Nickel deficiency affects nitrogenous forms and urease activity in spring xylem sap of pecan

While nickel (Ni) deficiency occurs in certain agricultural crops, little is known regarding the influence of deficiency on metabolic or physiological processes. We studied the influence of Ni deficiency on the reduced-nitrogen (N) composition of early spring xylem sap of pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) C. Koch]. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of sap composition found the presence of ureido-, amide-, and amino-N substances and that they are quantitatively influenced by tree Ni nutritional status. Ureido-N forms quantitatively dominated amide-N forms with respect to both molar concentration and the forms in which reduced N atoms are present; thus, pecan appears to be predominately a ureide-transporting species. The primary ureido-N substances in sap of Ni-sufficient trees are citrulline approximate to asparagine approximate to xanthine > ureidoglycolate > allantoic acid > allantoin approximate to uric acid approximate to urea. Asparagine is the primary amide-N form, while only traces of amino-N forms (e.g., tryptamine and beta-phenylethylamine) are found in xylem sap. Nickel deficiency substantially increased citrulline and allantoic acid in xylem sap while decreasing the asparagine, xanthine, and beta-phenylethylamine concentrations. These Ni-linked quantitative shifts in reduced-N forms indicate that Ni nutrition potentially affects intermediates of both the ureide catabolic pathway and the urea cycle as well as the nitrogen/carbon (N/C) economy of the tree. Xylem sap-associated urease-specific activity was also reduced as a consequence of Ni deficiency. These results indicate that Ni deficiency potentially disrupts normal N-cycling via disruption of ureide metabolism.