Effects of soil nitrogen level on ferulic acid inhibition of cucumber leaf expansion

Abstract

It has been suggested that the allelopathic activity of phenolic acids should be primarily important in soils of low fertility. If this is true, then plant growth inhibition by phenolic acids may be unimportant in managed agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to determine how soil nitrogen (N) level might modify phenolic acid inhibition of growth. Cucumber seedlings (Cucumis sativus cv Early Green Cluster) grown in containers in growth chambers under varying N levels (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 μg N/g soil) in Portsmouth B,-horizon soil material were treated with ferulic acid (0 or 10 μg/g soil). Nitrogen and ferulic acid (FA) were applied every other day to the soil surface. The amount of FA in the soil solution declined with depth in the containers. A more rapid disappearance of FA from the soil solution was observed for the last FA treatment (0% recovered after 10 hr on day 23) than the first treatment (44% recovered after 10 hr on day 13). Both low N (5 μg N/g soil) and FA treatments reduced shoot dry weight, the mean absolute (AGR) and the mean relative (RGR) rates of leaf expansion, and increased the root-shoot ratio. High N treatments reduced shoot dry weight and the AGR. Ferulic acid inhibited cucumber seedling growth over a range of N concentrations, suggesting that the allelopathic activity of phenolic acids may be important in both nutrient limiting and nonlimiting soils for some species.

The Allelopathic Potential of <i>Conocarpus lancifolius</i> (Engl.) Leaves on Dicot (<i>Vigna sinensis</i> L.), Monocot (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) and Soil-Borne Pathogenic Fungi

“…The application of half-strength Hoagland's solution did not completely overcome the reduction in growth and nutrient deficiencies particularly in the 7.5% leaf extract. This is in agreement with the observations [29], who observed that the application of nitrogen and phosphorus did not overcome the effects of ferulic acid.…”

Effects of some phenolic compounds on soybean seed germination and on seed-borne fungi

“…The interaction with organic matter is important in establishing phenolics inhibitory concentrations, since at field conditions these are lower than those used in laboratory (Blum, 1996). Soil nutritional state, such as nitrogen availability, influences phenolics mechanism of action (Klein and Blum, 1990) and their constitutive levels in plants (Stout et al, 1998). In general, phenolics have the property of altering mitochondria and chloroplasts membranes, hindering the energy transfer necessary to ion transport, as observed in spinach (Moreland and Novitzky, 1987).…”

Effects of exogenous phenolic acids on roots of poplar hydroponic cuttings

“…Consequently, phenolic acids should be treated as an important ecological factor, and appropriate measures should be taken to remove or lighten the adverse impact of phenolic acids on the production of poplar plantation. Klein et al (1991) reported that the impact of allelochemicals on the growth of plants could be weakened by fertilizing the soil with nitrogen. Liu et al (2007) suggested that several measures such as soil-replacing, intercropping and cultivar-alternating could be chosen for the improvement of forestland productivity of poplar plantations.…”