Experimental study demonstrates superior ammonium uptake over nitrate in tea plants, indicating that root-zone pH strongly modulates growth and nutrient absorption.
Tea plants are well-adapted to NH(4+)-rich environments by exhibiting a high capacity for NH4+ assimilation in their roots, reflected in strongly increased key enzyme activities and improved carbohydrate status. The poor plant growth with NO3- was largely associated with inefficient absorption of this N source. Decreased growth caused by inappropriate external pH corresponded well with the declining absorption of nitrogen.
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Ruan et al. (2007) studied this question.
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