Nutrient Use Efficiency in CAM Plants

Nutrient use efficiency (NUE) is a measure of how well the available mineral nutrients are used by plants [1], defined as yield (biomass) per unit input (fertiliser, nutrient content). It is a complex trait that depends not only on the ability of the plant to take up the nutrients from the soil but also on transport, storage, mobilization, and usage within the plant. NUE contributes significantly to both the growth control and yield; the same levels of nutrients may cause reduced growth and yield in certain species or varieties, whilst others might respond remarkably better. Therefore, NUE is of particular interest as a major target for crop improvement. Moreover, improvement of NUE is not only an essential prerequisite for the expansion of crop production into marginal lands with low nutrient availability, but also a way to reduce the use of inorganic fertilisers [1]. Thus, knowledge on the underlying physiological processes and variables that contribute to NUE is crucial to develop strategies for improvements in agroecosystems [2].

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is a photosynthetic pathway observed in various plant families and in many climates around the world. A benefit of CAM in agriculture is high water use efficiency, a characteristic that allows for reliable crop yields even in drought conditions.  The potential of the CAM trait to support resilient crops that meet demands for food, fiber, fuel, and pharmaceutical products far exceeds current production levels. CAM species that are already traded globally include species of the families Agavoideae, Aloaceae, Cactaceae, Orchidaceae, and Bromeliaceae, and there are many more with agronomic potential and uses that are less well known and have not yet been developed commercially. Davis et al. [3] have provided background on the aforementioned plant families that express CAM, including examples of species within these families that have potential agricultural uses, and summarized traditional uses, current developments, management practices, environmental tolerance ranges, and economic values of CAM species with potential commercial applications.

Given this potential, research on nutrient use efficiency in CAM plants is of particular interest, and original research papers and reviews on the topic are most welcome, towards expanding the already existing knowledge based on model C3 and C4 plants and crops, to understand in depth the nutritional behaviour and dynamics of CAM species.

Reference

[1] Hawkesford M.J., S. Kopriva, L.J. De Kok (Eds) Nutrient use efficiency in plants. Concepts and approaches. Plant Ecophysiology 10. Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014, ISBN 978-3-319-10634-2.

[2] Reich, M., T. Aghajanzadeh, L.J. De Kok Physiological basis of plant nutrient use efficiency – Concepts, opportunities, and challenges for its improvement. In: Hawkesford M.J. et al. (Eds) Nutrient use efficiency in plants. Concepts and approaches. Plant Ecophysiology 10. Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-10635-9_1.

[3] Davis S.C., J. Simpson, K. del Carmen Gil-Vega, N.A. Niechayev, E. van Tongerlo, N. Hurtado Castano, L.V. Dever, A. Burguez, Undervalued potential of crassulacean acid metabolism for current and future agricultural production. Journal of Experimental Botany 2019, 70 (22), 6521-6537.

Prof. Dr. Dimitris L. Bouranis
Guest Editor

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