What is it about?
Nitrogen deficiency is a common problem in the agriculture. Normally, pea is well supplied with nitrogen due to the activity of nitrogen fixing nodules in its roots. Consequently, pea was expected to be very sensitive to study deficiency symptoms. We created a model system: an organ culture in which nitrogen deprivation was possible and studied plastid development and protochlorophyllide (precursor of chlorophyll) formation.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Nitrogen deficiency has important role in the whole plant metabolism. Chlorophyll biosynthesis and plastid differentiation are effected, too. In case of deficiency, also the distribution of the reduced amount of nitrogen among different organs is important.
Perspectives
This was an interesting study because in this model system we could freely vary the experimental conditions having an influence of the plastid development. It was also a challenge to take samples in weak green light and to keep the cultures at least semi-sterile. In addition, we got the expected result what underlines the general importance of nitrogen in plant metabolism.
Bela Böddi
Eotvos Lorand Tudomanyegyetem
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Nitrogen deficiency hinders etioplast development in stems of dark-grown pea (Pisum sativum) shoot cultures, Physiologia Plantarum, May 2015, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12339.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
