Transcriptional characterization of maize roots in response to nitrate (NO3-), Water-Extractable Humic Substances (WEHS) and NO3-+WEHS.. Zea mays

Soil humic substances are known to positively influence plant growth and nutrition. In particular, low-molecular fractions have been shown to increase NO3- uptake and PM H+-ATPase activity and alter expression of related genes. Changes in maize root transcriptome due to treatment with nitrate (NO3-), Water-Extractable Humic Substances (WEHS) and NO3-+WEHS were analyzed. Overall design: 5 dd-old maize plants were treated for 4 and 8 hours with nutrient solution containing 0.5 mM Ca(NO3)2 (NO3- treatment), 5 mg Corg L-1 WEHS (WEHS treatment) and 0.5 mM Ca(NO3)2 and 5 mg Corg L-1 WEHS (NO3-+WEHS treatment). Three different biological replicates were used for each sample repeating the treatment experiment three times. All samples were obtained pooling roots of six plants.