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Up to now, there have been done much efforts in regard to nitrate reductase activity (NRA) of dicotyledonous herbs and important crop monocotyledons, but few to wild plants having canopy structure such as Carex. The objective of the present study are to determine: a) the optimum in vivo NR assay conditions for leaf samples of Carex species, b) changes of NRA according to section within leaf and leaf ages, c) diurnal variations. Optimized assay media of each Carex species were determined. NRA of C. rostrata adapted to oligotrophic habitats is readily saturated at lower substrate concentration than those of C. distans and C. gracilis, adapted to meso- and eutrophic habitats, respectively. All Carex species investigated have higher NRA in leaves than in roots. NRA of all species showed maximal values at the middle section of each leaf and in the youngest fully expanded leaves. Compared to C. gracilis, NR in leaves of C. distans was adapted readily to the light period. On the whole, Carex showed rather delayed diurnal variation. Even if the in vivo nitrate reductase assay based on nitrite estimation does not give an accurate estimation of total nitrate reduced, it still serves as a useful tool to find out relative differences in varying environmental conditions. Additionally, in vivo RNA measurements are helpful to understand nitrate reduction and basic nitrogen metabolism of Carex species having different canopy structure.
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