Physiological Studies and Ultrastructure of Vigna sinensis L. and Helianthus annuus L. under Varying Levels of Nitrogen Supply

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different nitrogen fertilizers (potassium nitrate and/or urea) on shoot parameters, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, and nitrogen fractions, as well as to conduct transmission electron microscopy, of Vigna sinensis L. (cowpea) and Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower) leaves. A general improvement was recorded in the shoot parameters of the two plants, except for a decrease in the net assimilation rate by treatment of the two plants with 100% potassium nitrate plus 100% urea. The total nitrogen, insoluble protein, and total soluble nitrogen generally decreased in cowpea shoots from the treatments but increased in case of cowpea roots and sunflower shoots and roots. The examination of the ultrastructure changes in cowpea leaves confirmed the presence of two starch granules (in response to 100% potassium nitrate, 100% potassium nitrate plus 100% urea, and the control) and three granules (in response to 50% potassium nitrate plus 50% urea) and the disappearance of the starch granules (in response to 100% urea). Despite the starch granules not being detected in the leaves of the untreated sunflower, the treated plant showed the appearance of the highest number after treatment with 50% potassium nitrate plus 50% urea (2) and the most cell size with the 100% potassium nitrate treatment. Generally, our findings demonstrated that fertilization with 50% potassium nitrate plus 50% urea has the best influence on the growth parameters and nitrogen content in the two plants, but the magnitude of response was more pronounced in case of cowpea plants.