Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1979 Mar;63(3):421–424. doi: 10.1104/pp.63.3.421

Seasonal Patterns of Nitrate Reductase and Nitrogenase Activities in Phaseolus vulgaris L. 1

Alvilio A Franco a, Joao C Pereira a, Carlos A Neyra a,2
PMCID: PMC542843  PMID: 16660740

Abstract

The patterns of nitrate reductase activity (NRA) in the leaves (in vivo assay) and root nodule nitrogenase activity (C2H2 reduction) were investigated throughout the season in field-grown Phaseolus vulgaris plants.

Maximal NRA (per g fresh weight) occurred at early stages of leaf development but total activity (per leaf) was maximal when the leaf reached full size. In mature plants, most NRA was associated with the upper leaves. Nitrogenase activity was initiated about 2 weeks after sowing, reached a maximum at flowering (5 weeks after sowing) and declined rapidly thereafter. Nitrogenase activity followed the pattern of nodule development. After flowering, P. vulgaris was apparently able to take up and assimilate NO−3 as evidenced by the increase in NO−3 content of the stem and the high levels of NRA in the leaves. Total plant NRA was maximal after flowering and addition of NH4NO3 to the soil at flowering resulted in even higher levels of NRA through most of the pod-filling period, thus resulting in higher seed yields (59% over control).

It is proposed that P. vulgaris can benefit from both N2 fixation and NO−3 assimilation and that nitrate reductase plays an important role in the assimilation of nitrogen after flowering.

Full text

PDF
421

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Hageman R. H., Flesher D. Nitrate Reductase Activity in Corn Seedlings as Affected by Light and Nitrate Content of Nutrient Media. Plant Physiol. 1960 Sep;35(5):700–708. doi: 10.1104/pp.35.5.700. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Harper J. E. Canopy and Seasonal Profiles of Nitrate Reductase in Soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.). Plant Physiol. 1972 Feb;49(2):146–154. doi: 10.1104/pp.49.2.146. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Jaworski E. G. Nitrate reductase assay in intact plant tissues. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1971 Jun 18;43(6):1274–1279. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(71)80010-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Klepper L., Flesher D., Hageman R. H. Generation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide for nitrate reduction in green leaves. Plant Physiol. 1971 Nov;48(5):580–590. doi: 10.1104/pp.48.5.580. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Neyra C. A., Hageman R. H. Relationships between Carbon Dioxide, Malate, and Nitrate Accumulation and Reduction in Corn (Zea mays L.) Seedlings. Plant Physiol. 1976 Dec;58(6):726–730. doi: 10.1104/pp.58.6.726. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Neyra C. A., Van Berkum P. Nitrate reduction nitrogenase activity in Spirillum lipoferum1. Can J Microbiol. 1977 Mar;23(3):306–310. doi: 10.1139/m77-045. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Nicholas J. C., Harper J. E., Hageman R. H. Nitrate Reductase Activity in Soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr.): I. Effects of Light and Temperature. Plant Physiol. 1976 Dec;58(6):731–735. doi: 10.1104/pp.58.6.731. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES