Different Tolerance to Light Stress in NO₃ ^-- and NH₄ ⁺-Grown Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Abstract

NH₄ ⁺-grown plants are more sensitive to light stress than NO₃ ^--grown plants, as indicated by reduced growth and intervenal chlorosis of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Measuring the time course of F_v/F_m ratios under photoinhibitory light regimes did not reveal any difference in PS II damage between NO₃ ^-- and NH₄ ⁺-grown plants, in spite of some indications of higher energy quenching in NO₃ ^--grown plants. Also, a direct action of NH₄ ⁺ as an uncoupler at the thylakoid membrane could be excluded. Instead, biochemical analysis revealed enhanced lipid peroxidation and higher activity of scavenging enzymes in NH₄ ⁺-grown plants indicating that these plants make use of metabolic pathways with stronger radical formation. Evidence for higher rates of photorespiration in NH₄ ⁺-grown plants came from experiments showing that electron flux and O₂ evolution were decreased by SHAM in NH₄ ⁺-grown plants, and by antimycin A in NO₃ ^--grown plants. Further, the comparison of electron flux and of photoacoustic measurements of O₂ evolution suggested that in NH₄ ⁺-grown plants the Mehler reaction was also increased, at least in the induction phase. However, the major cause of N form-dependent stress sensitivity is assumed to be in the coupling between photosynthesis and respiration, i.e., NO₃ ^--grown plants can utilize the TCA cycle for the generation of C skeletons for amino acid synthesis, thus improving the ATP : reductant balance, whereas NH₄ ⁺-grown plants have enhanced rates of photorespiration.

Chlorophyll fluorescence - H₂O₂-scavenging enzymes - lipid peroxidation - Mehler reaction - mitochondria - photoacoustics

References

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