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Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology ›› 2017, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (4): 1237-1245.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201704.024

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Effect of water-nitrogen coupling on photosynthesis and ultrastructure of cucumber leaves under CO2 enrichment

CUI Qing-qing1, DONG Yan-hong1, LI Man1, ZHANG Wen-dong1, LIU Bin-bin2, AI Xi-zhen1,2, BI Huan-gai1,2, LI Qing-ming1,2,3*   

  1. 1College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, Shandong, China
    2State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Tai’an 271018, Shandong, China
    3Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Tai’an 271018, Shandong, China
  • Received:2016-08-16 Online:2017-04-18 Published:2017-04-18
  • Contact: * E-mail: gslqm@sdau.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31471918), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2013CM008), the Science and Technology Project of Colleges and Universities in Shandong Province (J14LF06), and the Program of Shandong Province Agricultural Major Application Technology Innovation (2016-36)

Abstract: Using split plot and then-split plot design, effects of water-nitrogen coupling on photosynthesis and ultrastructure of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) (Jinyou No.35) under CO2 enrichment were investigated. The main plot had two CO2 concentrations: ambient CO2 concentration (400 μmol·mol-1, A) and doubled CO2 concentration (800±20 μmol·mol-1, E). The split plot had two treatments: no drought stress (95% of field capacity, W) and drought stress (75% of field capacity, D). The then-split plot contained low nitrogen treatment (450 kg·hm-2, N1) and high nitrogen treatment (900 kg·hm-2, N2). The results showed that under the condition of drought and high nitrogen, increasing CO2 enhanced the cucumber plant height, and no matter what kinds of water treatment, CO2 enrichment increased the leaf area significantly under high nitrogen. Under the condition of normal irrigation, the photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of high nitrogen treatment were higher than low nitrogen treatment, while it was under the drought condition. Elevated CO2 enhanced the water use efficiency of cucumber leaf which increased with increasing nitrogen application rate. Under drought stress, cucumber adaxial surface porosity density was increased, and the CO2 enrichment and high nitrogen significantly reduced the stomatal density. Increasing nitrogen application improved the number of chloroplast, and reduced that of starch grains. Drought stress decreased the number of chloroplast, but tended to promote the number of starch grains. Drought stress increased the chloroplast length and width, and the size of the starch grains, while high nitrogen reduced the length and width of the chloroplast and starch grains. CO2 enrichment and high nitrogen increased grana thickness and layers (except ADN2), and the slice layer of EDN2 was significantly higher than that of ADN2. In conclusion, CO2 enrichment and suitable water and nitrogen could promote the development of chloroplast thylakoid membrane system, significantly increase the thickness of grana and the number of grana lamella, and effectively improve the chloroplast structure of cucumber, which would benefit the photosynthesis of cucumber plants and ability to utilize CO2 and water and nitrogen.