The GC-TOF/MS-based Metabolomic analysis reveals altered metabolic profiles in nitrogen-deficient leaves and roots of tea plants (Camellia sinensis)

• Published in: BMC plant biology Vol. 21; no. 1; p. 506
• Main Authors: Lin, Zheng-He, Chen, Chang-Song, Zhong, Qiu-Sheng, Ruan, Qi-Chun, Chen, Zhi-Hui, You, Xiao-Mei, Shan, Rui-Yang, Li, Xin-Lei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 02.11.2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: absorption; Accumulation; Agricultural production; Agricultural research; Amino acids; Ammonium nitrate; Biomarkers; biomass production; Biosynthesis; Caffeine; Camellia sinensis; Camellia sinensis - chemistry; Camellia sinensis - growth & development; Camellia sinensis - metabolism; Carbohydrates; Chlorophyll; Chlorosis; Chromatography, Gas; Crops, Agricultural - chemistry; Crops, Agricultural - growth & development; Crops, Agricultural - metabolism; energy; Environment pollution; Fertilizers; Gas chromatography; Genetic aspects; leaf chlorophyll content; Leaves; Lipids; Mass Spectrometry; Metabolism; Metabolites; Metabolome; Metabolomics; Methods; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - deficiency; Nitrogen - metabolism; nitrogen fertilizers; nutrient management; Organic acids; Phenylpropanoids; Physiological aspects; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant Leaves - growth & development; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Plant Roots - chemistry; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - metabolism; Plantations; pollution; Roots; Roots (Botany); Seedlings; stress response; Sustainable development; Tea; Tea (Plant); Tea quality; Time-of-flight mass spectrometry; wastes; China; Metabolomics; Nitrogen deficiency; Camellia sinensis; Tea quality
• ISSN: 1471-2229; 1471-2229
• DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03285-y

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is commonly considered as one of the most important limiting factors in the agricultural production. As a result, a large amount of N fertilizer is used to improve the yield in modern tea production. Unfortunately, the large amount of N fertilizer input has led to increased plant nitrogen-tolerance and decreased amplitude of yield improvement, which results in significant N loss, energy waste and environment pollution. However, the effects of N-deficiency on the metabolic profiles of tea leaves and roots are not well understood. In this study, seedlings of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze Chunlv 2 were treated with 3 mM NH NO (Control) or without NH NO (N-deficiency) for 4 months by sandy culture. The results suggested that N-deficiency induced tea leaf chlorosis, impaired biomass accumulation, decreased the leaf chlorophyll content and N absorption when they were compared to the Control samples. The untargeted metabolomics based on GC-TOF/MS approach revealed a discrimination of the metabolic profiles between N-deficient tea leaves and roots. The identification and classification of the altered metabolites indicated that N deficiency upregulated the relative abundances of most phenylpropanoids and organic acids, while downregulated the relative abundances of most amino acids in tea leaves. Differentially, N-deficiency induced the accumulation of most carbohydrates, organic acids and amino acids in tea roots. The potential biomarkers screened in N-deficient leaves compared to Control implied that N deficiency might reduce the tea quality. Unlike the N-deficient leaves, the potential biomarkers in N-deficient roots indicated an improved stress response might occur in tea roots. The results demonstrated N deficiency had different effects on the primary and secondary metabolism in tea leaves and roots. The findings of this study will facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the N-deficient tea plants and provide a valuable reference for the optimized N nutrient management and the sustainable development in the tea plantations.