Dynamic change of mineral nutrient content in different plant organs during the grain filling stage in maize grown under contrasting nitrogen supply

The introduction of new hybrids and integrated crop-soil management has been causing maize grain yield to increase. However, less attention has been paid on the nutrient concentration of the grain; this aspect is of great importance to supplying calories and nutrients in the diets of both humans and animals worldwide. Increasing the retranslocation of nutrients from vegetative organs to grain can effectively increase the nutrient concentration of grain and general nutrient use efficiency. The present study involved monitoring the dynamic change of macro- and micronutrients in different organs of maize during the grain filling stage. In addition, the mobility of different elements and their contribution to grain nutrient content were evaluated in a 2-year experiment under low (LN, no N supplied) and high N (HN, 180kgNha−1) supply. Under HN supply, the net remobilization efficiency (RE) of the vegetative organs as a whole (calculated as nutrient remobilization amount divided by nutrient content at silking) of N, P, K, Mn, and Zn were 44%, 60%, 13%, 15%, and 25%, respectively. The other nutrients (Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, and B) showed a net accumulation in the vegetative organs as a whole during the grain filling stage. Among the different organs, N, P, and Zn were remobilized more from the leaves (RE of 44%, 51% and 43%, respectively) and the stalks (including leaf sheaths and tassels) (RE of 48%, 71% and 43%, respectively). K was mainly remobilized from the leaves with RE of 51%. Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, and Cu were mostly remobilized from the stalks with the RE of 23%, 9%, 10%, 42%, and 28%, respectively. However, most of the remobilized Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn were translocated to the husk and cob, which seemingly served as the buffer sink for these nutrients. The REs of all the nutrients except for P, K, and Zn were vulnerable to variations in conditions annually and were reduced when the grain yield and harvest index were lower in 2014 compared with 2013. Under LN stress, the RE was reduced in P and Zn in 2013, increased in Cu and unchanged in other nutrients. The concentration of these nutrients in the grain was either unchanged (P, K, Ca, Zn, and B) or decreased (N, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Cu). It is concluded that grain N, P, K, Mn, and Zn, but not Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, and B concentration, can be improved by increasing their remobilization from vegetative organs. However, enhancing the senescence of maize plant via LN stress seems unable to increase grain mineral nutrient concentration. Genetic improvement aiming to increase nutrient remobilization should take into account the organ-specific remobilization pattern of the target nutrient.