马铃薯内生固氮菌的分离及其促生特性研究

内生固氮菌是一类重要的植物促生菌,占据着植物组织内有利于营养供应和微环境适宜的生态位,能更好的发挥促生功能,促生机制包括固氮、解磷、产植物生长素、产ACC脱氨酶、产铁载体及拮抗病害等。本文从连作3年马铃薯根筛选获得8株内生固氮菌,其中短芽孢杆菌属(Brevibacterium)3株,芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)3株和泛菌属(Pantoea)2株。促生特性研究发现:菌株Brevibacterium sp.GWR4具有较高固氮酶活性[16.206nmol C2H4/(mg蛋白质·h)],与圆褐固氮菌的固氮酶活性具有极显著性差异(P0.01);菌株Pantoea spp.GWR2、GWR3具有极高的产IAA能力,分别为186.07、162.21μg/m L,GWR2兼具产ACC脱氨酶活性[3.74μmol/(mg蛋白质·h)],GWR3兼具溶解无机磷的能力;菌株Brevibacterium sp.GWR5可以拮抗尖孢镰刀菌MLSOF(Fusarium xysporum)和茄病镰刀菌MLS-QB(Fusarium solani),兼具溶解有机磷和产IAA能力;Bacillus spp.GWR7、GWR8兼具固氮和产IAA能力。盆栽试验显示,分别接种Pantoea sp.GWR3,Brevibacterium spp.GWR4、GWR5和Bacillus spp.GWR7、GWR8后小白菜鲜重显著高于未接菌对照处理。可见,这5株菌兼具多种促生特性且对小白菜具有较好的促生效果,有望进一步研究开发成为微生物肥料生产菌种。     

固氮芽孢杆菌N3的筛选鉴定及其对二月兰的促生效果

从山东泰安农田土壤中筛选获得1株固氮能力强的菌株N3,通过形态观察、生理生化特征以及16S rDNA基因序列分析,确定为巨大芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus megaterium),该菌株固氮酶活性达C2H428.33 nmol/(h·ml)。温室条件下进行二月兰盆栽试验,设置不接菌对照(CK)、接种巨大芽孢杆菌N3、接种产吲哚乙酸(IAA)菌CDL29和复合接种菌株N3+CDL29四个处理,探讨了接种不同植物促生菌对二月兰的促生效果。结果表明:接种植物促生菌均促进二月兰的生长,且单一接种固氮菌株N3的促生效果最好,其显著提高二月兰地上部氮、磷和地下部氮、钾的含量,相比对照,增幅分别为33.03%、55.56%和29.87%、51.11%,其他处理也有提高二月兰养分含量的趋势,但并不显著;单一接种菌株N3,土壤有机质、全氮和速效养分含量显著提高;接种植物促生菌均提高土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)和氮(MBN)的含量,单一接种固氮菌株N3提升效果最佳,接种产IAA菌株CDL29和复合接种次之。此外,接种固氮菌株N3能够显著提升土壤固氮酶活性,接种菌株CDL29对土壤固氮酶活性没有显著影响。因此,单一接种固氮菌株N3在促进二月兰生长、养分含量提高及土壤理化和生物学性质改良上都具有显著的效果。     

甘肃地区道地药材根际固氮微生物分离鉴定

为调研甘肃中药材种植区的固氮微生物资源,从党参、黄芪和当归3种药材种植地的根际土壤中分离具有固氮酶活性的微生物,单菌株纯化并进行分子生物学鉴定,最后通过乙炔还原法检测各菌株的固氮酶活性。结果表明:这3种作物的根际土壤中固氮微生物资源丰富,共分离得到28株具有固氮酶活性的菌株,经鉴定主要为根瘤菌属、芽孢菌属、单孢菌属、无色杆菌属和粘着箭菌属等,固氮酶活性为53.5 C_2H_2nmol·(h·ml)-1~295.3 C_2H_2nmol·(h·ml)~(-1),无色杆菌属的固氮酶活性较高。此研究为下一步筛选适合中药材生长的微生物固氮菌肥的菌种提供一定的理论依据。     

玉米根际高效固氮菌Sphingomonas sp. GD542的分离鉴定及接种效果初步研究

固氮微生物菌种选育是固氮微生物肥料生产应用的基础。本研究从玉米根际土壤分离到1株高效固氮菌株GD542,菌体短杆状,0.4μm×1.0～1.5μm,革兰氏阴性;固氮酶活性为5.046nmol(C2H4)·h-1·mg-1(蛋白);利用碳源较广泛,抗逆性较强,既可在4℃低温生长,也可以在37℃下生长,耐盐性高达10%。16SrDNA序列分析结果表明,该菌株与鞘氨醇单孢菌Sphingomonas azotifigens的16SrDNA序列有高达96%的同源性,结合形态特征和生理生化特征等,将其初步鉴定为鞘氨醇单孢菌Sphingomonas sp.。接种小白菜的温室盆栽试验表明,菌株GD542具有很好的固氮效能,与无氮对照相比,接种GD542处理植株干重增加206%,含氮量增加230%,达到统计学显著差异水平,开发应用前景较好。     

披碱草根际促生菌筛选及其接种剂的促生作用

【目的】体外促生能力是衡量微生物菌株作用的一个重要指标,测定获取的植物根际促生菌并明确其对披碱草的促生效果,可为其在生产中的应用提供依据。【方法】2014年9月从西藏阿里地区采集披碱草根系及根际土壤,以常规方法分离出其中的溶磷菌、 固氮菌和分泌3-吲哚乙酸(IAA)细菌的10株菌株。测定其溶磷量、 固氮酶活性及分泌生长素能力,并将其制成植物根际接种剂,测定接种剂对披碱草生长的影响及其在根际的定殖能力。【结果】菌株PWXZ10溶磷能力较好,达40.89 mg/L; 菌株003PWXZ6固氮酶活性较强,达421.21 nmol/(mL·h); 菌株NXP17分泌生长素能力较强,达31.33 μg/mL。与对照菌株(Pseudomonas sp. Jm92)相比,菌株003PWXZ6和NXP17制备的接种剂可显著增加披碱草株高、 地上生物量和地下生物量(P0.05),但两者之间差异不显著(P0.05); 接种剂003PWXZ6对披碱草根总长、 根表面积、 根体积、 根直径、 含磷量、 含氮量和粗蛋白含量增加显著(P0.05),分别较对照菌株(Pseudomonas sp. Jm92)增加了330%、 199%、 118%、 187%、 70%、 15%和19%,并且该菌株在根际定殖能力很强。 【结论】植物根际促生菌003PWXZ6和NXP17对披碱草具有良好促生效果,可为开发经济环保的生物肥料提供了菌种资源。     

几株高效溶磷解钾药用稻内生固氮菌的筛选与鉴定

从药用稻(Oryza officinalis)中筛选具有高效溶磷解钾的内生固氮菌,在农业生产上具有很大的潜在应用价值.本研究以药用稻为材料,采用两种选择性无氮培养基结合乙炔还原法进行内生固氮菌的分离,利用平板筛选法从所分离的内生固氮菌中筛选出高效溶磷解钾菌,应用全细胞蛋白SDS-聚丙烯酰氨凝胶电泳(sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE)对所筛选到的菌株进行快速聚类.选取每个类群的代表菌株进行16S rRNA基因序列测定及生理生化鉴定.通过钼锑抗比色法和四苯硼钠法测定其溶磷解钾量,同时通过接种水稻对其促生作用进行分析.结果表明,从药用稻中筛选到了4株具有高效溶磷解钾能力的内生固氮菌,其固氮酶活性在8.78～8.88 μmol C2H4/(mL·h)之间.SDS-PAGE全细胞蛋白电泳将4株菌聚为1个类群.16S rRNA基因序列相似性分析及理化鉴定表明,代表菌株yy01为久留里伯克霍尔德菌(Burkholderia kururiensis,菌株yy01发酵培养5d后,溶无机磷量达116.28mg/L,是参比菌株变栖克雷伯氏菌(Klebsiella variicola)的2.73倍;解钾量达268.31 mg/L,是参比菌株变栖克雷伯氏菌的4.67倍.此外,yy01还具有分泌生长素等特性,接种水稻之后能明显的促进水稻的生长,其中水稻叶长增加了25.90％,根增长了42.30％,分蘖数增加了79.64％,鲜重增加了166.90％,氮、磷、钾的含量分别增加了61.54％、41.18％和54.05％.因此,从药用稻中筛选到的4株具有高效溶磷解钾能力的内生固氮菌是一类对农业生产有着重要意义的菌株.     

自生固氮菌的固氮能力及其对春小麦生长发育的影响

为挑选具有高固氮能力的自生固氮菌菌株, 用乙炔还原法对甘肃省春小麦和玉米等非豆科作物根际土壤中分离所得的13株菌进行固氮酶活性测定, 并通过盆栽试验对其进行春小麦肥效试验.结果表明:供试13株自生固氮菌对春小麦籽粒、生物产量及其构成因素均有一定促进作用, N6、N10、N13、N14、N27和N42 6株菌对春小麦产量的促进作用相对较高, 具有一定的应用前景, 有望成为微生物肥料研制的菌种.其中N13对春小麦的增产效果最为明显, 与施同量肥料(1/3N)的对照相比, 籽粒增产66.04%, 生物产量增产54.19%, 穗重增加47.65%, 穗粒数增多37.91%, 千粒重增加20.42%, 株高增加5.16%, 穗长增加21.89%, 且具有较强的固氮能力, 每盆固氮量为212.55 mg, 固氮酶活性也显著高于其他菌株, 达到139.79 nmol(C2H4)·h-1·mL-1.     

广东省刺竹内生固氮菌多样性

采用好氧和厌氧培养方法对广东省刺竹(Bambusa blumeana)的根、茎和叶的内生细菌进行了分离和纯化,利用乙炔还原法检测了各菌株固氮酶活性,共获得40株具有较高固氮酶活性的刺竹内生固氮菌。对所获得的菌株进行SDS-PAGE全细胞蛋白电泳聚类分析,在80%相似性水平上,选取不同类群的代表菌株进行16S rRNA基因全序列测定。结果表明广东省刺竹内生固氮菌具有一定的多样性,它们分属Azospirillum(α-亚纲)、Escherichias和Pseudomonas(γ-亚纲)、Aquaspirillum(β-亚纲)。     

兰州地区盐碱地小麦根际联合固氮菌分离及部分特性研究

结合气相色谱仪和高效液相色谱仪 ,利用乙炔还原等方法对兰州地区盐碱地小麦根际联合固氮菌进行分离和固氮酶活性、溶磷性、分泌植物激素特性研究。结果表明 :从小麦根际分离获得的 12株联合固氮菌株固氮酶活性差异较大 (C2 H4,12 4 6～ 6 5 1 6nmolh-1ml-1) ,具有较高固氮酶活性的菌株较少 (C2 H4大于 5 0 0nmolh-1ml-1的菌株只有 4株 ) ;固氮菌株中有 2株具有溶磷性 ,其溶磷强度 (P)分别为 16 30 μgml-1和 9 82 μgml-1;9株固氮菌株可分泌IAA ,但分泌IAA浓度相对较低 (1 4 0～ 15 13μgml-1) ,大于 10 μgml-1的菌株只有 2株。从菌株固氮酶活性、溶磷性和分泌植物生长素特性看 ,Pseudomonassp ChW1、Azotobactersp ChW5、Zoogloeasp ChW6、AzotobacterchroococcumChW11和Azospirillussp ChW15等在研制小麦菌肥方面具有较大的开发潜力。     

一株具有ACC脱氨酶活性固氮菌的筛选与鉴定

ACC（1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, 1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸）脱氨酶是近年来发现的许多植物促生细菌（Plant growth promoting bacteria, PGPB）共有的一个特征性酶,很多具有ACC脱氨酶活性的细菌能够增强植物抗逆性,缓解干旱、淹水、盐碱、高温、病虫害等对植物的危害。因此,ACC脱氨酶阳性细菌的筛选和研究对促进农业生产具有重要意义。本文从大量样品中分离、筛选到1株ACC脱氨酶阳性固氮菌,编号为7037,该菌株ACC脱氨酶活性为-丁酮酸2.530 mol /(hmg),protein,固氮酶活性为C2H410.068 nmol /(hmg), protein;具有较为广泛的碳源利用能力和很强的环境适应能力,被鉴定为节杆菌属（Arthrobacter sp.）的一个种。盆栽试验显示,小白菜接种7037菌株比对照组鲜重增加了139%,差异极显著。该菌株可望进一步研究开发成为微生物肥料的生产菌种。     

“绿色革命”以来大气CO2浓度升高对C3作物营养品质的影响

自20世纪60年代"绿色革命"以来,育种技术和农耕技术的发展促进了农作物产量的大幅提升,然而作物的营养品质出现下降趋势。在相似的遗传背景下,大气CO_2浓度升高会使单位体积农作物产品的营养元素含量下降,因此"绿色革命"至今,农作物产品的营养元素下降可能受大气CO_2浓度升高影响。通过植物生长箱模拟"绿色革命"初期和目前的大气CO_2浓度水平(310μmol/mol和400μmol/mol),针对主要C_3作物水稻、小麦和大豆,研究"绿色革命"以来大气CO_2浓度升高对其籽粒的C、N、Fe、Zn元素含量的影响,结果表明:CO_2浓度升高对3种作物籽粒的C元素含量几乎没有影响,变化幅度在±1.5%之间;籽粒的N、Fe、Zn元素含量普遍呈现下降趋势,但均未达到显著水平。     

Potential of wild species for genetic enhancement of some semi-arid food crops

Discovery and incorporation of genes from wild species provide means to sustain crop improvement, particularly when levels of resistance in the cultigens are low and virulent strains of pests and pathogens overcome the host plant resistance. The extent of utilization and the potential of the wild genepool for genetic enhancement were reviewed in five important food crops viz. sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut grown in the semi-arid tropics. Introgression from compatible wild germplasm in the primary gene pool resulted in transfer of new cytoplasmic male sterility systems in pearl millet and pigeonpea, development of high protein, cleistogamous flower and dwarf pigeonpea lines and foliar disease resistant groundnut cultivars. Utilization of wild species in secondary and tertiary gene pools has been generally limited due to sterility, restricted recombination or cross incompatibility. Nevertheless, these species are extremely important as they contain high levels of resistance to several important biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of them, like those belonging to the Parasorghum section and the rhizomatous Arachis species are sources of multiple resistances and hold great promise to sustain crop productivity.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.     

Effect of some fungicide seed treatments on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L) Merr.]

Several commercial fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for their possible effect on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on seeds and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans in a greenhouse and a field experiment. quinolate Pro (carbendazim and oxine copper), Vitavax 200FF (carboxin and thiram), and Monceren (pencycuron) had a small effect or no effect on the survival of B. japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans. They can thus be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation. Germipro UFB (carbendazim and iprodione), Apron 35J (metalaxyl), and Tachigaren (hymexazol) decreased B. japonicum survival and the nodulation and yield of soybeans and thus cannot be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation.     

Leaf position and genotype differences for mineral element concentrations in sorghum grown on tropical acid soil 1

Mineral element deficiencies and toxicities are common problems associated with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production on acid soils. To better understand some of the mineral element problems and the analysis of plant tissue of sorghum plants grown on acid soils, four sorghum genotypes were grown on an acid Oxisol at Carimagua, Colombia limed with dolomite at 2 and 6 Mg ha^‐1.

Samples for mineral element analyses were obtained from leaves at different positions on the four genotypes. Concentrations of P and Mg were highest in the flag leaf (Leaf No. 1) and decreased as the position on the plant declined from the top of the plant for plants grown at 2 Mg lime ha^‐1. Similar decreases in P, Mg, K, and Zn concentrations occurred in plants grown with 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. Concentrations of Ca, S, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Al increased as leaf position declined from the flag leaf for plants grown at 2 and 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. The higher lime supply enhanced Ca and reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in leaves. Differences in mineral element concentrations for the four genotypes used were fairly extensive. The elements to show the greatest range among genotypes were Al and Si and the elements to show the least range among genotypes were P, K, and S. Care should be used in collecting leaf samples for plant analysis and genotypic differences for accumulation of mineral elements should be considered in interpretation of results.