In addition to being necessary for the synthesis of proteins that are important for the plant, glutamic acid plays a role in the balancing of carbon and nitrogen, essentially intervening in the plant’s primary metabolism as well as in many reactions of the secondary metabolism.

It occupies a central role in the metabolism of amino acids because almost all others derive from it. The pair “glutamic acid/glutamine” acts as a receptor/donor of NH4+.

As a receptor for NH4+, a molecule toxic to the plant, glutamic acid is transformed into glutamine. Glutamine in turn can donate NH4+ (transforming back into glutamic acid) for the synthesis of other amino acids, nucleic acids, polyamines, alkaloids, chlorophyll, etc.

Both glutamic acid and glycine are fundamental metabolites for the formation of plant tissue and the synthesis of chlorophyll.

Glutamic acid, glutamine, asparagine and aspartic acid are the main sources of storage and transport of organic nitrogen throughout the cell.

Plants produce “carbon skeletons” in order to capture nitrogen, thus, the incorporation of exogenous glutamic acid provides nitrogen and reduces the cost of carbon (photo-assimilates).

In addition to its positive effects from the nutritional point of view, there are studies that demonstrate that the incorporation of exogenous glutamic acid increases tolerance to saline stress.