Advantages of NH4 + on growth, nitrogen uptake and root respiration of Phragmites australis

We investigated growth, N nutrition, and root respiration in Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. grown under conditions with different N sources, and evaluated the advantages of NH4+ nutrition in relation to adaptation to anaerobic soil conditions. Hydroponics culture was carried out for 2 months under two treatment conditions with different N sources, NH4+ and NO3−. The relative growth rate (RGR) of the roots, shoot and whole plant, net N uptake rate (NNUR), and root respiration rate were examined. Shoot RGR, shoot to root (S/R) ratio, and NNUR were obviously higher with the NH4+ treatment. High S/R ratio of plants grown in the NH4+ treatment contributed to repression of whole-root oxygen consumption. In consequence, NNUR per root respiration rate was higher with the NH4+ treatment, which clearly suggested efficient oxygen consumption in the roots. In conclusion, higher S/R ratio due to higher NNUR enable to efficiently use oxygen for N nutrition through the repression of whole-root oxygen consumption, which is consequently achieved by NH4+ nutrition. Therefore, we suggest that NH4+ nutrition is indispensable for hydrophytic species growing in anaerobic soil because it enables both sufficient N nutrition and efficient oxygen consumption.