Abstract
Nitrate pools in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Azes) leaf sections were estimated. Nitrite accumulation in aqueous medium was found to be an inadequate estimate of nitrate pools in tomato leaves. The main reason for the cessation of nitrite accumulation was not depletion of nitrate in the metabolic pool but rather a rapid decay of nitrate reductase (NR) activity as measured by nitrite accumulation in vivo and in vitro. Nitrate diffuses out of the tissue into the medium at a rate higher than the accumulation of nitrite in the tissue. Nitrate leakage from the tissue accelerates the loss of NR activity. Nitrite accumulation in leaf sections kept in an anaerobic gaseous atmosphere ceased earlier than in aqueous medium, at a time when NR activity was still relatively high. Measuring nitrite accumulation in gaseous atmosphere is preferable since NR is more stable and movements of nitrate between pools more restricted.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 141-148 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Physiologia Plantarum |
Volume | 61 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jan 1984 |
Keywords
- Lycopersicon esculentum
- nitrate leakage
- nitrate reductase stability
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Genetics
- Plant Science
- Cell Biology