N-UPTAKE, N-PARTITIONING, AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC N-USE EFFICIENCY OF AN OLD AND A NEW MAIZE HYBRID

An old maize (Zea mays L.) hybrid (Pride 5) has been shown to be less tolerant to N stress than a new maize hybrid (Pioneer 3902) during early phases of development. The objective of this study was to quantify the response of the two hybids to N supply in terms of N uptake, N partitioning, and photosynthetic N-use efficiency. Plants were grown under controlled-environment conditions until the 12-leaf stage at three levels of N supply (i.e., 15 mM N, 2.5 mM N, and 0.5 mM N) and were sampled at the 4-, 8-, and 12-leaf stages. Rates of N uptake per unit ground area were higher for Pioneer 3902 than for Pride 5 under maximum N stress during the 8- to 12-leaf phase, but rates were higher for Pride 5 at high N. Rates of N uptake per unit root weight were higher for Pioneer 3902 than for Pride 5 under both medium and low N supply. The old hybrid (Pride 5) partitioned more dry matter and N to leaves than the new hybrid under low N supply, but leaf N per unit leaf area was higher for the new hybrid. The new hybrid (Pioneer 3902) maintained greater rates of leaf photosynthesis per unit leaf N regardless of N supply. Consequently, results indicate that the higher N-use efficiency of Pioneer 3902 under low N supply is associated with higher N uptake and a higher leaf N per unit leaf area.