Nitrogen form and root division modifies the nutrimental and biomolecules concentration in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)

Abstract

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) continues to gain importance in the international market due to its effects on the prevention of human diseases. This leads to the need to optimize the production and quality of the fruit. The present research evaluated the effect of NO3- and NH4+, using the split roots technique, in the nutritional status, photosynthetic pigments and total sugars in blueberry leaves. A completely random experiment was established with six greenhouse treatments: three under homogeneous root conduction (HR) and three with split roots (SR). The concentration of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, B and Na, chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), carotenoids (Car) and total sugars were evaluated in the leaves. The exclusive supply of NH4+ led to the largest accumulation of N, P, Mg, S, Cu, Mn and B, compared to plants treated with NO3-. The Chla and total sugars were higher with NH4+ compared to NO3- nutrition. The supply of N separately (SR) had no positive effects on the evaluated variables, however, the SR with half of N, in the form of NH4+, compared to the non-SR with full application of N, has no differences in N-leaf concentration, which implies a higher use in the uptake or accumulation of this macro element in plant. V. corymbosum L. with split root and half of N in the form of NH4+, doubled the N use efficiency, as it matches in yield the complete supply treatment of N-NH4+ without root division.

Use of increasing rates of ammonia nitrogen in pot-grown blueberries and its effect on fruit yield and macronutrient concentration in leaves

“…In some cultivars there was no change in concentration in several of the macronutrients evaluated against the increasing NH4-N dose. This effect can be explained by the genotypic and phenotypic differences of the cultivars evaluated, as has been pointed out for blueberries by different authors (Bañados et al, 2012;Strik and Vance, 2015;Bryla et al, 2021;Leal-Ayala et al, 2021).…”

“…Bañados et al (2012) andStrick andVance (2015) reported a directly proportional effect on N concentration. Leal-Ayala et al (2021) reported an increase in the concentrations of N, P and Mg. The higher concentration obtained in some macronutrients when applying increasing rates of ammoniacal N can be associated with the nutritional functions of N in the plant and its effect on metabolic, structural, enzymatic and electron transport activities of the other nutrients (Marschner, 2002;Maathuis, 2009).…”

“…Many techniques used in traditional soil cultivation are applicable to soilless cultivation, mainly differentiating planting density, water and nutritional management (Kritzinger, 2014;Voogt et al, 2014;Muñoz et al, 2016;Silber and Bar-Tal, 2019;Kingston et al, 2020). Among the nutritional management, the source of N is highlighted stands out, due to its acidophilic or calcifuge nature, and that responds positively to the application of ammoniacal sources (Imler et al, 2019;Leal-Ayala et al, 2021;Tamir et al, 2021;Xu et al, 2021;Yuan-Yuan et al, 2021), and the use of technologies that allow the ammonium ionic species to be kept active within the substrate, such as the use of nitrification inhibitors (Osorio et al, 2020). For the correct nutritional management of blueberries grown in soilless medium, guidelines must be developed (Guo et al, 2021;Schreiber and Nunez, 2021), considering the differences in varietal behavior, both in nutritional needs and nutrient concentrations of plant tissue (Kritzinger, 2014;Strik and Vance, 2015;Muñoz et al, 2016;Fang et al, 2017;Kingston et al, 2020).…”