Background: The humic acid (HA) fraction of soil organic matter (SOM) exerts an effective plant growth promotion through a complex mechanism involving a coordinated activation of several key ion transport and signaling systems. We investigated the effects of HA on H + and Ca 2+ cellular dynamics at the early stages of lateral plant root development. Results: Emergence of lateral root in rice seedlings were related to specific H + and Ca 2+ fluxes in the root elongation zone underlying an activation of the plasma membrane H

No abstract

No abstract

Effects of the concentration of nutrient solution on lettuce growth in hydroponics-NFT system

Humic acids (HAs) have a major effect on nutrient uptake, metabolism, growth and development in plants. Here, we evaluated the effect of HA pretreatment applied with a nutrient solution on the uptake kinetics of nitrate nitrogen (N-NO 3 − ) and the metabolism of nitrogen (N) in rice under conditions of high and low NO 3 − supply. In addition, the kinetic parameters of NO 3 − uptake, N metabolites, and nitrate transporters (NRTs) and the plasma membrane (PM) H + -ATPase gene expression were examined. The plants were grown in a growth chamber with modified Hoagland and Arnon solution until 21 days after germination (DAG), and they were then transferred to a solution without N for 48 h and then to another solution without N and with and without the addition of HAs for another 48 h. After this period of N deprivation, the plants received new nutrient solutions containing 0.2 and 2.0 mM N-NO 3 − . Treatment of rice plants with HA promoted the induction of the genes OsNRT2.1-2.2/OsNAR2.1 and some isoforms PM H + -ATPase in roots. The application of HAs differentially modified the parameters of the uptake kinetics of NO 3 − under both concentrations. When grown with 0.2 mM NO 3 − , the plants pretreated with HA had lower K m and C min values as well as a higher V max /K m ratio. When grown with 2 mM NO 3 − , the plants pretreated with HA had a higher V max value, a greater root and shoot mass, and a lower root/shoot ratio. The N fractions were also altered by pretreatment with HA, and a greater accumulation of NO 3 − and N-amino was observed in the roots and shoots, respectively, of plants pretreated with HA. The results suggest that pretreatment with HA modifies root morphology and gene expression of PM H + -ATPases and NO 3 − transporters, resulting in a greater efficiency of NO 3 − acquisition by high-and low-affinity systems.