Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Technology
Detecting N-deficiency early in a plant’s development before visual symptoms become pronounced and irreparable damage is done is crucial to maintaining optimum grain yield and biomass production. Chlorophyll fluorescence technology (CFT) is a quick, non-invasive, non-destructive, and informative tec...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | Biology and Life Sciences Forum |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9976/27/1/12 |
| _version_ | 1797241843854868480 |
|---|---|
| author | Uchenna Noble Ukwu Joy Udoka Agbo Ifeyinwa Albright Ukwu |
| author_facet | Uchenna Noble Ukwu Joy Udoka Agbo Ifeyinwa Albright Ukwu |
| author_sort | Uchenna Noble Ukwu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Detecting N-deficiency early in a plant’s development before visual symptoms become pronounced and irreparable damage is done is crucial to maintaining optimum grain yield and biomass production. Chlorophyll fluorescence technology (CFT) is a quick, non-invasive, non-destructive, and informative technique that is used to study the physiological status of plants at any given stage of development. The objective of the study was to determine the photosynthetic and growth responses of N-deficient maize seedlings. Two N treatments, 10 t/ha N and 50 t/ha N, were evaluated in a greenhouse in a completely randomized design with 12 replications. The results showed a significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) higher CO<sub>2</sub> assimilation rate, maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, and chlorophyll concentration in plants that received 50 t/ha N compared to plants on 10 t/ha N at 3 and 4 weeks after fertilizer application (WAFA). In contrast, plants on 10 t/ha showed a higher level of non-photochemical stress due to up-regulation of nitric oxide production in PSII [Y(NO)] than plants on 50 t/ha. Non-photochemical quenching due to down-regulation of nitric oxide production in PSII [Y(NPQ)] was comparable (<i>p</i> > 0.05) in both treatments. There was no significant difference in plant height, although wider stem girth was recorded in plants on 50 t/ha. The significantly higher levels of Y(NO) in plants on 10 t/ha N suggest an alteration in nitrogen metabolism and increased production of reactive nitrogen species which may potentially cause cellular damage if not diagnosed early and managed adequately. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:29:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-190791586bdc496f96430a5b80e694e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-9976 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:29:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology and Life Sciences Forum |
| spelling | doaj.art-190791586bdc496f96430a5b80e694e32024-03-27T13:28:22ZengMDPI AGBiology and Life Sciences Forum2673-99762023-11-012711210.3390/IECAG2023-15803Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence TechnologyUchenna Noble Ukwu0Joy Udoka Agbo1Ifeyinwa Albright Ukwu2Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, NigeriaDepartment of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, NigeriaDepartment of Plant Science and Biotechnology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt 500004, NigeriaDetecting N-deficiency early in a plant’s development before visual symptoms become pronounced and irreparable damage is done is crucial to maintaining optimum grain yield and biomass production. Chlorophyll fluorescence technology (CFT) is a quick, non-invasive, non-destructive, and informative technique that is used to study the physiological status of plants at any given stage of development. The objective of the study was to determine the photosynthetic and growth responses of N-deficient maize seedlings. Two N treatments, 10 t/ha N and 50 t/ha N, were evaluated in a greenhouse in a completely randomized design with 12 replications. The results showed a significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) higher CO<sub>2</sub> assimilation rate, maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, and chlorophyll concentration in plants that received 50 t/ha N compared to plants on 10 t/ha N at 3 and 4 weeks after fertilizer application (WAFA). In contrast, plants on 10 t/ha showed a higher level of non-photochemical stress due to up-regulation of nitric oxide production in PSII [Y(NO)] than plants on 50 t/ha. Non-photochemical quenching due to down-regulation of nitric oxide production in PSII [Y(NPQ)] was comparable (<i>p</i> > 0.05) in both treatments. There was no significant difference in plant height, although wider stem girth was recorded in plants on 50 t/ha. The significantly higher levels of Y(NO) in plants on 10 t/ha N suggest an alteration in nitrogen metabolism and increased production of reactive nitrogen species which may potentially cause cellular damage if not diagnosed early and managed adequately.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9976/27/1/12early stress detectionPSII photochemistrychlorophyll fluorescencephotosynthesisnon-photochemical quenching |
| spellingShingle | Uchenna Noble Ukwu Joy Udoka Agbo Ifeyinwa Albright Ukwu Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Technology Biology and Life Sciences Forum early stress detection PSII photochemistry chlorophyll fluorescence photosynthesis non-photochemical quenching |
| title | Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Technology |
| title_full | Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Technology |
| title_fullStr | Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Technology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Technology |
| title_short | Early Nitrogen Deficit Stress Detection in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Seedlings Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Technology |
| title_sort | early nitrogen deficit stress detection in maize i zea mays i seedlings using chlorophyll fluorescence technology |
| topic | early stress detection PSII photochemistry chlorophyll fluorescence photosynthesis non-photochemical quenching |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9976/27/1/12 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT uchennanobleukwu earlynitrogendeficitstressdetectioninmaizeizeamaysiseedlingsusingchlorophyllfluorescencetechnology AT joyudokaagbo earlynitrogendeficitstressdetectioninmaizeizeamaysiseedlingsusingchlorophyllfluorescencetechnology AT ifeyinwaalbrightukwu earlynitrogendeficitstressdetectioninmaizeizeamaysiseedlingsusingchlorophyllfluorescencetechnology |