Effect of nitrogen fertilization on metabolisms of essential and non-essential amino acids in field-grown grain maize (Zea mays L.)

In two-year field experiments, nitrogen (N) in the form of urea (0, 120 and 240 kg N/ha) was applied to grain maize (Zea mays L.) hybrid KWS 2376. The two-year mean content of total grain N at harvest was 1.54%. The highest N dose reduced most of the 17 amino acids (AA) analysed in the grain compared with the other treatments. Possible reasons for this could be an adverse effect on the tricarboxylic acid cycle or deficiency of carbon skeletons for the assimilation of NH4+ into amides and amino acids. The content of the limiting amino acid lysine was not influenced by N fertilisation, with a mean two-year content of 2.02 mg/g DM. Taking into account the differences in fertilisation, the effect of the year was seen in the maximal accumulation of amino acids serine, proline, methionine, threonine, arginine and lysine. Increasing rates of nitrogen reduced the accumulation of asparagine and glycine, and, on the contrary, increased the accumulation of tyrosine. Nitrogen rates have a significant effect on the maximal accumulation of valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, histidine, cysteine and alanine and appeared as early as after the first increased rate of nitrogen (120 kg N/ha).