Chemical defense production in Lotus corniculatus L. I. The effects of nitrogen source on growth, reproduction and defense

• Published in: Oecologia Vol. 83; no. 1; pp. 27 - 31
• Main Author: Briggs, M.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer-Verlag 01-05-1990; Springer
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Crop harvesting; Cyanides; Fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotypes; growth; Lotus corniculatus; Nitrogen; nitrogen fixation; Nodules; Plant growth; Plant roots; Plants; Plants and fungi; reproduction; Tannins; Pennsylvania; United States; Growth; Resource allocation; Lotus corniculatus; Cyanides; Nitrogen; North America; Carbon; Pennsylvania; Reproduction; Tannin; Leguminosae; Dicotyledones; America; Angiospermae; Nitrogen fixation; Defense mechanism; Spermatophyta; Fodder crop; Cyanide; Tannins; Nitrogen-fixation
• ISSN: 0029-8549; 1432-1939
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00324629

The carbon to nitrogen balance theory was examined for a legume, Lotus corniculatus L., which allocates carbon to nitrogen fixation. N-fixation can influence the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in legumes by providing nitrogen in nutrient-poor habitats, and by consuming carbon for support of symbiotic N-fixation. L. corniculatus clones (genotypes) were grown under two levels of nitrogen fertilization: a treatment which suppressed nodulation with fertilization and a treatment which received no additional fertilization. These plants relied solely on symbiotic N-fixation. Plants which supported symbionts had lower biomass and lower tannin concentrations than fertilized plants; this appears to be a result of the large carbon demand on N-fixation. Plants supporting symbionts often had relatively lower protein concentrations than fertilized plants. Cyanide concentration was influenced by plant genotype but not by nitrogen source. Although symbiotic N-fixing plants were smaller, they had three times the reproductive output of fertilized plants.