铜污染胁迫条件下农田土壤酶活性及微生物多样性对大气CO2浓度升高的响应

在开放式大气CO2浓度升高平台上（Free-Air CO2 Enrichment,简称FACE）,采用盆栽实验,研究了不同浓度Cu污染胁迫条件下,稻麦轮作土壤中土壤酶活性及土壤微生物多样性对大气CO2浓度升高的响应。结果表明,大气CO2浓度升高显著诱导了清洁土壤中蛋白酶、脲酶、尿酸酶活性以及微生物多样性;正常大气和大气CO2浓度升高条件下,3种酶活性都随着土壤Cu污染胁迫的增加而逐渐降低;低浓度Cu污染胁迫条件下（50 mg.kg^-1）,FACE圈中的土壤脲酶和蛋白酶活性显著高于正常大气（Ambience）圈,尿酸酶活性无显著变化;高浓度Cu污染胁迫条件下（400 mg.kg^-1）,土壤脲酶与蛋白酶活性无显著变化,尿酸酶活性则显著降低,其原因可能与不同酶系对铜污染胁迫的敏感差异性以及大气CO2浓度升高对土壤中铜的活化作用有关。与清洁土壤相比,低浓度Cu污染（50 mg.kg^-1）对微生物生长具有一定的刺激作用,Ambience圈和FACE圈土壤微生物多样性都有所增加,FACE圈中这种现象更为明显;高浓度Cu污染胁迫（400 mg.kg^-1）对土壤微生物表现出了明显的毒害作用,微生物多样性有所降低,但在FACE圈中土壤微生物多样性的降低程度要低于Ambience圈,其影响机制有待进一步研究。     

藏中矿区重金属污染对土壤微生物学特性的影响

土壤微生物对土壤重金属污染反应敏感,是探讨矿区土壤重金属污染生态效应的有效指标之一。通过野外调查与采样和室内分析,研究了藏中矿区重金属污染对土壤蔗糖酶、脲酶、脱氢酶和酸性磷酸酶活性、微生物生物量C（MBC）、N（MBN）和P（MBP）、土壤基础呼吸、代谢商（qCO2）及可矿化N的影响。研究表明,矿区土壤重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd全量和有效含量均高于对照土壤;随着矿区土壤重金属含量增加,土壤酶活性、微生物量C、N和P、可矿化N均逐渐降低,土壤基础呼吸和qCO2则逐渐升高;土壤重金属与土壤蔗糖酶活性、脲酶活性、脱氢酶活性、酸性磷酸酶活性、MBC、MBN、土壤基础呼吸、qCO2及可矿化N具有显著的线性相关;脱氢酶活性对土壤重金属污染最为敏感,表明脱氢酶活性可作为藏中矿区土壤环境质量变化的有效指标。     

土壤酶活性对土壤中土霉素的动态响应

采用室内培养试验研究了土霉素（OTC）对土壤过氧化氢酶、磷酸酶、脲酶、蔗糖酶和脱氢酶活性的影响。结果表明,在整个培养期间,土霉素对土壤过氧化氢酶和土壤磷酸酶活性具有明显的抑制作用;对土壤蔗糖酶和脱氢酶活性在培养前期具有轻微的抑制作用,但培养后期（培养第112 d）具有较强的抑制作用;而对土壤脲酶活性的影响则相反,在培养第1 d,OTC 100 mg/kg处理对脲酶具有显著的刺激作用,以后土霉素对脲酶活性影响不明显。土壤过氧化氢酶和磷酸酶对土霉素污染响应比土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶和脱氢酶更敏感,因而可以表征土壤受土霉素的污染程度。     

土霉素及镉污染对土壤呼吸及酶活性的影响

随着饲料工业以及畜禽养殖业的规模化发展,抗生素和重金属在土壤环境中同时存在的几率不断增大。为了分析抗生素和重金属对土壤微生物生态系统的影响,以土霉素(OTC)与镉(Cd)为污染物,采用室内培养法,研究了土霉素(OTC)与镉(Cd)单一处理及复合污染对土壤呼吸和酶活性的影响。结果表明,10mg/kg重金属镉单独污染对土壤微生物呼吸表现为先抑制后激活作用,且显著抑制了土壤蔗糖酶、脲酶、磷酸酶活性,对3种酶活性平均抑制率从大到小依次为:蔗糖酶磷酸酶脲酶;1mg/kg土霉素显著激活土壤微生物呼吸,50和200mg/kg土霉素对土壤微生物呼吸的影响呈现出先抑制后激活的规律。各处理浓度下的土霉素对蔗糖酶和脲酶活性均主要表现为抑制作用,对磷酸酶活性的影响呈现出一定的波动性;当土霉素的浓度为1和200mg/kg时,其与10mg/kg镉的复合污染对土壤微生物呼吸及3种酶活性的影响主要为拮抗作用,但当土霉素的浓度为50mg/kg时,与10mg/kg镉的复合污染对土壤微生物呼吸及3种酶活性的影响则主要为协同作用。微生物呼吸对土霉素与镉胁迫更为敏感,最高抑制率和激活率分别可达98.98%和300.82%,土壤酶活性受土霉素和镉污染的影响要弱于它们对土壤微生物呼吸的影响。     

镉胁迫对洞庭湖湿地土壤微生物数量与活性的影响

为探讨Cd污染胁迫与洞庭湖湿地土壤微生物学特性之间的内在关系,通过野外土样采集和室内模拟胁迫相结合的方法,研究Cd污染胁迫对洞庭湖湿地土壤微生物数量和微生物活性的影响。结果表明,当Cd胁迫浓度为3 mg kg~(-1)时对洞庭湖湿地土壤细菌、微生物总数及土壤微生物生物量碳(SMBC)刺激作用显著,当Cd胁迫浓度为6 mg kg~(-1)时对真菌有显著的刺激作用,而对细菌、放线菌、微生物总数及微生物生物量氮(SMBN)均表现出抑制作用,且随Cd胁迫浓度的进一步增加对细菌、真菌、放线菌、微生物总数及SMBC、SMBN的抑制作用增强;土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、过氧化氢酶、磷酸酶和脱氢酶活性随Cd胁迫浓度的增加而降低;土壤基础呼吸(SBR)与代谢墒(qCO_2)随Cd胁迫浓度的增加呈上升趋势。放线菌、SMBC、SMBN、土壤脲酶活性、蔗糖酶活性、过氧化氢酶活性、磷酸酶活性、脱氢酶活性、SBR及qCO_2与Cd胁迫浓度相关显著或极显著;Cd胁迫条件下脱氢酶活性的变异系数最大为50.0%,表明脱氢酶活性的变化对Cd胁迫反映最为敏感,可作为洞庭湖湿地Cd污染土壤质量评价的灵敏指标。     

Hg的土壤酶效应初步研究

采用土壤酶对汞生态毒性进行研究,在理论和实践上具有重要意义。通过室内模拟试验,针对我国几种主要类型土壤（黄褐土、风沙土、塿土和红壤）中影响土壤碳、氮、磷物质循环和微生物活性的土壤转化酶、脲酶、碱性磷酸酶、脱氢酶与Hg的关系进行了探讨。结果表明,Hg抑制土壤碱性磷酸酶、转化酶活性,但规律性不明显;土壤脲酶低浓度时激活,高浓度抑制;土壤脱氢酶和总体酶活性受到抑制。Hg浓度与脲酶、脱氢酶、总体酶活性间达显著或极显著负相关关系,揭示出其在一定程度上可表征土壤Hg污染的程度,其中尤以总体酶活性结果最优;计算Hg轻微污染时的ED10值0.0005～0.59mg·kg-1。土壤有机质和pH对二者关系具有重要影响。     

兽药磺胺间甲氧嘧啶对土壤呼吸及酶活性的影响

为评价兽药污染对土壤生态环境造成的潜在环境风险,采用室内培养的方法,研究了兽药抗生素磺胺间甲氧嘧啶对黄潮土土壤微生物呼吸及土壤酶活性的影响。结果表明,磺胺间甲氧嘧啶可显著影响土壤呼吸强度,抑制率和激活率分别可达72%和254%,药物对土壤酶活性的影响小于其对土壤呼吸强度的影响。在添加磺胺间甲氧嘧啶的前11 d,其对脲酶活性的影响主要以抑制作用为主;药物对蔗糖酶活性的影响较为明显,最大抑制和激活率可分别达到18%和30%;磺胺间甲氧嘧啶作用于过氧化氢酶和磷酸酶主要表现为激活效应,最大激活率分别为17%和25%。在试验浓度范围内,土壤微生物呼吸及酶活性的抑制率或激活率呈现一定的波动性。     

重金属铅镉对玉米生长及土壤微生物的影响

采用温室盆栽土培方法,研究了土壤中不同浓度重金属铅（Pb,0-800 mg.kg^-1）、镉（Cd,0-50 mg.kg^-1）单一及其复合处理对玉米（Zea mays L.）生长及土壤微生物（细菌、放线菌、真菌）数量的影响。结果表明,在重金属Pb、Cd单一及其复合处理下,玉米的株高、干重均低于对照,重金属Pb、Cd处理对玉米的生长存在负面影响。重金属Pb、Cd单一处理抑制细菌、真菌的生长,中低浓度Pb（≤300 mg.kg^-1）、Cd（≤10 mg.kg^-1）单一处理促进放线菌数量的增加,高浓度（Pb≥800 mg.kg^-1、Cd≥50 mg.kg^-1）则呈现抑制效应;Pb、Cd复合在高中低浓度下都抑制土壤微生物生长,减少微生物数量。玉米株高同土壤微生物之间相关性不显著;玉米干重同土壤细菌、真菌显著相关,同土壤放线菌之间相关性不显著。     

生物复混肥对土壤微生物功能多样性及土壤酶活性的影响

在温室盆栽条件下,采用Biolog微平板技术,研究了玉米施用等养分量的无机肥、有机无机复混肥、生物复混肥后土壤微生物群落功能多样性及土壤酶活性的动态变化。结果表明,生物复混肥处理的微生物群落平均颜色变化率（AWCD）、微生物群落Shannon指数（H）、丰富度指数（S）和Shannon均匀度指数（E）均为最高;微生物群落主成分分析表明,不同施肥处理土壤微生物群落碳源利用特征有一定差异,PC1将生物复混肥与其他处理明显区分,生物复混肥处理分布在PC1的正方向,其他处理分布在PC1的负方向;起分异作用的主要碳源有糖类、羧酸类和氨基酸类;土壤蔗糖酶、脲酶活性均以生物复混肥处理最高,分别为72.74 mg glucose·g-1·（24 h）-1和1.15 mg NH3-N·g-1·（3 h）-1。研究表明,生物复混肥的施用比等养分量的有机无机复混肥处理能显著提高土壤微生物群落碳源利用率、微生物群落的丰富度和功能多样性,增强土壤蔗糖酶和脲酶活性。     

适宜的水氮处理提高稻基农田土壤酶活性和土壤微生物量碳氮

为探讨节水灌溉与氮肥施用对稻田土壤微生物特性的影响,该试验采用防雨棚池栽试验,研究2个灌溉模式（常规灌溉与控制灌溉）与3个水平施氮量（90、180和270 kg/hm2））对稻基农田土壤脲酶活性、土壤过氧化氢酶活性、土壤磷酸酶活性、土壤转化酶活性、土壤微生物量碳及土壤微生物量氮的影响。研究结果表明,随着施氮水平增加,土壤脲酶活性和土壤微生物量氮增加,土壤过氧化氢酶活性、土壤磷酸酶活性、土壤转化酶活性、土壤微生物量碳、土壤微生物量碳与土壤微生物量氮的比值、土壤微生物熵均呈先增加后降低趋势;与常规灌溉相比,控制灌溉显著提高稻基农田土壤脲酶活性、土壤过氧化氢酶活性、土壤磷酸酶活性、土壤转化酶活性、土壤中微生物量碳、土壤微生物量氮、土壤微生物熵,降低土壤微生物量碳与土壤微生物量氮的比值。在该试验条件下,以控制灌溉模式下施氮量180 kg/hm2可获得最优的生物环境,土壤脲酶活性、土壤过氧化氢酶活性、土壤磷酸酶活性、土壤转化酶活性、土壤中微生物量碳、土壤微生物量氮分别达到3.02×10-2 mg/g、0.93 mL/g、5.70 mg/g、10.08 mL/g、237.58 mg/kg、52.60 m/kg。该研究对认识稻基农田水氮耦合关系、指导江淮丘陵季节性干旱区水稻优质节水高产高效栽培实践提供理论依据。     

“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.