V. Dunbabin et al., The root growth response to heterogeneous nitrate supply differs for Lupinus angustifolius and Lupinus pilosus, AUST J AGR, 52(4), 2001, pp. 495-503
Little is known about the ability of legume root systems to respond to the
heterogeneous supply of nitrate. A split-root nutrient solution experiment
was set up to compare the root growth response of 2 lupin species, Lupinus
angustifolius L. (dominant tap root and primary lateral system) and L. pilo
sus Murr. (minor tap root and well-developed lateral root system), to diffe
rentially supplied nitrate. These 2 species represent the extremes of the r
oot morphology types present across the lupin germplasm.
Nutrient solution containing low (250 muM) or high (750 muM) nitrate was su
pplied either uniformly, or split (high and low) between the upper and lowe
r root system. The average growth rate and total root length of L. pilosus
was 1.7 times that of L. angustifolius. For both species, the increased pro
liferation of roots in a high nitrate zone was accompanied by a decrease in
root growth in the low nitrate zone, giving approximately the same total g
rowth as the uniform low nitrate treatment. This correlative growth rate re
sponse was 15% larger for the first-order branches of L. pilosus than L. an
gustifolius. While few second-order branches grew for L. angustifolius, the
second-order laterals of L. pilosus showed a 2-fold correlative root growt
h and branching response to the split treatments, with no difference in gro
wth between the uniform high and low nitrate treatments. The second-order l
aterals thus proliferated in response to the differential supply of nitrate
and not the absolute concentration. While the growth rate and branching of
the second-order laterals of L. pilosus exhibited a typical correlative re
sponse, first-order branching was inhibited in all split treatments, regard
less of whether the roots were in the high or low nitrate zone. This respon
se was not seen in L. angustifolius. The difference in the root growth resp
onse of the 2 root system types to differentially supplied nitrate suggests
a potential in the lupin germplasm for developing a line capable of greate
r nitrate capture from the soil profile.