Effect of ammonium or nitrate nutrition on net photosynthesis, growth, and activity of the enzymes nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase in blueberry, raspberry and strawberry

Summary

This 1999 pot study compared the effects of ammonium and nitrate as nitrogen sources on photosynthetic performance, growth, and nitrogen-metabolism enzyme activity in blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry. The work suggests that nitrogen form influences both carbon fixation and the enzymatic machinery of nitrogen assimilation in these horticultural crops, though the specific direction and magnitude of effects across species cannot be inferred from the title alone.

Regional applicability

The findings are potentially applicable to UK soft fruit production, particularly for protected and outdoor berry cultivation, where nitrogen fertiliser form and timing are common management tools. Transferability depends on the experimental conditions (pot size, rootstock, cultivar) and whether results would hold under UK field conditions with variable rainfall and temperature regimes.

Key measures

Net photosynthesis, plant growth, nitrate reductase activity, glutamine synthetase activity, ammonium and nitrate nutrition treatments

Outcomes reported

The study examined how ammonium versus nitrate nutrition influenced net photosynthesis rates, plant growth, and the activity of two key nitrogen-metabolism enzymes (nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase) in three berry crop species. Effects on photosynthetic performance and enzyme activity were compared across different nitrogen forms.

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