Abstract:The effect of nitrogen nutrition on protein and nucleic acid metabolism and discussed the relationship between protein metabolism and nucleic acid metabolism were studied. The results indicated that the contents of soluble protein, DNA and RNA in flag leaf gradually reduced, but the activities of protease and nuclease gradually raised during senescence. Soluble protein, DNA, and RNA contents in flag leaf of cultivar senescence at early stage rapidly reduced and the activities of protease and nuclease rapidly raised. Sufficient nitrogen nutrition could improve the contents of soluble protein and nucleic acid in flag leaf and reduce the activities of protease and nuclease, and delay the senescence of plant. The improvement of protease activity improved to decompose the protein, decreased the contents of DNA and RNA, which led to the reduction of soluble protein in flag leaf. The reduction of DNA and RNA contents correlated to the improvement of DNase and RNase activities, and decomposition of DNA and RNA.