<p>Nitrogen (N), one of the essential mineral elements, is involved in many biochemical processes and ultimately closely relates to agronomic yield. Our ability to monitor N concentrations in plants through direct tissue sampling or remote sensing has rapidly evolved as technology has advanced. However, functional relationships between morphological and physiological processes and tissue N have yet to be widely published and are needed to advance precision and predictive agricultural technologies further. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to determine the relationships between tissue N concentration and corn (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) morphological and physiologic characteristics. Plants were grown in pots under optimal conditions in sunlit controlled-environment chambers but with varying N supplies. Plant growth, developmental, and physiologic properties were monitored weekly. Shoot N content differed among treatments and declined over time for all treatment levels. Photosynthesis declined as N content decreased, but these decreases were largely non-stomatal limiting. Reductions in N content were due to declining chlorophyll and N balance index values and increasing flavonoids and anthocyanins. Stem elongation and leaf expansion were highly sensitive to declining N content. Below the soil surface, root growth and development rates fell and held a quadratic relationship with N content. Roots were less sensitive at low N stress levels than plant growth above the soil surface. The functional relationships produced from this study could help update crop simulation models and apply them to emerging precision agriculture technologies.</p>