森林养分循环模型应用

The nutrient cycling model NuCM is one of the most detailed models for simulating processes that influence nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. A field study was conducted at Tieshanping, a Masson pine （Pinus massoniana Lamb.） forest site, in Chongqing, China, to monitor the impacts of acidic precipitation on nutrient cycling. NuCM simulations were compared with observed data from the study site. The model produced an approximate fit with the observed data. It simulated the mean annual soil solution concentrations in the two simulation years, whereas it sometimes failed to reproduce seasonal variation. Even though some of the parameters required by model running were measured in the field, some others were still highly uncertain and the uncertainties were analyzed. Some of the uncertain parameters necessary for model running should be measured and calibrated to produce a better fit between modeled results and field data.     

地膜覆盖滴灌棉田土壤上水分动态的数值模拟

Drip irrigation under plastic mulch has been widely applied in arid Northwest China as a water-saving irrigation technology.A comprehensive knowledge of the distribution and movement of soil water in root zone is essential for the design and management of irrigation regimes.Simulation models have been proved to be efcient methods for this purpose.In this study,the numerical model Hydrus -2D was used to simulate the temporal variations of soil water content in a drip irrigated cotton field under mulching.A concept of partitioning coefcient,calibrated to be 0.07,was introduced to describe the efect of plastic mulch on prevention of evaporation.The soil hydraulic parameters were optimized by inverse solution using the field data.At the optimized conditions,the model was used to predict soil water content for four field treatments.The agreements between the predictions and observations were evaluated using coefcient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE).The results suggested that the model fairly reproduced the variations in soil water content at all locations in four treatments,with R2 ranging from 0.582 to 0.826 and RMSE from 0.029 to 0.050 cm3 cm-3,indicating that the simulations agreed well with the observations.     

An overview on biochar production, its implications, and mechanisms of biochar-induced amelioration of soil and plant characteristics

The degradation of soil fertility and quality due to rapid industrialization and human activities has stimulated interest in the rehabilitation of low-fertility soils to sustainably improve crop yield. In this regard, biochar has emerged as an effective multi-beneficial additive that can be used as a medium for the amelioration of soil properties and plant growth. The current review highlights the methods and conditions for biochar production and the effects of pyrolysis temperature, feedstock type, and retention time on the physicochemical properties of biochar. We also discuss the impact of biochar as a soil amendment with respect to enhancing soil physical (e.g., surface area, porosity, ion exchange, and water-holding capacity) and chemical (e.g., pH, nutrient exchange,functional groups, and carbon sequestration) properties, improving the soil microbiome for increased plant nutrient uptake and growth, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing infectious diseases in plants, and facilitating the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. The possible mechanisms for biochar-induced amelioration of soil and plant characteristics are also described, and we consider the challenges associated with biochar utilization. The findings discussed in this review support the feasibility of expending the application of biochar to improve degraded soils in industrial and saline-alkali regions, thereby increasing the usable amount of cultivated soil. Future research should include long-term field experiments and studies on biochar production and environmental risk management to optimize biochar performance for specific soil remediation purposes.     

Root Exudation of Organic Acids of Herbaceous Pioneer Plants and Their Growth in Sterile and Non-Sterile Nutrient-Poor, Sandy Soils from Post-Mining Sites

Nutrient-poor, sandy soils form the prevailing substrate at post-mining sites of the Lusatian region(Brandenburg, Germany) and present a challenge for vegetation development. We studied the organic acid quantity and composition of three commonly occurring pioneer plant species, the legumes Lotus corniculatus L. and Trifolium arvense L. and the grass Calamagrostis epigeios(L.) Roth, to determine if plant growth and exudation differed with(non-sterilized soil) and without(sterilized soil) an indigenous soil microbial community. We investigated whether organic acids were found in the rhizosphere and surrounding soil and whether this influenced nutrient mobilization. This study consists of linked field investigations and a greenhouse experiment. Plants were grown in the greenhouse in either sterilized or non-sterilized sandy soil from a reclamation site in the Lusatian mining landscape(Welzow Su¨d, East Germany). After seven months, the plant biomass, root morphology, organic acids, and water-soluble nutrients and root colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF) and dark septate endophytes(DSE) were analyzed. Roots of all three plants in the field and greenhouse experiments were highly colonized with AMF. Calamagrostis epigeios and T. arvense had a significantly higher colonization frequency with DSE than L. corniculatus. The quantity and composition of organic acids strongly differed among plant species, with the highest number of organic acids found for L. corniculatus and lowest for C. epigeios. The quantity of organic acids was greatly reduced in all plants under sterilized soil conditions. However, the composition of organic acids and plant growth in sterilized soil were reduced for both legumes, but not for C. epigeios, which had a higher biomass under sterilized conditions. Changes in nutrient concentrations in the field rhizosphere soil relative to those in the control were measurable after seven months. While the spectrum of organic acids and the growth of legumes seemed to be dependent on a highly diverse soil microbial community and a symbiotic partner, the grass C. epigeios appeared capable of mobilizing enough nutrients without an indigenous microbial community, and might be more competitive on sites where soil microbial diversity and activity are low.     

土壤水分特征曲线的分形模拟

Many empirical models have been developed to describe the soil water retention curve （SWRC）. In this study, a fractal model for SWRC was derived with a specially constructed Menger sponge to describe the fractal scaling behavior of soil; relationships were established among the fractal dimension of SWRC, the fractal dimension of soil mass, and soil texture; and the model was used to estimate SWRC with the estimated results being compared to experimental data for verification. The derived fractal model was in a power-law form, similar to the Brooks-Corey and Campbell empirical functions. Experimental data of particle size distribution （PSD）, texture, and soil water retention for 10 soils collected at different places in China were used to estimate the fractal dimension of SWRC and the mass fractal dimension. The fractal dimension of SWRC and the mass fractal dimension were linearly related. Also, both of the fractal dimensions were dependent on soil texture, i.e., clay and sand contents. Expressions were proposed to quantify the relationships. Based on the relationships, four methods were used to determine the fractal dimension of SWRC and the model was applied to estimate soil water content at a wide range of tension values. The estimated results compared well with the measured data having relative errors less than 10% for over 60% of the measurements. Thus, this model, estimating the fractal dimension using soil textural data, offered an alternative for predicting SWRC.     

Utilizing landsat TM imagery to map greenhouses in Qingzhou, Shandong Province, China

To build a rapid and accurate method for greenhouse vegetable land information extraction using an index model derived from TM digital data of Qingzhou City, Shandong Province, based on a systematic analysis of the spectral characteristics of different land use types in the study area, a subset of the image was first made to eliminate the mountainous region not associated with vegetable distribution, and then water body pixels were masked. With this the VI index model for greenhouse vegetable land extraction was developed. The index model indicated greenhouse vegetable land for Qingzhou in April 2002 was concentrated in the southeast and around rural residential areas. Field data used for an accuracy evaluation showed that greenhouse hectares determined with remote sensing were 95.9% accurate, and accuracy for the spatial distribution of greenhouse vegetable land cross checked with a random sample was 96.3%. Therefore, this approach provided an effective method for greenhouse vegetable land information extraction and has potential significance for management of greenhouse vegetable production in the study area, as well as North China.     

紫花苜蓿“Vector”品种高效根瘤菌筛选及其田间竞争结瘤能力研究

Seventeen Sinorhizobium meliloti strains from seven provinces in China were used to screen highly effective strains for alfalfa cultivar in a greenhouse study and their symbiotic relationship and competitive ability were studied in the field. CCBAU30138 was the most effective strain, as evidenced by increase in dry weights. A field experiment showed that the inoculation of alfalfa with CCBAU30138 resulted in increases of 11.9% and 19.6% of dry matter production and crude protein production, respectively, in forage of monocultured plants. The total dry matter yields of alfalfa and tall fescue in binary culture were increased by 16.3% by inoculation of alfalfa with this strain. These results showed that S. rneliloti strain CCBAU30138 was an effective inoculant both in the greenhouse and in the field. The analysis of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA （RAPD） by polymerase chain reaction （PCR） from nodule extracts showed that the strain CCBAU30138 had high competitiveness in the field. It occupied 47.5% of nodules in alfalfa monoculture and 44.4% of nodules in alfalfa-tall fescue binary culture after 20 weeks of growth. In conclusion, a simple system to select highly effective and competitive symbiotic strains specific to alfalfa was established. Using this system, a s.train suitable for the alfalfa cultivar ‘Vector＇ grown in Wuqiao County of Hebei Province was obtained.     

作为颗粒运移的示踪剂的土壤7Be, 137Cs, 226Ra和228Ra的地球化学种类

A brunisolic soil collected from an erosive forest land(HF-1-1) and a yellow soil from and accumulative shallow basin(HF-6-1) in the watershed of Lake Hongfeng (HF) were used for activity measurements of ^7Be,^137Cs,^226Ra and ^228Ra in different geochemical speciation.More than 85% of ^7Be,^137Cs,^226Ra and 228Ra in the soils were bound to organic Fe-Mn oxy-hydroxide and residual fractions.They could move with soil particlesw and be used as tracers for the erosion and /or accumulation of soil particles.^7Be gohemical specition in the soils agreed with its trace for seasonal particle transport.^137Cs geohemial speciaiton was suitable for tracing soil particle accumulation and for sediment aating.^226Ra and ^228Ra were ombined in crystalline skeleton of clay minerals and mainly remained as residues in the soils and little was bound to the soluble,exchangeable and carbonate fractions.The differentiation of ^226 Ra/^228Ra activity ratios in different geoheical fractions in the soils could be used as a parameter to trace accumulation and /or erosion of soil particles.     

应用CropSyst模型模拟东北黑土区春小麦生长

Available water and fertilizer have been the main limiting factors for yields of spring wheat, which occupies a large area of the black soil zone in northeast China; thus, the need to set up appropriate models for scenario analysis of cropping system models has been increasing. The capability of CropSyst, a cropping system simulation model, to simulate spring wheat growth of a widely grown spring cultivar, ‘Longmai 19＇, in the black soil zone in northeast China under different water and nitrogen regimes was evaluated. Field data collected from a rotation experiment of three growing seasons （1992- 1994） were used to calibrate and validate the model. The model was run for 3 years by providing initial conditions at the beginning of the rotation without reinitializing the model in later years in the rotation sequence. Crop input parameters were set based on measured data or taken from CropSyst manual. A few cultivar-specific parameters were adjusted within a reasonable range of fluctuation. The results demonstrated the robustness of CropSyst for simulating evapotranspiration, aboveground biomass, and grain yield of ＇Longmai 19＇ spring wheat with the root mean square errors being 7%, 13% and 13% of the observed means for evapotranspiration （ET）, grain yield and aboveground biomass, respectively. Although CropSyst was able to simulate spring production reasonably well, further evaluation and improvement of the model with a more detailed field database was desirable for agricultural systems in northeast China.     

美国8种土壤的活性腐植酸和难溶性钙质腐植酸盐中碳官能团的特性分析

Solid state13C nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy is a common tool to study the structure of soil humic fractions;however,knowledge regarding carbon structural relationships in humic fractions is limited.In this study,mobile humic acid(MHA)and recalcitrant calcium humate(CaHA)fractions were extracted from eight soils collected from six US states and representing a variety of soils and ecoregions,characterized by this spectroscopic technique and analyzed for statistical significance at P≤0.05.We found that the abundances of COO and N–C=O functional groups in the MHA fractions were negatively correlated to soil sand content,but were positively correlated to silt,total N and soil organic carbon contents.In contrast,the abundances of the COO and N–C=O functional groups were only positively correlated to the content of clay in the CaHA fractions,indicating that the two humic fractions were associated with diferent soil components.The two13C NMR peaks representing alkyls and OCH3/NCH were negatively correlated to the peaks representing aromatics,aromatic C–O and N–C=O/COO.Comparison of the sets of data from13C NMR spectroscopy and ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry revealed that the aromatic components identified by the two methods were highly consistent.The comparison further revealed that protein in MHA was associated with,or bound to,the nonpolar alkyl groups,but a component competitively against(or complementary to)aromatic groups in the MHA composition.These observations provided insight on the internal correlations of the functional groups of soil humic fractions.     

Reconstructing Historic Atmospheric Deposition and Nutrient Uptake from Present Day Values Using MAKEDEP

A model, MAKEDEP, was developed for reconstructing historic atmospheric deposition and nutrient uptake for forests using present day values. Deposition is reconstructed by separation of wet deposition and throughfall into five different categories. Dry deposition is assumed to depend linearly on needle biomass. Non-marine deposition is scaled using general European emission and deposition trends for sulphur, nitrate and ammonia. Historic nutrient uptake is reconstructed using current biomass and nutrient content, a logistic forest growth curve and information on historic land use.     

Biostimulant effects of rhizobacteria on wheat growth and nutrient uptake depend on nitrogen application and plant development

The capacity of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) – Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GB03 (BamGB03), B. megaterium SNji (BmeSNji), and Azospirillum brasilense 65B (Abr65B) – to enhance growth and nutrient uptake in wheat was evaluated under different mineral N fertilizer rates, in sterile and non-sterile soils, and at different developmental stages. In gnotobiotic conditions, the three strains significantly increased plant biomass irrespective of the N rates. Under greenhouse conditions using non-sterile soil, growth promotion was generally highest at a moderate N rate, followed by a full N dose, while no significant effect was observed for the inoculants in the absence of N fertilizer. At 50N, plant biomass was most significantly increased in roots (up to +45% with Abr65B) at stem-elongation stage and in the ears (+19–23% according to the strains) at flowering stages. For some nutrients (N, P, Mn, and Cu), the biomass increases in roots and ears were paralleled with reduced nutrient concentrations in the same organs. Nevertheless, growth stimulation resulted in a higher total nutrient uptake and higher nutrient uptake efficiency. Furthermore, Abr65B and BmeSNji counteracted the reduction of root development caused by a high N supply. Therefore, combining PGPR with a proper cultivated system, N rate, and plant stage could enhance their biostimulant effects.     

Responses of wheat to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: A meta-analysis of field studies from 1975 to 2013

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can benefit growth and yield of agriculturally significant crops by increasing mineral nutrient uptake, disease resistance and drought tolerance of plants. We conducted a meta-analysis of 38 published field trials with 333 observations to determine the effects of inoculation and root colonization by inoculated and non-inoculated (resident) AMF on P, N and Zn uptake, growth and grain yield of wheat. Field AMF inoculation increased aboveground biomass, grain yield, harvest index, aboveground biomass P concentration and content, straw P content, aboveground biomass N concentration and content, grain N content and grain Zn concentration. Grain yield was positively correlated with root AMF colonization rate, whereas straw biomass was negatively correlated. The most important drivers of wheat growth response to AMF were organic matter concentration, pH, total N and available P concentration, and texture of soil, as well as climate and the AMF species inoculated. Analysis showed that AMF inoculation of wheat in field conditions can be an effective agronomic practice, although its economic profitability should still be addressed for large-scale applications in sustainable cropping systems.     

Biostimulant effects of Bacillus strains on wheat from in vitro towards field conditions are modulated by nitrogen supply

Bacillus velezensis strains, belonging to plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), are increasingly used as microbial biostimulant. However, their field application to winter wheat under temperate climate remains poorly documented. Therefore, three B. velezensis strains IT45, FZB24 and FZB42 were tested for their efficacy under these conditions. Two biological interaction systems were firstly developed under gnotobiotic and greenhouse conditions combined with sterile or non‐sterile soil, respectively, and finally assayed in the field during two years coupled with different N fertilization rates. Under gnotobiotic conditions, all three strains significantly increased root growth of 14 d‐old spring and winter wheat seedlings. In the greenhouse using non‐sterile soil, only FZB24 significantly increased root biomass of spring wheat (+31%). The three strains were able to improve nutrient uptake of the spring wheat grown in the greenhouse, particularly for the micronutrients Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, but the observed increases in nutrient uptake were dependent on the organs and the elements. The root biomass increases in inoculated plants coincided with lowered nutrient concentrations of P and K. In 2014, under field conditions and absence of any N fertilizer supply, FZB24 significantly increased grain yields by 983 kg ha^?1, or 14.9%, in relation to non‐inoculated controls. The three strains in the 2015 field trial failed to confirm the previous positive results, likely due to the low temperatures occurring during and after inoculations. The Zeleny sedimentation value, indicative of flour quality, was unaffected by the inoculants. The results are discussed in the perspective of bacterial application to wheat under temperate agricultural practices.     

Seasonal Biomass Accumulation and Nutrient Uptake of Pea and Lentil on a Black Chernozem Soil in Saskatchewan

ABSTRACT

Close relationships usually exist among biomass accumulation, nutrient uptake, and seed yield during the growing season. Field experiments with pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens cultinaris L.) were conducted in 1998 and 1999 at Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada, to determine relationships of biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake with days after emergence (DAE) or growing degree days (GDD). For both biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake, maximum rates and amounts increased with time at early growth stages and reached a maximum value at late growth stages. The R² values for cubic polynomial regressions were highly significant, indicating their suitability to estimate the progression of biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake as a function of days after emergence (DAE). Both pulse crops followed a similar pattern in biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake, which increased in the early growth stages and reached a maximum late in the growth cycle. Pulse crops usually reached their maximum biomass accumulation rate and amount at early to late bud formation (42–56 DAE or 390–577 GDD) and at medium pod formation to early seed filling (75–82 DAE or 848–858 GDD) growth stages, respectively. Maximum biomass accumulation rate was 175–215 kg ha^{? 1}d^?1 for pea and 109–140 kg ha^{? 1}d^{? 1} for lentil. Maximum nutrient uptake rate and amount usually occurred at branching to early bud formation (28–49 DAE or 206–498 GDD) and at the flowering to seed filling (66–85 DAE or 672–986 GDD) growth stages, respectively. Maximum uptake rate of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S), respectively, was 4.6–4.9, 0.4–0.5, 5.0–5.3 and 0.3 kg ha^{? 1}d^{? 1} for pea, and 2.4–3.8, 0.2–0.3, 2.0–3.4 and 0.2 kg ha^{? 1}d^{? 1} for lentil. In general, maximum nutrient uptake rate and amount occurred earlier than maximum biomass accumulation rate and amount, respectively; and the maximum accumulation rates of both biomass and nutrients occurred earlier than maximum amounts. The findings suggest that adequate supply of nutrients from soil and fertilizers at early growth stages, and translocation of biomass and nutrients to seed at later growth stages are of great importance for high seed yield of pulse crops.     

Glyphosate effects on photosynthesis,nutrient accumulation,and nodulation in glyphosate‐resistant soybean

Previous greenhouse studies have demonstrated that photosynthesis in some cultivars of first‐ (GR1) and second‐generation (GR2) glyphosate‐resistant soybean was reduced by glyphosate. The reduction in photosynthesis that resulted from glyphosate might affect nutrient uptake and lead to lower plant biomass production and ultimately reduced grain yield. Therefore, a field study was conducted to determine if glyphosate‐induced damage to soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. Asgrow AG3539) plants observed under controlled greenhouse conditions might occur in the field environment. The present study evaluated photosynthetic rate, nutrient accumulation, nodulation, and biomass production of GR2 soybean receiving different rates of glyphosate (0, 800, 1200, 2400 g a.e. ha^–1) applied at V2, V4, and V6 growth stages. In general, plant damage observed in the field study was similar to that in previous greenhouse studies. Increasing glyphosate rates and applications at later growth stages decreased nutrient accumulation, nodulation, leaf area, and shoot biomass production. Thus, to reduce potential undesirable effects of glyphosate on plant growth, application of the lowest glyphosate rate for weed‐control efficacy at early growth stages (V2 to V4) is suggested as an advantageous practice within current weed control in GR soybean for optimal crop productivity.     

Selenium effects and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for mineral nutrient efficiency traits in wheat at the seedling stage

A nutrient solution culture experiment was conducted in the greenhouse to investigate the effects of selenium (Se) on biomass and the mineral nutrient efficiency of macroelements phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium (P, K, Ca and Mg) and microelements iron, manganese, copper and zinc (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) in wheat at the seedling stage using a set of recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was also performed for all 60 traits. The results showed that 0.1 μmol/L Se can significantly affect the phenotypic traits relation to biomass and nutrient efficiency and the corresponding QTLs. A total of 260 QTLs were located on 19 chromosomes, and 96.54% of these QTLs were only detected in one treatment. A total of 23 important QTL clusters and 31 cooperative uptake and utilization (CUU) loci that colocalized with QTLs for nutrient uptake and/or utilization of at least two elements were also identified. These CUU loci involved 190 out of the 248 QTLs (76.66%) for nutrient efficiency traits, indicating that CUU-QTLs were common for macroelements (P, K, Ca and Mg) and microelements (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn). Additionally, these loci may be hot spots for genetic control of mineral nutrient efficiency traits.     

Mineral uptake and growth of sorghum colonized with VA mycorrhiza at varied soil phosphorus levels

Mineral nutrient uptake can be enhanced in plants inoculated with vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAMF). The effects of the VAMF Glomus fasciculatum on uptake of P and other mineral nutrients in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] were determined in greenhouse experiments for plants grown on a low P (3.6 mg kg^‐1) soil (Typic Argiudolls) with P added at 0, 12.5, 25.0, and 37.5 mg kg^‐1 soil. Enhancements of growth and mineral nutrient uptake because of the VAMF association decreased as soil applications of P increased above 12.5 nig kg^‐1 soil. Root colonization with VAMF without added soil P resulted in increased dry matter yield equivalent to 12.5 mg P kg^‐1 soil (25 kg P ha^‐1). Total root length colonized with VAMF decreased as soil P level increased. Regardless of P added to the soil, mycorrhizal plants had higher leaf P concentrations and contents than did nonmycorrhizal plants. Enhanced contents, but not necessarily concentrations, of the other mineral nutrients were noted in shoots of mycorrhizal compared to nonmycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal plants had enhanced shoot contents of P, K, Zn, and Cu which could not be accounted for by increased growth. The VAMF associations with sorghum roots enhanced mineral nutrient uptake when P was sufficiently low in the soil.     

Soil Phosphorus Pools as Affected by Application of Poultry Litter Ash in Combination with Catch Crop Cultivation

Biomass ashes from energy production are a source of phosphorus (P), and their reutilization in agriculture could help to close nutrient cycles and save natural P resources. To analyze the P fertilizing effect of biomass ashes, a pot experiment with a loamy sand, originated from a long-term field experiment without any P supply, was carried out. As P source, poultry litter ash was compared with high soluble mineral P (potassium phosphate; KH₂PO₄). Four catch crops, in particular phacelia, buckwheat, ryegrass, and oil radish, were cultivated. The soil P-fractionation method was used to follow the transformation process of ash P in the soil. Oxalate-soluble P, iron (Fe), and aluminium (Al) were determined to assess the effect of ash on P sorption parameters. In general, a high P-fertilizing effect of biomass ashes was found. Ash application resulted in an increase of plant P uptake and the most bioavailable resin P fraction and was even comparable to a high soluble mineral P source. No enrichment of ash P in hardly plant-available P fractions could be detected. Crops mainly influenced the readily available P fractions. Buckwheat and oil radish exhausted the resin P and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) P fractions most. Phacelia cultivation led to an increase of the highly available resin P content, which is probably due to mobilization processes from the hardly available residual P fraction. The obtained results indicate that ashes may have a high P availability to plants and may provide an adequate substitute for commercial P fertilizers.     

Seasonal Biomass Accumulation and Nutrient Uptake of Canola,Mustard, and Flax on a Black Chernozem Soil in Saskatchewan

ABSTRACT

Seed yield and nutrient use efficiency are related to biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake in the growing season. Biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake of canola (Brassica napus L. and Brassica rapa L.), mustard (Brassica juncea L.) and flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and the relationship to days after emergence (DAE) or growing degree days (GDD) were determined during the 1998 and 1999 growing seasons in field experiments at Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada. In general, biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake increased with time at early growth stages and reached a maximum at late growth stages. Significant R² values for both biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake indicated that a cubic polynomial type equation was suitable to represent these parameters as a function of DAE. All oilseed crops maximized biomass at mid way to the end of pod forming stages (74–84 DAE or 750–973 GDD). Maximum biomass accumulation rate occurred at the early to late bud forming stage (42–49 DAE or 390–498 GDD), and it was 146–190 kg ha^?1d^?1 for canola, 158–182 kg ha^?1d^?1 for mustard, and 174–189 kg ha^?1d^?1 for flax. Maximum nutrient uptake occurred during flowering to early ripening (59–82 DAE or 597–945 GDD). Maximum nutrient uptake rate normally occurred at branching to early bud formation (21–42 DAE or 142–399 GDD). There was a close correlation between biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake, and among nutrients, suggesting interrelated absorption. For nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), and boron (B), respectively, maximum nutrient uptake rate was 2.3–4.5, 0.3–0.5, 2.5–5.7, 0.7–1.1, and 0.005–0.008 kg ha^?1d^?1 for canola; 2.3–3.9, 0.4–0.5, 2.6–4.9, 1.2–1.4, and 0.006–0.008 kg ha^?1d^?1 for mustard; and 3.2–4.0, 0.3–0.4, 2.9–4.1, 0.3–0.5, and 0.004–0.009 kg ha^?1d^?1 for flax. In general, maximum nutrient uptake rate and amount occurred earlier than maximum biomass accumulation rate and amount, and maximum rates of both nutrient uptake and biomass accumulation occurred earlier than their maximum amounts. The findings suggest that for high seed yields, there should be adequate supply of nutrients for plants, particularly to sustain high nutrient uptake rate at branching to bud forming stage and high biomass accumulation rate at early to late bud forming stage.