Effects of gel made by super absorbent polymers and urea on fine root growth and nitrogen use efficiency of Platycladus orientalis bareroot seedlings.

• Published in: Ying yong sheng tai xue bao Vol. 27; no. 4; p. 1046
• Main Authors: Jing, Da Wei, Xing, Shang Jun, Liu, Fang Chun, Ma, Hai Lin, Du, Zhen Yu, Ma, Bing Yao, Yu, Xue Dou, Zhu, Ya Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 22.04.2016
• Subjects: bareroot seedling; nitrogen use efficiency; fine root; nitrogen metabolism; gel
• ISSN: 1001-9332
• DOI: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201604.001

A pot experiment including five treatments, i.e., CK (neither fertilizer nor super absorbent polymers), U (urea alone), S [super absorbent polymers (SAP) alone], SUM (SAP mixed with urea) and SUG (gel made of SAP and urea) was conducted to evaluate their effects on fine root morphological characteristics, fine root absorption area, fine root nitrogen metabolism and nitrogen use efficiency of Platycladus orientalis bareroot seedlings. Results showed that compared with U treatment, the SUG treatment significantly increased the biomass, length, specific root length, surface area and volume of fine root. The total absorption area and active absorption area of fine root were also increased remarkably under the SUG treatment. The specific root length in the SUG treatment was increased by 34.7%, 37.9%, 41.1% and 12.4% compared with the treatments of CK, U, S and SUM, respectively. Compared with the U treatment, the activities of nitrate reductase, glutamine synthase, glutamate synthase and glutamate dehydrogenase in