**4.3 The contribution of N absorption efficiency and N use efficiency to N efficiency**

Many studies were carried out on the in contribution of N absorption efficiency and N use efficiency to N efficiency, but the results were different (Zou et al., 2009). High seed protein content will cause low grain yield, this agrees with former results which observed negative relationship between protein content of seed and grain yield (Dudley et al., 1977; Simmonds, et al., 1995). Wheat breeders have reported selection standards combined with high yield and high protein content (Monaghan et al., 2001). Some results showed that N use efficiency was the main reason for changes of N efficiency under low N condition, and the main reason was N absorption efficiency under high N condition (Moll et al., 1982). The effect of N absorption efficiency on N efficiency was higher than N use efficiency significantly under low N condition, and the effect of N absorption efficiency and N use efficiency on N efficiency were almost the same under high N condition (Mi et al., 1998); the absorption efficiency was the main reason for changes of N efficiency regardless of N application level (Liu et al., 2002); N absorption efficiency and N use efficiency of oilseed rape were studied by Yan and Thurling (1987a), there were differences of N use efficiency between varieties under high N condition, and there were differences of N absorption efficiency between varieties under low N condition. The results of this study showed that, the changes of N use efficiency was the main reason of the changes of N efficiency under low and high N conditions, but Yan and Thurling (1987b) have different results. This study (Table 5) also showed that, variation coefficient of N absorption efficiency was increased under low N condition, while the variation coefficient of N use efficiency declined, it was suggested that, the contribution of N absorption efficiency to N efficiency was increased under low N condition. However, the results were only for the varieties which were used in this study, and more varieties are necessary to be used in the future.

#### **4.4 N redistribution characteristics and relation to N efficiency**

Liu, (1987) reported that N content in oilseed rape tissues at different growth stages are from 4.5% to 1.2%, N content is higher during earlier growth stages, and lower during later growth stages, N distribution and transfer in tissues can reflect plant metabolisms situation and growth center changes. The same results are showed in this study (Fig.1), N absorbed at seedling and stem elongation stages are mainly distributed into leaves, and distributed amount of N absorbed at flowering stage is lower than the former stages, 42% of N absorbed at siliquing stage was directly distributed into silique. N redistribution is happen in every part of plant tissues at different growth stages, especially after flowering stage, large amount of N are redistributed from vegetative organs to reproductive organs, these results are reported in many kinds of crops, such as wheat (Andersson et al., 2005; Palta et al., 1995a; Palta et al., 1995b; Dalling et al., 1985; Barbottin et al., 2005; Pierre et al., 2003), rice (He et al., 2002), maize (Pommel et al., 2006), pea (Séverine et al., 2005), and oilseed rape (Rossato et al., 2002; Malagoli et al., 2005). Malagoli et al., (2005) suggested that N requirements of seed filling are mainly satisfied by N mobilized from vegetative parts

Nitrogen Efficiency in Oilseed Rape and Its Physiological Mechanism 77

Brenna, T. J., T. N. Corso, H. J. Tobias, and R. J. Caimi. 1998. High-precision continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry. *Mass Spectrometry Reviews* 16(5): 227 – 258. Cao, L.Q., Wu, X.M., Li, Y.J. 2010. Relationship between genotypic differences of rapeseed

Christian, M., Maria, K., Bettina, K., Ariane, O. and Heiko, C. B., 1999. Genotypic variation for

Proceedings of the 10th international rapeseed congress., Canberra, Australia. Dalling, M. J. 1985. The physiological basis of nitrogen redistribution during grain filling in

Dimmock, J., and M. J. Gooding. 2002. The influence of foliar diseases, and their control by

Dong, G. C., Y. L. Wang, J. Zhou, B. Zhang, C. S. Zhang, Y. F. Zhang, L. X. Yang, and J. H.

Dreccer, M. F., Schapendonk, A. H. C. M., Slafer G. A. and Rabbinge, R., 2000. Comparative

Dudley, J.W., Lambert. R.J. and Roche, D.E. I.A., 1977. Genetic analysis of crosses among corn strains divergently selected for percent oil and protein. Crop Sci., 17: 111-117. Fonzo, D. N., Motto M., Maggiore, T., Sabatino, R., Salamini, F., 1982. N uptake,

Grami, B. and La Croix, L.J., 1977. Cultivar variation in total nitrogen uptake in rape. Can. J.

Hardy, R. W. F., Holsten, R. D., Jackson E. K. and Burns, R. C., 1968. The Acetylene-Ethylene

He, P., W. Zhou, and J. Y. Jin. 2002. Effect of nitrogen application on redistribution and

Kamprath, E. J., R. H. Moll, and M. Rodrigues. 1982. Effects of nitrogen fertilization and

Kessel, B. and Becker, H.C., 1999. Genetic variation of nitrogen-efficiency in field

and genetic variability to enhance crop productivity. p:55-71.

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output. *Acta Agron. Sin*. 35(1): 149–155.

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Dissertation, University of Hohenheim.

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(*Brassica napus* L.) nitrogen uptake efficiency and economic characteristics. *Chin. J.* 

nitrogen efficiency in winter rapeseed cultivars. "New Horizons for an old crop",

cereals. In: *Harpen JE, Schrader LE, Howell RW (Eds.)*. Exploitation of physiological

fungicides, on the protein concentration in wheat grain: a review. *Journal of* 

Huang. 2009. Difference of nitrogen accumulation and translocation in conventional indica rice cultivars with different nitrogen use efficiency for grain

response of wheat and oilseed rape to nitrogen supply: absorption and utilization efficiency of radiation and nitrogen during the reproductive stages determining

translocation and relationships among N related traits in maize as affected by

Assay for N2 Fixation: Laboratory and Field Evaluation. Plant Physiology., 43:1185-

transformation of photosynthesized 14C during grain formation in two maize cultivars with different senescence appearance. *Journal of Plant Nutrition*

recurrent selection on the performance of hybrid populations of corn. *Agronomy* 

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(about 73% of total N in pods). Nearly all that had been remobilized from vegetative tissues were finally recovered in mature pods (Rossato et al., 2002). The results of maize (Liu et al., 2002) and wheat (Li et al., 2006) studies showed that contribution of N redistributed from vegetative organs to grain was about 50-95%, and depended on crop growth conditions, variety and N application. Table3 results also show that contribution of N redistributed from vegetative organs to grain was 65.1%, this confirmed the results of the other studies. However, a comparison of the amount of N redistribution and the proportion of N absorbed at different growth and development stages has not been done (Rossato et al., 2002; Malagoli et al., 2005; Liu et al., 2002; Li et al., 2006). Preliminary results are shown in this study (Table7), transferred proportion of N absorbed at stem elongation stage was the highest, accounting for 25.8%, followed by N absorbed at flowering and seedling stages, accounting for 16.9% and 15.9% respectively, the lowest was absorbed at siliquing stage, accounting for 6.4%.

High efficiency of N redistribution during later growth stages is physiological mechanisms for crop adapting to environmental changes for a longtime. It is important for crop to alleviate N deficiency in plant tissues, improve crop production and N efficiency, and protect environment ecology (Zhang et al., 2010). However, studies on the N redistribution and loss of oilseed rape are few recently; comparatively studies on the differences of N distribution between growth stages of oilseed rape are fewer (Zhang et al., 2010). This paper system studied on amount and proportion of N that was absorbed at different growth stages, and N distribution, loss amount during later growth stages. Results (Table8) showed that amount and proportion of N absorbed at stem elongation stage that is redistributed into grain of the two varieties was the highest, and loss proportion of N is lower than the other stages also. Loss amount and proportion of N absorbed at seedling stage is the highest, and distribution amount and proportion value is moderate. It can be concluded that fertilizer application at stem elongation stage is good for improving the N application efficiency.

#### **5. Acknowledgments**

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31071851, 31101596 and 30971860), Talent Introduction Strategy of Hunan Agricultural University (11YJ21) and FuRong Scholar Program of Hunan Province, P.R. China.

#### **6. References**


(about 73% of total N in pods). Nearly all that had been remobilized from vegetative tissues were finally recovered in mature pods (Rossato et al., 2002). The results of maize (Liu et al., 2002) and wheat (Li et al., 2006) studies showed that contribution of N redistributed from vegetative organs to grain was about 50-95%, and depended on crop growth conditions, variety and N application. Table3 results also show that contribution of N redistributed from vegetative organs to grain was 65.1%, this confirmed the results of the other studies. However, a comparison of the amount of N redistribution and the proportion of N absorbed at different growth and development stages has not been done (Rossato et al., 2002; Malagoli et al., 2005; Liu et al., 2002; Li et al., 2006). Preliminary results are shown in this study (Table7), transferred proportion of N absorbed at stem elongation stage was the highest, accounting for 25.8%, followed by N absorbed at flowering and seedling stages, accounting for 16.9% and 15.9%

High efficiency of N redistribution during later growth stages is physiological mechanisms for crop adapting to environmental changes for a longtime. It is important for crop to alleviate N deficiency in plant tissues, improve crop production and N efficiency, and protect environment ecology (Zhang et al., 2010). However, studies on the N redistribution and loss of oilseed rape are few recently; comparatively studies on the differences of N distribution between growth stages of oilseed rape are fewer (Zhang et al., 2010). This paper system studied on amount and proportion of N that was absorbed at different growth stages, and N distribution, loss amount during later growth stages. Results (Table8) showed that amount and proportion of N absorbed at stem elongation stage that is redistributed into grain of the two varieties was the highest, and loss proportion of N is lower than the other stages also. Loss amount and proportion of N absorbed at seedling stage is the highest, and distribution amount and proportion value is moderate. It can be concluded that fertilizer application at stem elongation stage is good for improving the N application efficiency.

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31071851, 31101596 and 30971860), Talent Introduction Strategy of Hunan Agricultural

Andersson, A., E. Johansson, and P. Oscarson. 2005. Nitrogen redistribution from the roots

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during grain filling in wheat: genotypic and environmental effects. *Crop Science* 45:

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in post-anthesis plants of spring wheat. *Plant and Soil* 269: 321-332.

respectively, the lowest was absorbed at siliquing stage, accounting for 6.4%.

**5. Acknowledgments** 

1141-1150.

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**5** 

 *Nigeria* 

**Sesame Seed** 

T. Y. Tunde-Akintunde1, M. O. Oke1 and B. O. Akintunde2

*2Federal College of Agriculture, I.A.R. and T., P.M.B. 5029, Ibadan, Oyo State,* 

Sesame (*Sesamum indicum* L.), otherwise known as sesamum or benniseed, member of the family *Pedaliaceae*, is one of the most ancient oilseeds crop known to mankind. Sesame plays an important role in human nutrition. Most of the sesame seeds are used for oil extraction and the rest are used for edible purposes (El Khier et al, 2008). Sesame is grown primarily for its oil-rich seeds. Before seeds were appreciated for their ability to add nutty flavour or garnish foods, they were primarily used for oil and wine (Ghandi, 2009). After the extraction of oil, the cake is mostly used for livestock feed or often as manure. Its colour varies from cream-white to charcoal-black but it is mainly white or black. Other colours of some sesame seed varieties include, yellow, red or brown (Naturland, 2002). In Nigeria, the notable colours for sesame seed are white, yellow and black (Fariku et al., 2007). The lighter varieties of sesame which are considered to be of higher quality are generally more valued in the West and Middle East, while both the pale and black varieties are prized in the Far East. (www.wikepedia-sesame). There are numerous varieties and ecotypes of sesame adapted to

The major world producers include India, Sudan, China and Burma (who contribute about 60% of the total world production) (El Khier et al, 2008). It is also one of main commercial crops in Nigeria, Sudan and Ethiopia (www. nutrition and you). Sesame is an important crop to Nigerian agriculture: it is quite extensively cultivated especially in Northern Nigeria. It yields in relatively poor climatic conditions, and it is widely used within Nigeria. Moreso,

Sesame seed is rich in fat, protein, carbohydrates, fibre and some minerals. The oil seed is renowned for its stability because it strongly resists oxidative rancidity even after long exposure to air (Global AgriSystems, 2010). The oil fraction shows a remarkable stability to oxidation. This could be attributed to endogenous antioxidants namely lignins and

The seed is rich in protein and the protein has disable amino acid profile with good nutritional value similar to soybean (NAERLS, 2010). The chemical composition of sesame shows that the seed is an important source of oil (44-58%), protein (18-25%), carbohydrate (~13.5%) and ash (~5%) (Borchani et al., 2010). Sesame seed is approximately 50 percent oil (out of which 35% is monounsaturated fatty acids and 44% polyunsaturated fatty acids) and

it is an important component of Nigeria's agricultural exports (Chemonics, 2002).

45 percent meal (out of which 20% is protein) (Ghandi,2009; Hansen, 2011).

**1. Introduction** 

various ecological conditions (Nzioku et al., 2010).

tocopherols (Elleuch et al., 2007; Lee et al., 2008).

*1Department of Food Science and Engineering,* 

 *Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso,* 

