Effects of Different Nitrogen Concentration on the Locule Number in Tomato Fruit

doi:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0867

Acta Horticulturae Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (10): 2737-2747.doi: 10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0867

• Cultivation·Physiology & Biochemistry • Previous Articles Next Articles

Effects of Different Nitrogen Concentration on the Locule Number in Tomato Fruit

SUN Meihua¹, SUN Huixian¹, ZHAO Yanli¹, LI Jing¹, TIAN Linlin¹, MIAO Yanxiu¹, BAI Longqiang¹, HOU Leiping¹, ZHANG Yi¹, LI Tianlai²^,^**()

¹ College of Horticulture，Shanxi Agricultural University，Jinzhong，Shanxi 030801，China
² College of Horticulture，Shenyang Agricultural University，Shenyang 110866，China

Received:2024-10-31 Revised:2025-06-01 Online:2025-10-25 Published:2025-10-28
Contact: LI Tianlai

Abstract

Abstract:

Tomato seedlings were treated with nutrient solutions containing varying nitrogen concentrations. The nutrient content，enzyme activity，endogenous hormone levels，and gene expression changes in the shoot tips were analyzed to explore the mechanisms by which different nitrogen supply levels regulate the locule number of tomato fruit. The results indicate that increasing nitrogen nutrition levels accelerate tomato flower bud differentiation，increase the locule number of fruits and the content of soluble protein，starch，sucrose，and soluble sugar and enhances POD，NR，and PPO enzyme activities in the seedling stem tips. Closely related to the locule number of fruits is soluble protein，soluble sugar content and POD，NR and PPO activities. Furthermore，higher nitrogen nutrition levels lead to increased levels of cytokinins，gibberellins，and jasmonic acid in the stem tips. The transcriptome analysis revealed differentially expressed genes，including peroxidase genes PRX44-like，PRX3-like，and PRX66，alongside gibberellin synthesis gene GA2ox2 and cytokinin synthesis genes TLOG1 and CKX2. Based on the observed physiological changes，it is speculated that enhancing nitrogen nutrition levels during the seedling stage may regulate the expression of PRX44-like and GA2ox2 genes，thereby increasing POD enzyme activity and gibberellin content，ultimately influencing the locule number of tomato fruit.

Key words: tomato, nitrogen nutrition, flower bud differentiation, peroxidase, gibberellin, fruit locule

SUN Meihua, SUN Huixian, ZHAO Yanli, LI Jing, TIAN Linlin, MIAO Yanxiu, BAI Longqiang, HOU Leiping, ZHANG Yi, LI Tianlai. Effects of Different Nitrogen Concentration on the Locule Number in Tomato Fruit[J]. Acta Horticulturae Sinica, 2025, 52(10): 2737-2747.

Figures/Tables 8

Table 1 Nutrient solution formulations for different treatments（large elements） mg · L-1

氮水平N level	KNO₃	Ca（NO₃）₂ · 4H₂O	NaH₂PO₄ · 4H₂O	KH₂PO₄	NH₄NO₃	CaCl₂	MgSO₄	N	P₂O₅	K₂O
标准Normal	301	912	395.5	--	--	--	400	150	180	140
多High	301	912	395.5	--	286	--	400	250	180	140
少Low	301	70	395.5	--	--	748	400	50	180	140

Table 2 Primers used in real-time fluorescence quantitative experiments

目的基因Target gene	引物序列（5′-3′）Primer sequence
GA2ox2	F：ATTCGGGCTGCGGTTAATGA	R：TCAATCTCTGAGCATGGCGG
TLOG1	F：AAGAGCAGTGTCTGGGATGC	R：AATGATGTGACGGGCAGAGG
CKX2	F：CAAGAGGCCACGGTCATTCT	R：TGTCCACTGATGCCAGCATT
PRX44	F：GGGCCTAGTATAACGGTGCC	R：TGGCGACCCACCATTAGAAC
PRX3	F：ATGCACCATCTCTTGCTGCT	R：GCACATGACACAATCCCAGG
PRX66	F：CTCGAAAAGGCTTGCCCAAC	R：CCAAGTGTGTGTCCACCAGA
ACTIN	F：GATCAGCGTATCCTTCAGAG	R：GGCATTGTAGCAGAGAAAAC

Fig. 1 Effects of different nitrogen concentrations on tomato flowers bud differentiation process（A，B），flower size（C，D）and number of floral organs（E） Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference among treatments（P < 0.05）according to Duncan’s multiple range tests

Fig. 2 Effects of different nitrogen concentrations on tomato fruit（A），fruit size（B），fruit weight（C）and locule number（D） Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference among treatments（P < 0.05）according to Duncan’s multiple range tests

Fig. 3 Effects of different nitrogen concentrations on nutrient content and enzyme activity in stem apex of tomato seedlings Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference among treatments（P < 0.05）according to Duncan’s multiple range tests

Table 3 Correlation analysis of nutrient content and enzyme activity in stem apex of seedlings with flower and fruit traits

性状 Trait	可溶性蛋白 Soluble protein	淀粉 Starch	蔗糖 Sucrose	可溶性糖 Solube sugar	POD	NR	CAT	PPO
花直径Flower size	0.964^**	0.014	0.821^**	0.969^**	0.929^**	0.963^**	0.152	0.929^**
果实直径Fruit size	0.961^**	0.080	0.876^**	0.868^**	0.934^**	0.919^**	0.379	0.968^**
单果质量Single fruit weight	0.942^**	0.129	0.910^**	0.880^**	0.960^**	0.913^**	0.445	0.986^**
心室数量Locule number	0.845^**	-0.277	0.642	0.812^**	0.770^*	0.939^**	-0.040	0.785^*

Fig. 4 Effects of high nitrogen concentration on hormone content in stem apex of tomato seedlings * means significant at P < 0.05 level，** means significant at P < 0.01 level according to the Independent t-test

Fig. 5 Effects of high nitrogen concentration on gene expression in stem apex of tomato seedlings * means significant at P < 0.05 level，** means significant at P < 0.01 level

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Effects of Different Nitrogen Concentration on the Locule Number in Tomato Fruit

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