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[SANET-MG] gene expression in wheat with organic vrs inorganic fertilizer



The paper below shows that there are clear differences in gene expression in wheat grown with organic vrs inorganic fertilizer. These differences go well beyond the genes for nitrogen metabolism. It is important to know how these gene expression differences effect nutrition. My guess is that the differences are very significant.
Proceedings: Biological Sciences
ISSN: 0962-8452 (Paper) 1471-2954 (Online)
Issue: Volume 272, Number 1575 / September 22, 2005Pages: 1901 - 1908
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2005.3161
URL: Linking Options Markedly different gene expression in wheat grown with organic or inorganic fertilizer

Chungui Lu A1 A2, Malcolm J. Hawkesford A1, Peter B. Barraclough A1, Paul R. Poulton A1, Ian D. Wilson A2, Gary L. Barker A2, Keith J. Edwards A2

A1 Rothamsted Research Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK
A2 University of Bristol School of Biological Sciences Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
Abstract:
Nitrogen is the major determinant of crop yield and quality and the precise management of nitrogen fertilizer is an important issue for farmers and environmentalists. Despite this, little is known at the level of gene expression about the response of field crops to different amounts and forms of nitrogen fertilizer. Here we use expressed sequence tag (EST)-based wheat microarrays in combination with the oldest continuously running agricultural experiment in the world to show that gene expression is significantly influenced by the amount and form of nitrogenous fertilizer. In the Broadbalk winter wheat experiment at Rothamsted in the United Kingdom and at three other diverse test sites, we show that specific genes have surprisingly different expression levels in the grain endosperm when nitrogen is supplied either in an organic or an inorganic form. Many of the genes showing differential expression are known to participate in nitrogen metabolism and storage protein synthesis. However, others are of unknown function and therefore represent new leads for future investigation. Our observations show that specific gene expression is diagnostic for use of organic sources of nitrogen fertilizer and may therefore have useful applications in defining the differences between organically and conventionally grown wheat


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