Nitrogen fertilization-affected metabolite profiling in sorghum-sudangrass hybrid plant

Nitrogen (N), an essential macronutrient for crop growth and development, is widely used as a fertilizer. Balanced nitrogen is believed to be responsible for production and allocation of metabolites. Therefore, this study was aimed to understand the impact of different levels of nitrogen fertilization on the dynamics of primary metabolites. Sorghum-sudangrass hybrid was experimented with different nitrogen levels (N0, N100 and N200), and sampled at heading and harvesting stages. The results showed that metabolic profiling of a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid revealed distinct responses to nitrogen fertilization in leaf and stem tissues. Higher nitrogen levels resulted in the up-regulation of sugars and amino acids while down-regulating organic acids. Amino acids, especially glutamine and asparagine, were more abundant in stem with higher nitrogen at harvesting. Further analysis confirmed an impact of nitrogen fertilization on monosaccharides and amino acids, with amino acids exhibiting higher stem abundance. Principal component analysis highlighted strong correlations between selected metabolites and nitrogen levels, particularly at higher concentrations. In summary, the study demonstrates that nitrogen fertilization is significantly responsible for an impact on the metabolic profile of the sorghum-sudangrass hybrid, particularly in sugars and amino acids. These findings contribute valuable insights into the plant's response to varying nitrogen levels, emphasizing the importance of nitrogen fertilization in shaping metabolic dynamics.Correlation between selected metabolites in the leaves and stems.