Effects of physiological integration on nitrogen use efficiency of moso bamboo in homogeneous and heterogeneous environments

Abstract

IntroductionMoso bamboo is one of the important clonal plants with complex underground rhizome-root system. Ramets connected by rhizome can translocate and share nitrogen (N), which may affect the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of moso bamboo. The aims of this study were to investigate the mechanisms of N physiological integration and its relationship with NUE of moso bamboo.MethodsA pot experiment was conducted to trace the movement of 15N between the connected ramets of moso bamboo in both homogeneous and heterogeneous N environments.ResultsResults showed that N translocation within clonal fragments of moso bamboo was detected in both homogeneous and heterogeneous environments. The intensity of physiological integration (IPI) was significantly lower in homogeneous environments than that in heterogeneous environments. 15N translocation between the connected ramtes of moso bamboo was determined by the source-sink relationship in heterogeneous environments, and the 15N allocation of the fertilized ramet was higher than that of the connected unfertilized ramet. The NUE of connected treatment was significantly higher than that of severed treatment, which suggested that physiological integration significantly improved the NUE of moso bamboo. In addition, the NUE of moso bamboo was significantly higher in heterogeneous environments than that in homogeneous environments. The contribution rate of physiological integration (CPI) on NUE in heterogeneous environments was significantly higher than that in homogenous environments.DiscussionThese results will provide theoretical basis for precision fertilization in moso bamboo forests.

Comparative study of urea-15N fate in pure bamboo and bamboo-broadleaf mixed forests

“…Therefore, achieving sustainable high yields in bamboo forests requires nutrient supplementation through fertilization. Among these, nitrogen fertilizer stands as the primary nutrient factor enhancing bamboo forest productivity ( Sardar et al., 2023 ; Zhao and Cai, 2023 ; Zou et al., 2023 ). In bamboo forest ecosystems, nitrogen allocation directly influences the growth of bamboo shoots, the development of bamboo culms, and the overall productivity of the stand ( Wu et al., 2023a ; Zuo et al., 2024 ).…”

Emerging Insights into the Roles of the Rhizome–Culm System in Bamboo Shoot Development through Analysis of Non-Structural Carbohydrate Changes

“…Li et al found that the new shoots were more abundant in unfertilised plots by unevenly applying fertiliser to the moso bamboo stand [ 14 ]; this is due to the special “rhizome–culm” system of bamboo, a typical clone of the plant, which makes the whole bamboo stand connected like multiple branches of a tree [ 15 ]. Nutrients integrated physiologically in the rhizomes are transported to the ramets together with water, affected by branching and the environment [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. The direction of transport of substances in rhizomes is bidirectional and related to source–sink relationships, either along the rhizomes or going through rhizomes, so that parent bamboos of every age may provide nutrients for bamboo shoots [ 17 , 21 , 22 ].…”

“…Nutrients integrated physiologically in the rhizomes are transported to the ramets together with water, affected by branching and the environment [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. The direction of transport of substances in rhizomes is bidirectional and related to source–sink relationships, either along the rhizomes or going through rhizomes, so that parent bamboos of every age may provide nutrients for bamboo shoots [ 17 , 21 , 22 ]. The source of nutrients in bamboo shoots during such rapid growth remains unknown until the influence of different age parent culms is clarified.…”