Nitrogen (N), as the most important quantitative mineral element in plants, is absorbed by roots in inorganic and organic (urea, amino acids, polypeptides) forms. Ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) are the main sources of inorganic N for plants. Once inside cells, NO3- must be reduced to NH4+ in order to be used by plants, a process that requires energy, and thus, NH4+ is considered the preferred N source in terms of energy costs. In many natural and agricultural ecosystems, NH4+ is a major inorganic N source for plants. Interestingly, fertilizing soils with NH4+ can also effectively reduce environmental N losses respect to NO3- supply. In addition, increasing NH4+ use by crops is believed as an important aspect in the context of climate change, notably in regard to the constant atmospheric CO2 levels rise.
Conversely, with excess concentrations of NH4+ in soil, accumulations can reach toxic levels, affecting soil health and plant performance. Research on the mechanisms associated with plants' resistance toward ammonium stress or toxicity is currently of great interest.
Generally, the studies on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), environmental effects of N, interaction with soil microorganisms, and the molecular mechanisms associated with these aspects paid more attention to nitrate or organic nitrogen forms. But there are not many research topics focusing on the mechanisms and efficient strategies that plants display to better use ammonium nitrogen. This Research Topic provides the advanced toolkit and technologies that are used to investigate and understand plant responses to ammonium. The purpose of this topic is to give a platform for scientists and academics to promote, share, and discuss new concerns and advancements in the field of ammonium in plants.
We welcome submissions of different types of manuscripts including original research papers, opinions, reviews, and methods, including but not limited to the topics:
- Characterization of genes involved in ammonium acquisition, translocation, and recycling within plants.
- Understanding the genetic basis of plants' adaption to variable ammonium availability in soil.
- Plant molecular and functional responses to the deficiency and/or excess of ammonium.
- Integrative “omic” analysis: Proteome, transcriptome, and epigenome (DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNAs) analyses for ammonium response in plants.
- How N forms shape root architecture.
- Molecular Mechanisms of ammonium Interaction with other ions.
- Interactions between ammonium and nitrate in their uptake, allocation, assimilation, and signaling in plants.
- Mechanisms of ammonium migration and transformation in the soil-plant system.
Nitrogen (N), as the most important quantitative mineral element in plants, is absorbed by roots in inorganic and organic (urea, amino acids, polypeptides) forms. Ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) are the main sources of inorganic N for plants. Once inside cells, NO3- must be reduced to NH4+ in order to be used by plants, a process that requires energy, and thus, NH4+ is considered the preferred N source in terms of energy costs. In many natural and agricultural ecosystems, NH4+ is a major inorganic N source for plants. Interestingly, fertilizing soils with NH4+ can also effectively reduce environmental N losses respect to NO3- supply. In addition, increasing NH4+ use by crops is believed as an important aspect in the context of climate change, notably in regard to the constant atmospheric CO2 levels rise.
Conversely, with excess concentrations of NH4+ in soil, accumulations can reach toxic levels, affecting soil health and plant performance. Research on the mechanisms associated with plants' resistance toward ammonium stress or toxicity is currently of great interest.
Generally, the studies on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), environmental effects of N, interaction with soil microorganisms, and the molecular mechanisms associated with these aspects paid more attention to nitrate or organic nitrogen forms. But there are not many research topics focusing on the mechanisms and efficient strategies that plants display to better use ammonium nitrogen. This Research Topic provides the advanced toolkit and technologies that are used to investigate and understand plant responses to ammonium. The purpose of this topic is to give a platform for scientists and academics to promote, share, and discuss new concerns and advancements in the field of ammonium in plants.
We welcome submissions of different types of manuscripts including original research papers, opinions, reviews, and methods, including but not limited to the topics:
- Characterization of genes involved in ammonium acquisition, translocation, and recycling within plants.
- Understanding the genetic basis of plants' adaption to variable ammonium availability in soil.
- Plant molecular and functional responses to the deficiency and/or excess of ammonium.
- Integrative “omic” analysis: Proteome, transcriptome, and epigenome (DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNAs) analyses for ammonium response in plants.
- How N forms shape root architecture.
- Molecular Mechanisms of ammonium Interaction with other ions.
- Interactions between ammonium and nitrate in their uptake, allocation, assimilation, and signaling in plants.
- Mechanisms of ammonium migration and transformation in the soil-plant system.
