Effect of Dopamine on Growth, Some Biochemical Attributes, and the Yield of Crisphead Lettuce under Nitrogen Deficiency

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) represents the most important nutrient for plant growth and productivity, but extreme and ineffective usage of N fertilizer results in boosted plant production expenditures and environmental contamination. For the world’s sustainable food production and environmental profits, there has been increased research interest in reducing the use of N fertilization along with improving plant N deficiency (ND) tolerance. Dopamine (DA), a potential antioxidant, mediates several physio-biochemical processes in plants under normal or stressful conditions. However, their roles in increasing ND tolerance in crisphead lettuce are not well-documented. We investigate the role of DA concentration (0.50 and 100 µM) on the growth and yield of crisphead lettuce plants under ND. Under normal conditions (100% recommended N fertilizer dose), DA (50 and 100 μM) application significantly enhanced growth, chlorophyll concentration, N%, antioxidant enzymes activity, as well as yield and its components, decreased nitrate accumulation and oxidative biomarkers compared to untreated plants (0 μM DA). ND significantly decreased plant growth and yield attributes as well as evoked oxidative impairment and nitrate accumulation as compared to 100% recommended N fertilizer dose in the absence of DA. However, within ND conditions, the application of DA concentrations significantly mitigated ND-induced oxidative burst and improved plant growth, chlorophyll concentration, N%, nitrate concentration, peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, total soluble solid, vitamin C, dry matter %, and total sugars, over 0 μM DA treated plants. Current findings highlighted that exogenous application of 100 μM DA could reinforce the crisphead lettuce plant’s resilience to ND by minimizing reactive oxygen species accumulation and promoting enzymatic antioxidants alongside growth, yield, and quality improvement. The beneficial effects of DA in lessening ND’s drastic impacts on crisphead lettuce resulted from upregulating antioxidant enzyme activity, impairment of oxidative biomarkers, and maintaining chlorophyll levels. The current findings open pioneering prospects to reduce nitrogen fertilization by DA application without any drastic effect on plant productivity. But further research is needed to fully understand DA effects and their mechanisms in inducing ND tolerance in different plant species, including crisphead lettuce.

Can foliar application of Titanium and Zeolite Soil Addition Enhance Crisphead Lettuce Production, and Reduce N-Leaching or/and Volatilization?

“…Furthermore, nitrogen plays a vital role in enhancing plant resilience to environmental stresses and maintaining overall plant health. Optimal nitrogen management is therefore essential for maximizing crop productivity, quality, and profitability in crisphead lettuce production (Farouk et al, 2023).…”

“…Adequate nitrogen supply is essential for promoting leaf expansion, biomass accumulation, and head formation, ultimately contributing to increased marketable yield and improved crop quality (Kılıç, 2022). However, excessive nitrogen application can lead to environmental pollution, reduced water and nutrient use efficiency, and increased production costs (Farouk et al, 2023). Therefore, it is imperative to adopt precise nitrogen management practices tailored to the specific needs of crisphead lettuce, considering factors such as soil fertility, crop growth stage, and environmental conditions.…”

Effect of mineral and organic fertilization rates under magnetized water irrigation on growth, yield, and quality of crisphead lettuce

“…Decreasing nitrogen fertilizer can be a potential process to agriculture which benefits environment and plant production. However, it is substantial to balance decreases of N fertilizer and sufficient plant nutrition and yield (Seadh et al, 2021 andFarouk et al, 2023). There are more researches are needed to decrease nitrogen fertilizer, that is used in high amounts and caused reduction in quality.…”