EFFECT OF NICKEL DEFICIENCY ON SOLUBLE ANION, AMINO-ACID, AND NITROGEN LEVELS IN BARLEY

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. 'Onda') plants were grown in nutrient solutions supplied either 0 (no Ni added), 0.6, or 1.0 μM NiSO4. Plants supplied 0 μM Ni developed Ni deficiency symptoms; Ni deficiency resulted in the disruption of nitrogen metabolism, and affected the concentration of malate and various inorganic anions in roots, shoots, and grain of barley. The concentrations of 10 of the 11 soluble amino acids determined were 50-200% higher in 30-day-old shoots of plants supplied inadequate Ni levels than in shoots of Ni-supplied plants. The total concentration of all amino acids determined was higher in roots and grain of Ni-deficient plants. Concentrations of NO3- and Cl- were also higher in Ni-deficient barley shoots than in Ni-sufficient barley shoots. In contrast, the concentration of alanine in shoots of Ni-deficient barley was reduced to one-third of the concentration in Ni-sufficient plants. The shoot concentrations of malate and SO42- were also depressed under Ni-deficient conditions. Total nitrogen concentration in grain, but not in shoots, of Ni-deficient plants was significantly increased over that found in Ni-adequate plants. Nickel deficiency results in marked disruptions of N metabolism, malate and amino acid concentrations in barley. These results are discussed in view of the possible roles of Ni in plants. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.