Remobilization of Storage Nitrogen in Young Pear Trees Grafted onto Vigorous Rootstocks (Pyrus betulifolia)

Abstract

The remobilization of storage nitrogen (N) is affected by growth characteristics of young pear trees. Aboveground parts of young pear trees grafted on P. betulifolia grew more vigorously than that on dwarfing rootstocks. Therefore, the remobilization of storage N within young pear trees on vigorous rootstocks may be different from that on dwarfing rootstocks. A 15N tracing experiment, including six groups of one-year-old pear trees grafted on vigorous rootstocks in 2016, was conducted to investigate the mobilization of storage N from 2016 to 2018. Results indicated that about 44%, 31.4% and 24.6% of storage N remobilized in new growth was derived from the trunk, shoots and roots, respectively. Most of storage N remobilized in new organs were supplied by trunks and shoots. About 82.2% of storage N withdrawn from senescent leaves were recovered in the trunk and shoots during autumn. The aboveground parts played a more important role than roots in the cycling process of storage N in young pear trees. However, as compared with young pear trees on dwarfing rootstocks, more storage N recovered in new organs were supplied by roots of that on vigorous rootstocks, due to vigorous growth and more nutrient requirement of aboveground parts.