Nitrogen-limited growth of lettuce is associated with lower stomatal conductance

Abstract

• C assimilation (A) has been shown to limit the growth of young Lactuca sativa (lettuce) plants following an interruption in their external N supply. Further data from these plants were used to test two hypotheses: that N-limited growth of lettuce is associated with lower stomatal conductance (g_s ); and that reductions in g_s result from adjustments to stomatal frequency or distribution. • The photosynthetic characteristics, nitrate and organic N-concentrations, as well as epidermal and stomatal distributions, were determined in leaves of hydroponically grown lettuce plants supplied continuously with N or with N removed for up to 14 d. • Although N-limited plants had lower maximum rates of A, comparisons at equivalent values of g_s showed that A was not directly limited by organic-N but by g_s . Reductions in g_s under N-limiting conditions did not associate with adjustments to stomatal frequency or distribution. • Associations between plant N and A could arise either through stomata responding directly to signals induced by N deprivation or to increased CO₂ partial pressure at the sites of carboxylation.

Keywords: Lactuca sativa (lettuce); nitrate; nitrogen deficiency; photosynthesis; relative growth rate (RGR); stomatal conductance; stomatal index.