Genes and Metabolic Pathways Associated with Nitrogen Storage and Cycling

Dear Colleagues,

The nitrogen (N) nutrition of trees significantly differs from the N nutrition of herbaceous plants. In many tree species, nitrogen reduction and assimilation are mainly localized in the roots, and the leaves have to be supported by root-to-shoot allocation of reduced N compounds in the xylem. However, in most herbaceous plants, nitrogen reduction and assimilation take place in the leaves, and the roots have to be supported by shoot-to-root allocation in the phloem. Different from herbaceous plants, the N supply of new developing leaves of trees is largely independent from the actual N availability in the soil. It is rather met by the mobilization of N and its transport from storage pools that are located mainly in the stem bark and wood of deciduous tree species, and in mature leaves of evergreen tree species. The root-to-shoot interactions together with storage and mobilization processes involved in N nutrition are thought to generate a cycling pool of reduced N that can serve as a N source or N sink, depending on the season and tree development. N storage and cycling become even more complex in trees through root symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi and N-fixing bacteria. These features of the N nutrition of trees require specific processes of N transport and metabolism. However, the molecular basis of these processes and its regulation are far from being understood.

The central aim of this Special Issue, “Genes and Metabolic Pathways Associated with Nitrogen Storage and Cycling”, is to provide new information on all aspects of the molecular processes involved in N storage and cycling in trees. Since current information is predominantly focused on model trees such as poplar, studies on the main forest tree species are particularly encouraged. Short and full-length original research articles as well as short review articles on specific aspects are solicited.    

Prof. Dr. Heinz Rennenberg
Guest Editor

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• membrane transport
• metabolism
• long-distance transport
• allocation
• partitioning
• vegetative storage proteins
• leaf and fruit development
• vegetative and reproductive growth