Nitrogen redistribution during the grain-filling stage and its correlation with senescence and TaATG8 expression in leaves of winter wheat

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2024.12.024

Journal of Integrative Agriculture

2026, Vol. 25

Issue (4): 1433-1442 DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.12.024

Crop Science

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Nitrogen redistribution during the grain-filling stage and its correlation with senescence and TaATG8 expression in leaves of winter wheat

Guoming Li, Xiaotian Ren, Shengyan Pang, Changjie Feng, Yuxi Niu, Yanjie Qu, Changhong Liu, Xiang Lin, Dong Wang^#

College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China

Highlights
● The rate of nitrogen redistribution serves as a measure of nitrogen transport capacity.
● Nitrogen application hinders nitrogen transport during the initial phase of grain filling, but enhances it in the intermediate and later stages.
● Concurrent with the peak expression of autophagy genes, the transportation of potential amino acids is likewise heightened.

Abstract
References

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摘要氮素是小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）生长和产量的重要营养元素，特别是在灌浆期，大部分氮素从营养器官重新分配到籽粒，对产量有显著影响。然而，氮素从营养器官向籽粒转运的具体时间段及其与旗叶衰老的相关性仍不清楚。本研究以冬小麦品种‘西农511’为试验材料，在田间条件下设置了两种氮肥处理：常规施氮（240 kg ha⁻¹ [N₂₄₀]）和不施氮（0 kg ha⁻¹ [N₀]）。结果显示，小麦旗叶中的氮素积累在7-14天达到峰值，氮含量为4.55%，随后氮素开始向籽粒重新分配。在21-35天内，旗叶中的氮含量减少了56%，而籽粒中的氮含量增加了51%。旗叶的相对叶绿素含量、光合速率、游离氨基酸浓度和可溶性蛋白含量在7-14天达到峰值，表明氮素从旗叶向籽粒运输。与N₀处理相比，施氮显著提高了旗叶氮素再分配速率20%，减少了21%的活性氧（ROS）积累，并延缓了旗叶衰老。在缺氮条件下，自噬过程提前被诱导，自噬相关基因（TaATG8）的表达增加了5-7倍，这表明通过调控自噬途径并增强自噬活性可以优化氮肥利用效率。本研究表明，氮素从营养器官向籽粒的再分配启动了叶片的衰老过程，并与自噬相关基因的表达密切相关。

Abstract

Nitrogen is a key nutrient for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth and yield, particularly during the grain-filling stage, where most nitrogen is redistributed from vegetative organs to the grain, significantly influencing yield. However, it remains unclear during which period the nitrogen translocation from the vegetative phase to grain maturation occurs and how it correlates with flag leaf senescence. In this study, a field experiment was conducted using the winter wheat cultivar ‘Xinong 511’ under two nitrogen fertilizer treatments: regular nitrogen supply (240 kg ha^–1 (N₂₄₀)) and no nitrogen supply (0 kg ha^–1 (N₀)). The results revealed that nitrogen accumulation in wheat flag leaves peaked at 7–14 days, with a nitrogen content 4.55%, after which nitrogen was redistributed to the grains. Nitrogen content in flag leaves decreased by 56% during 21–35 days, while that in the grains increased by 51%. The plant analysis development value (relative chlorophyll content), photosynthetic rate, free amino acid concentration, and soluble protein content in flag leaves peaked at 7–14 days, indicating nitrogen transportation from the flag leaves to the grains. Nitrogen application significantly increased the nitrogen remobilization rate in flag leaves by 20% compared with that of N₀, reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation by 21%, and delayed flag leaf senescence. Under nitrogen deficiency, autophagy was induced earlier, with a 5–7-fold increase in the expression of autophagy-related genes (TaATG8), suggesting that regulation of the autophagy pathway and enhancement of autophagy activity can optimize nitrogen fertilization. Our study demonstrates that the remobilization of nitrogen from vegetative parts to grains initiates leaf senescence and is closely correlated with the expression of autophagy-related genes.

Keywords: winter wheat senescence autophagy nitrogen redistribution grain-filling stage

Received: 08 July 2024 Accepted: 28 October 2024 Online: 24 December 2024

Fund:

This work was supported by the Key Research and Development Technology Projects in Shaanxi Province, China (2023-ZDLNY-01), the Xi’an Science and Technology Plan Projects, China (23NYGG0001), the Key Research and Development Technology Projects in Shandong Province, China (2022LZGCQY002), and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD2300802).

About author: Guoming Li, E-mail: 1448043722@nwafu.edu.cn; #Correspondence Dong Wang, E-mail: wangd@nwafu.edu.cn

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