I am monitoring the effect of antibiotic stress on a legume. With increasing concentration of antibiotic I observed increase in Nitrogen content (khejaldal nitrogen) in leaves whereas decrease in Nitrate reductase activity. As nitrate reductase is responsible for nitrate assimilation in plants, its decrease with high dose shows decrease in assimilation. However, I'm unable to explain the increase in Nitrogen content in leaves. Can anyone please explain, if there are any other factors involved?
I think that we need to know more about the other aspects of the experiment, e.g., soil? hydroponics? forms of N-fertiliser(s) and when applied in relation to the other observations
Sir, Paul Milham
I did this experiment in an undisturbed soil, with no added N fertilizer. biomass and chlorophyll content is also decreased in treated plants, however there's increase in total khejaldal nitrogen. does it have to do with the uptake in the plant?
The legume is either taking up or fixing N. If biomass and chlorophyll are decreasing then either the plants may be taking up too much or too little of a nutrient, or the roots are malfunctioning. To get an understanding of what may be happening, you need to: 1) take a look at the roots to see if they are normal or infected with a pathogen, and test the modules for functionality; 2) test the foliage for nitrate; and 3) if that is inconclusive do a complete mineral analysis of the foliage and compare the data with 'sufficiency' levels for the species.
- Badges
- Science method