios (NH4+-N to NO3--N ratios being as 10:0 (P1), 8:2 (P2), 6:4 (P3), 5:5 (P4), 4:6 (P5), 2:8 (P6), and 0:10 (P7). The chlorophyll (Chl) content, photosynthetic characteristics, Chl fluorescence parameters and biomass in C. lanceolata were analyzed after 180 d treatment.

Important findings (1) The Chl a and Chl b content of C. lanceolata were the highest at P2 and P6 under N1level, respectively. The Chl a, Chl b, and Chl (a+b) content were all highest at P4 under N2level. Both Chl a and Chl b content were the highest at P3 among the seven ratios under N3level. The Chl content showed an overall higher level of N3 and N2 than that of N1 level. (2) The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), and water use efficiency (WUE) of C. lanceolata were all higher for higher NH4+-N content than for higher NO3--N content. The Pn was the highest at P1 under N3 level, but the highest at P2 under N2 and N1 levels. (3) The maximum photochemical efficiency of all treatments was in the normal range of 0.80-0.85, and the potential photochemical activity of photosystem II (PSII) was significantly higher under N3 level than that of N1 and N2 at P2. The fast chlorophyll fluorescence induction curve (OJIP) of leaves deviated greatly under N1 level at P1. P1, P2, and P4 at N2 and P1, P2, and P5 at N3gradually decreased at the I and P phases and gradually increased at the J phase. The apparent quantum flux per unit leaf cross-sectional area, heat dissipation capacity, and the number of active reaction centers per unit leaf cross-sectional area with the increase of nitrogen content at P2 and P3, while the absorption flux per reaction center (RC), electron transport flux per RC, trapped energy flux per RC, and dissipated energy flux per RC at P6 decreased significantly with the increase of nitrogen content, the differences were not significant under the other ratios. (4) Total biomass and aboveground biomass of C. lanceolata were higher for higher NH4+-N content than for higher NO3--N content, and significantly higher under the N2P2 treatment than under the other treatments. At the same N form ratio, it showed that N2 > N3 > N1. The root-shoot ratio of N1 and N3 was significantly higher than that of other treatments, and the ratio of P6 at N2 level was significantly higher than that of other treatments, and the ratio of P7 at N2 level was significantly higher than that of N2 and N3. The photochemical reaction efficiency of C. lanceolata seedlings could be improved and the energy utilization of the PSII reaction center could be optimized by a higher N content and a higher ammonium to nitrate ratios, which would be more beneficial for photosynthesis and biomass accumulation.

Key words: nitrogen addition, NH4+-N/NO3--N ratio, photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence, Cunninghamia lanceolata