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Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 18307

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Prof. Dr. Xiaoyong Chen

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Guest Editor

Biology Program, College of Arts and Sciences, Governors State University, University Park, IL 60484, USA
Interests: carbon sequestration; ecosystem service; NPP and NEP nutrient budget; phytoremediation; ecological stoichiometry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Wende Yan

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Life & Science Department, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: long-term ecology research; nutrient biogeochemstry; urban ecology; ecology restoration; plant structure and function; soil carbon stocks; agroforestry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Taimoor Hassan Farooq

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Guest Editor

Bangor College China, A Joint Unit of Bangor University and Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: restoration ecology; plant soil interaction; nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems; nutrient deficiency and stress; carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition; GHG emissions; root and canopy development; soil conservation and biogeochemistry, environmental chemistry; carbon sequestration; soil microbial community composition; integrated cropping system; agroforestry and intercropping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is progressively recognizable that nutrient cycling must be at the fundamental of our efforts concerning the growing productivity in demand in various regions of the world. Changing climate worldwide is crucial in the hydrological process that enhances pressures on other resources, such as rapid agricultural development and changing consumption patterns, increased deforestation, and conversion of natural forests to managed plantations. Hydrological cycle includes several major components: Precipitation, Interception, Infiltration, Runoff, Evaporation, Transpiration. And Ground water. This has a collective and reflective effect on water resources, which significantly impacts socioeconomic and political scenarios across the globe.

Deep digging to improve the hydrological cycle is obligatory to the struggle against water loss through changing climate and the pursuit of sustainable development through nutrient cycling. A significant improvement must be ensured to meet environmental needs and keep water-related risks for societies, economies, and ecosystems within reasonable bounds. These, in turn, impact ecosystems, water quality, agricultural productivity, and infrastructure service conditions. Crops grown in a sustainable environment are more resilient because they use nutrients more efficiently.

This Special Issue aims to enlarge the present knowledge related to nutrient cycling and hydrological processes. This also provides an interdisciplinary platform for researchers with varying backgrounds to communicate their latest research progress on the challenges and opportunities related to plant Ecosystems' nutrient cycling and hydrological process. Innovative research on technologies and methodological approaches are welcomed. The discussion of case studies, as well as experimental work, is also encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Xiaoyong Chen
Prof. Dr. Wende Yan
Dr. Taimoor Hassan Farooq
Guest Editors

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Keywords

biogeochemical processes
restoration ecology
water management sustainability
hydrological modeling
nutrient transformation
nutrient cycling
ecosystem conservation
isotopic dynamics
land-use changes
assessment impact

Published Papers (12 papers)

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12 pages, 2292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Adaptability and Energy Investment Strategy of Different Cunninghamia lanceolata Clones Based on Leaf Calorific Value and Construction Cost Characteristics

by Nana Li, Yue Cao, Jinghui Wu, Ting Zhang, Xianhua Zou, Xiangqing Ma and Pengfei Wu

Plants 2023, 12(14), 2723; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142723 - 21 Jul 2023

Viewed by 660

Abstract

The calorific value and construction cost of leaves reflect the utilization strategy of plants for environmental resources. Their genetic characteristics and leaf functional traits as well as climate change affect the calorific values. This study explores the differences in energy investment strategies and the response characteristics of energy utilization in leaves to climate change among nine clones of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata). Considering the objectives, the differences in the energy utilization strategies were analyzed by determining the leaf nutrients, specific leaf area, and leaf calorific value and by calculating the construction cost. The results showed a significant difference in the ash-free calorific value and construction cost of leaves among different Chinese fir clones (p < 0.05). There were also significant differences in leaf carbon (C) content, leaf nitrogen (N) content, specific leaf area, and ash content. The correlation analysis showed that leaves’ ash-free calorific value and construction cost were positively correlated with the C content. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that P2 is inclined to the “fast investment return” energy investment strategy, while L27 is inclined to the “slow investment return” energy investment strategy. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicates that the monthly average temperature strongly correlates positively with leaf construction cost, N content, and specific leaf area. The monthly average precipitation positively impacts the ash-free calorific value and construction cost of leaves. In conclusion, there are obvious differences in energy investment strategies among different Chinese fir clones. When temperature and precipitation change, Chinese fir leaves can adjust their energy investment to adapt to environmental changes. In the future, attention should be paid to the impact of climate change–related aspects on the growth and development of Chinese fir plantations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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10 pages, 817 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ecological Stoichiometry and Stock Distribution of C, N, and P in Three Forest Types in a Karst Region of China

by Wancai Wang, Yuanying Peng, Yazhen Chen, Shilong Lei, Xiaojun Wang, Taimoor Hassan Farooq, Xiaocui Liang, Chao Zhang, Wende Yan and Xiaoyong Chen

Plants 2023, 12(13), 2503; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132503 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1064

Abstract

Ecological stoichiometry plays important roles in understanding the nutrient constraints on tree growth and development, as well in maintaining ecosystem services in forests, yet the characteristics of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorous (C:N:P) stoichiometry in forests under karst environment have not been sufficiently evaluated. In this study, concentration, distribution, stocks of Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P), and ecological stoichiometry were studied in three common forest types: Masson pine natural forests (MPNF), Masson pine plantation forests (MPPF), and Slash pine plantation forests (SPPF) in a karst region of southwestern China. Results showed that N concentrations were higher in overstory than in understory and litter in the studied forests. However, P concentration was relatively low in overstory component of the forested ecosystems. Meanwhile, the N and P concentrations were higher in SPPF in the stem and litter, while these contents were higher in MPPF and MPNP in the overstory and understory. The N and P stocks ranged from 5.7–6.2 t ha⁻¹, and 0.5–0.6 t ha⁻¹ in the examined forests. The ecological stoichiometry of C:N:P in the three forest types was similar in litter (46–49:2:1), and relatively steady in soil (250–320:13–16:1) and tree leaf (100–200:14–20:1). Soil P status was the primary limiting factor in affecting tree growth in MPPF and SPPF (N:P ratio > 16), while both N and P conditions were the main restrictive factors in MPNP (N:P ratio = 15) in the study area. Our study provides scientific references and useful datasets of C:N:P stoichiometry for sustainable management of forest ecosystems in karst regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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12 pages, 2472 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biomass Production and Carbon Stocks in Poplar-Crop Agroforestry Chronosequence in Subtropical Central China

by Zhong Wang, Wende Yan, Yuanying Peng, Meng Wan, Taimoor Hassan Farooq, Wei Fan, Junjie Lei, Chenglin Yuan, Wancai Wang, Yaqin Qi and Xiaoyong Chen

Plants 2023, 12(13), 2451; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132451 - 26 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1306

Abstract

Agroforest systems have been widely recognized as an integrated approach to sustainable land use for addressing the climate change problem because of their greater potential to sequester atmospheric CO₂ with multiple economic and ecological benefits. However, the nature and extent of the effects of an age-sequence of agroforestry systems on carbon (C) storage remain largely unknown. To reveal the influence of different aged poplar-crop systems on C stocks, we investigated the variation in biomass and C storage under four aged poplar-crop agroforest systems (3-, 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old) in the Henan province of China. The results showed that stand biomass increased with forest age, ranging from 26.9 to 121.6 t/ha in the corresponding four aged poplar-crop systems. The poplar tree biomass accounted for >80% of the total stand biomass in these poplar-crop agroforestry systems, except in the 3-year-old agroforestry system. The average stand productivity peaked in a 9-year-old poplar-crop system (11.8 t/ha/yr), the next was in 13- and 17-year-old agroforestry systems, and the minimum was found in 3-year-old poplar-crop stands (4.8 t/ha/yr). The total C stocks increased, with aging poplar-crop systems ranging from 99.7 to 189.2 t/ha in the studied agroforestry systems. The proportion of C stocks accounted for about 6, 25, and 69% of the total C stocks in the crop, poplar tree, and soil components in all studied agroforestry ecosystems, respectively. Our results suggested that the poplar-crop system, especially in productive and mature stages, is quite an effective agroforestry model to increase the study site’s biomass production and C stocks. This study highlighted the importance of agroforestry systems in C storage. It recommended the poplar-crop agroforest ecosystems as a viable option for sustainable production and C mitigation in the central region of China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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12 pages, 3096 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Soil Properties, Microbial Quantity and Enzyme Activities in Four Castanopsis hystrix Forest Types in Subtropical China

by Renjie Wang, Jianwei Ma, Huizi Liang, Yubao Zhang, Jisheng Yang, Fengfan Chen, Yong Wang and Wende Yan

Plants 2023, 12(13), 2411; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132411 - 22 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 936

Abstract

It is well established that forest type can have a profound impact on soil physicochemical properties but the associated changes in soil microbial communities and the mechanisms by which soil quality is improved by various plantations are not fully understood. In this study, soil physicochemical properties and microbial and enzyme activities were investigated in four forest types–Castanopsis hystrix pure forests (CHPF), C. hystrix–Pinus elliottii mixed forests (CHPEF), C. hystrix–Michelia macclurei mixed forests (CHMMF), and C. hystrix–Mytilaria laosensis mixed forests (CHMLF) in the subtropical region of China. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of afforestation types on characteristics of soil–its physical, chemical, and biological properties. The results showed that the contents of soil total organic carbon (TOC), soil total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) were significantly improved in both CHMMF and CHMLF mixed forest stands when compared to the CHPF pure stand. Soil enzyme activities were enhanced in the mixed forests. In particular, high phosphatase activity was observed in CHMLF stands, leading to the transformation of soil phosphorus to available phosphorus in this forest type. Our study demonstrated that the broad–leaved mixed forests, but not coniferous mixed forests, could significantly improve soil quality in the study region. Our research provides a scientific insight into the promotion of vegetation restoration and plantation forest management in plantation regions of subtropical areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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20 pages, 5013 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Nutrient Cycle in Improved Grain Yield of Dryland Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystem Distribution in the Loess Plateau of China

by Hafeez Noor, Anis Ali Shah, Pengcheng Ding, Aixia Ren, Min Sun and Zhiqiang Gao

Plants 2023, 12(12), 2369; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122369 - 19 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 868

Abstract

Precipitation is the major cause of crop yield variation in rainfed agriculture production in the Loess Plateau. As over fertilization is economically and environmentally undesirable, and crop yield and the resulting returns for N input are uncertain when rainfall variability is high, optimizing N management according to precipitation during fallow season is vital for efficient crop water use and high yield in dryland rainfed farming systems. Results show that the nitrogen treatment rate of 180 treatment significantly increased the tiller percentage rate, and the leaf area index at anthesis, the jointing anthesis, anthesis maturity dry matter, and nitrogen accumulation was closely related to yield. N150 treatment compared to N180 treatment significantly increased the percentage of ear-bearing tiller by 7%, dry substance accretion from jointing to anthesis by 9%, and yield by 17% and 15%, respectively. Our study has important implications for the assessment of the effects of fallow precipitation, as well as for the sustainable development of dryland agriculture in the Loess Plateau. Our results indicate that adjusting N fertilizer inputs based on summer rainfall variation could enhance wheat yield in rainfed farming systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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14 pages, 3458 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Nutrients, Enzyme Activities, and Microbial Communities along a Chronosequence of Chinese Fir Plantations in Subtropical China

by Junjie Lei, Yixuan Cao, Jun Wang, Yazhen Chen, Yuanying Peng, Qiwen Shao, Qing Dan, Yichen Xu, Xiaoyong Chen, Peng Dang and Wende Yan

Plants 2023, 12(10), 1931; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101931 - 09 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1481

Abstract

Forests undergo a long-term development process from young to mature stages, yet the variations in soil nutrients, enzyme activities, microbial diversity, and community composition related to forest ages are still unclear. In this study, the characteristics of soil bacterial and fungal communities with their corresponding soil environmental factors in the young, middle, and mature stages (7, 15, and 25-year-old) of Chinese fir plantations (CFP) in the subtropical region of China were investigated in 2021. Results showed that the alpha diversity indices (Chao1 and Shannon) of soil bacteria and fungi were higher in 15 and 25-year-old stands than in 7-year-old stand of CFP, while the soil pH, soil water content, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, sucrase, urease, acid phosphatase, catalase, and microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus showed higher in 7-year-old stand than other two stands of CFP. The nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that the soil microbial species composition was significantly different in three stand ages of CFP. The redundancy and canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the soil urease and microbial biomass nitrogen were the main factors affecting soil bacterial and fungal species composition. Our findings suggested that soil microbial diversity and community structure were inconsistent with changes in soil nutrients and enzyme activities during CFP development, and enhancing stand nurturing and soil nutrient accumulation in the mid-development stage were beneficial to the sustainable management of CFP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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12 pages, 2226 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Exponential N Application on Soil Exchangeable Base Cations and the Growth and Nutrient Contents of Clonal Chinese Fir Seedlings

by Renjie Wang, Yong Wang, Zeyao Zhang, Huibiao Pan, Liufeng Lan, Ronglin Huang, Xiaojun Deng and Yuanying Peng

Plants 2023, 12(4), 851; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040851 - 14 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1398

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for plant function and growth and a key component of amino acids, which form the building blocks of plant proteins and enzymes. However, misuse and overuse of N can have many negative impacts on the ecosystem, such as reducing soil exchangeable base cations (BCs) and causing soil acidification. In this research, we evaluated clonal Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) seedlings grown with exponentially increasing N fertilization (0, 0.5, 1, 2 g N seedling⁻¹) for a 100-day trial in a greenhouse. The growth of seedlings, their nutrient contents, and soil exchangeable cations were measured. We found that N addition significantly increased plant growth and N content but decreased phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) contents in plant seedlings. The high nitrogen (2 g N seedling⁻¹) treated seedlings showed a negative effect on growth, indicating that excessive nitrogen application caused damage to the seedlings. Soil pH, soil exchangeable base cations (BCs), soil total exchangeable bases (TEB), soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), and soil base saturation (BS) significantly decreased following N application. Our results implied that exponential fertilization resulted in soil acidification and degradation of soil capacity for supplying nutrient cations to the soil solution for plant uptake. In addition, the analysis of plants and BCs revealed that Na⁺ is an important base cation for BCs and for plant growth in nitrogen-induced acidified soils. Our results provide scientific insights for nitrogen application in seedling cultivation in soils and for further studies on the relationship between BCs and plant growth to result in high-quality seedlings while minimizing fertilizer input and mitigating potential soil pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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12 pages, 2057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ultra-Responses of Asphodelus tenuifolius L. (Wild Onion) and Convolvulus arvensis L. (Field Bindweed) against Shoot Extract of Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Horse Purslane)

by Muhammad Shahid Hassan, Nargis Naz, Habib Ali, Basharat Ali, Muhammad Akram, Rashid Iqbal, Sidra Ajmal, Baber Ali, Sezai Ercisli, Kirill S. Golokhvast and Zeshan Hassan

Plants 2023, 12(3), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030458 - 19 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1649

Abstract

Weed infestation is a prime challenge coupled with lowering crop production owing to their competition with crop plants for available resources such as nutrients, water, space, moisture, and sunlight. Among weed control methods, the implementation of synthetic herbicides offers an instant solution for getting rid of weeds; however, they are a direct source of potential hazards for humans and generate resistance against synthetic weedicides, making them less effective. Allelopathy is something that happens in nature that can be used as a weed control method that increases crop yield and decreases dependency on synthetic chemicals. The mode of action of some phytochemicals corresponds to synthetic herbicides. Due to this feature, allelochemicals are used as bio-herbicides in weed management and prove more environmentally friendly than synthetic weedicides. The present investigation aims to assess the ultra-responses of A. tenuifolius and C. arvensis, while growing them in a pot experiment. Various levels of shoot extract (L2, L3, and L4) of T. portulacastrum along with the L1 (distilled water) and L5 (synthetic herbicide) were applied to the weeds. Results indicated that aqueous extracts of shoot of T. portulacastrum significantly (p ≤ 0.05) affect all the measured traits of weeds and their effects were concentration specific. All morphological parameters were suppressed due to biotic stress with an increase in free amino acids and calcium ions along with a decline in metaxylem cell area and cortical thickness in the root, while the vascular bundle area increased. The shoot extract intrusive with metabolisms corresponded with the synthetic herbicide. It is concluded that Trianthema shoot extract has a powerful phytotoxic impact on weeds (A. tenuifolius and C. arvensis) and can be used in bio-herbicide production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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15 pages, 2131 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Weighting Method for Evaluating Forest Soil Fertility Index: A Structural Equation Model

by Wenfei Zhao, Xiaoyu Cao, Jiping Li, Zhengchang Xie, Yaping Sun and Yuanying Peng

Plants 2023, 12(2), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12020410 - 15 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2213

Abstract

Understanding nutrient quantity and quality in forest soils is important for sustainable management of forest resources and maintaining forest ecosystem services. In this study, six soil nutrient indicators, including soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) were measured in five different aged stands of Chinese fir forests in subtropical China. A structural equation model (SEM) was developed based on these soil nutrients indicators in order to better evaluate the soil fertility index (SFI) in these studied forests. The results show that soil nutrient contents changed with the soil depth in different age groups. The SOM decreased in a specific order: over mature > mature > near mature > middle > young stands. The TN content of the soil gradually decreased with increased soil depth throughout all age groups. The SEM indicated that the TN had the highest weight of 0.4154, while the TP had the lowest weight at 0.1991 for estimating the SFI. The weights of other indicators (AN, SOM, AP, and AK) ranged 0.2138–0.3855 in our study. The established SEM satisfied the fitness reference values and was able to accurately describe the forest soil nutrient status through the SFI. The overall SFI values were significantly higher in over mature stands than in young-aged stands and in topsoil than in deeper soil in all examined forests. Soil TN, AP, and AK were the most important nutrient indicators to the evaluation of the SFI in the study sites. The results confirmed that the SEM was suitable to estimate the weights of the SFI and better describe the soil nutrient status in forests. Our research provides an innovative approach to assess a soil nutrient status and soil fertility and provides a scientific basis for accurate implementation of soil nutrient assessment in forest ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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12 pages, 2695 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nitrogen Allocation Tradeoffs Within-Leaf between Photosynthesis and High-Temperature Adaptation among Different Varieties of Pecan (Carya illinoinensis [Wangenh.] K. Koch)

by Qiwen Xu, Huichuan He, Binghui He, Tianyang Li, Yumin Liu, Shunyao Zhu and Gaoning Zhang

Plants 2022, 11(21), 2828; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11212828 - 24 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1165

Abstract

Interpreting leaf nitrogen (N) allocation is essential to understanding leaf N cycling and the economy of plant adaptation to environmental fluctuations, yet the way these mechanisms shift in various varieties under high temperatures remains unclear. Here, eight varieties of pecan (Carya illinoinensis [Wangenh.] K. Koch), Mahan, YLC10, YLC12, YLC13, YLC29, YLC35, YLJ042, and YLJ5, were compared to investigate the effects of high temperatures on leaf N, photosynthesis, N allocation, osmolytes, and lipid peroxidation and their interrelations. Results showed that YLC35 had a higher maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_max) and photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE), while YLC29 had higher N content per area (N_a) and lower PNUE. YLC35, with lower malondialdehyde (MDA), had the highest proportions of N allocation in rubisco (P_r), bioenergetics (P_b), and photosynthetic apparatus (P_p), while YLC29, with the highest MDA, had the lowest P_r, P_b, and P_p, implying more leaf N allocated to the photosynthetic apparatus for boosting PNUE or to non-photosynthetic apparatus for alleviating damage. Structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated that N allocation was affected negatively by leaf N and positively by photosynthesis, and their combination indirectly affected lipid peroxidation through the reverse regulation of N allocation. Our results indicate that different varieties of pecan employ different resource-utilization strategies and growth–defense tradeoffs for homeostatic balance under high temperatures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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14 pages, 1206 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Propagation Methods Decide Root Architecture of Chinese Fir: Evidence from Tissue Culturing, Rooted Cutting and Seed Germination

by Linxin Li, Xianhua Deng, Ting Zhang, Yunlong Tian, Xiangqing Ma and Pengfei Wu

Plants 2022, 11(19), 2472; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192472 - 21 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1438

Abstract

The root is the main organ of a plant for absorbing resources and whose spatial distribution characteristics play an important role in the survival of seedlings after afforestation. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is one of China’s most important plantation species. To clarify the effects of propagation methods on root growth and spatial distribution characteristics of Chinese fir trees, sampled trees cultivated by seed germination, tissue culture, and asexual cutting of Chinese fir were taken as the research objects. The root morphology, geometric configuration, and spatial distribution characteristics of different trees were analyzed. The influence of geometric root morphology on its spatial distribution pattern was explored by correlation analysis, and the resource acquisition characteristics reflected by the roots of Chinese fir trees with different propagation methods are discussed. The main results showed that the root mean diameter (1.56 mm, 0.95 mm, and 0.97 mm), root volume (2.98 m³, 10.25 m³, and 4.07 m³), root tip count (397, 522, and 440), main root branch angle (61°, 50° and 32°) and other geometric configurations of Chinese fir under seed germination, tissue culture and rooted cutting respectively, were significantly different, which resulted in different distribution characteristics of roots in space. Chinese fir seed germination had noticeable axial roots, and the growth advantage was obvious in the vertical direction. A fishtail branch structure (TI = 0.87) was constructed. The shallow root distribution of tissue culture and rooted cutting was obvious, and belonged to the fork branch structure (TI = 0.71 and 0.74, respectively). There was a tradeoff in the spatial growth of the root system of Chinese fir trees with different propagation methods to absorb nutrients from heterogeneous soil patches. A negative correlation was present between the root system and root amplitude. There was an opposite spatial growth trend of Chinese fir trees with different propagation methods in the vertical or horizontal direction. In conclusion, selecting suitable propagation methods to cultivate Chinese fir trees is beneficial to root development and the “ideal” configuration formation of resource acquisition to improve the survival rate of Chinese fir afforestation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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14 pages, 1392 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Effect of Exogenous Application of Nicotinic Acid on Morpho-Physiological Characteristics of Hordeum vulgare L. under Water Stress

by Taimoor Hassan Farooq, Muhammad Adnan Bukhari, Muhammad Shahid Irfan, Muhammad Rafay, Awais Shakoor, Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid, Yang Lin, Muhammad Saqib, Zaffar Malik and Nouman Khurshid

Plants 2022, 11(18), 2443; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11182443 - 19 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1568

Abstract

Abiotic stresses, such as high temperature and drought conditions, greatly influence the development of plants and the quality and quantity of products. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop production is largely impacted by drought, affecting growth, yield, and ultimately the productivity of the crop in hot arid/semi-arid conditions. The current pot experiment was directed to observe the outcome of nicotinic acid (NA) treatments on barley’s physiological, biochemical, and production attributes at two capacity levels, i.e., 100% normal range and withholding water stress. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used during the experimentation with the two-factor factorial arrangement. NA was applied exogenously by two different methods, i.e., foliar and soil application (fertigation). NA solution contained various application levels, such as T1 = control, foliar applications (T2 = 0.7368 gL⁻¹, T3 = 1.477 gL⁻¹, T4 = 2.2159 gL⁻¹), and soil applications (T5 = 0.4924 gL⁻¹, T6 = 0.9848 gL⁻¹, and T7 = 1.4773 gL⁻¹). Results depicted that, overall, foliar treatments showed better effects than control and soil treatments. Plant growth was preeminent under T4 treatment, such as plant height (71.07 cm), relative water content (84.0%), leaf water potential (39.73-MPa), leaf area index (36.53 cm²), biological yield (15.10 kgha⁻¹), grain yield (14.40 kgha⁻¹), harvest index (57.70%), catalase (1.54 mmolg⁻¹FW⁻¹), peroxidase (1.90 g⁻¹FWmin⁻¹), and superoxide dismutase (52.60 µgFW⁻¹) were superior under T4 treatment. Soil plant analysis development (54.13 µgcm⁻²) value was also higher under T4 treatment and lowest under T7 treatment. In conclusion, NA-treated plants were more successful in maintaining growth attributes than non-treated plants; therefore, the NA foliar treatment at the rate of 2.2159 gL⁻¹ is suggested to find economical crop yield under drought conditions. The present study would contribute significantly to improving the drought tolerance potential of barley through exogenous NA supply in water deficit areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Cycle and Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystems)

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