This project is characterising N-compounds in maturing Miscanthus crops and the effects of crop death and senescence on N cycling. The N-component of Miscanthus plants is broken down into fixed N, including protein amino acid content, and soluble N including nitrate content. Analyses is by LECO for total N, PTC-amino acids by HPLC and nitrate by ion chromatography. In addition chemical forms of N are evaluated by 1H-15N-HSQC NMR or LC-MS techniques, as appropriate, using the MeTRO Centre at Rothamsted Research. This includes analysis of tetrapyrole chlorophyll breakdown products from acetone extracts.

Leaf and stem tissues are analysed from very late or non-flowering Miscanthus giganteus, exposed and protected from low sring/autumn temperatures and from Miscanthus sinensis, which flowers in early autumn. Senescence in the tissues are quantified by chlorophyll determination and by monitoring of expression of senescence associated genes (SAGs) by quantitative PCR.

Genes being analysed include homologues to known cereal SAGs as well as unpublished candidates arising from the ongoing microarray study of N-remobilisation in cereals.

Furthermore expression of glutamine synthetase isoforms (well-characterised for their roles in N remobilization) are being evaluated.

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