Annals of Botany 37: 453-461, 1973
© 1973 Annals of Botany Company
RESEARCH-ARTICLE |
Chemical Changes In Young Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis L.) Tissues Following Application of Fertilizer Nitrogen
Tea Research Institute Talawakele, Ceylon
Received: 25 May 1972
The uptake of ammonium sulphate by 14-month-old potted tea plants grown in a glasshouse was studied over the 11-week period following application. Concurrent changes in the starch of root-wood, amino acids of xylem sap, and total nitrogen of leaves, stems, root-wood, and feeder roots were determined. Depletion of nitrogen from the soil at different depths and transformation of NH4+ to NO3 was also followed.
The results show that the uptake of nitrogen commences within 2 days of application as indicated by a marked increase in the amino-acid content of the xylem sap. Glutamine and, to a lesser extent, theanine were quantitatively the most important amino acids in the sap. The amino-acid content of the sap was a maximum at about the time rapid depletion of the ammonium of the soil took place. An interesting feature of the work is the reciprocal relationship between the changes in the starch of root-wood and amino acids in the sap a few days after fertilizer application. Studies on the ammonium and nitrate levels of the soil at different depths showed that transformation of NH4+ to NO3 occurred in the soil.
The response of the various tissues to applied fertilizer nitrogen and increase in the fresh weight of the shoot system showed similar trends and may be correlated with the depletion of ammonium-nitrogen from the soil.