Dissolution of slag fertilizers in a paddy soil and Si uptake by rice plant

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) cv. Ganga 2 was grown in refined sand at three levels of copper: deficient (0.00065 mg L^-1), adequate (0.065 mg L^-1), and excess (6.5 mg L^-1), each at three levels, deficient (0.00065 mg L^-1), adequate (0.065 mg L^-1), and excess (6.5 mg L^-1) of zinc. Excess Cu magnified the zinc deficiency effects in maize by lowering further the biomass, the concentration of leaf Zn, activities of carbonic anhydrase, aldolase, and ribonuclease and intensified the visible foliar symptoms of Zn deficiency. The effects of Cu deficiency, low dry weight, the concentration of leaf Cu and activities of cytochrome oxidase and polyphenol oxidase were enhanced by excess Zn. Synergism was observed between combined deficiency of Cu and Zn and Cu or Zn deficiency, because the depression in the parameters characteristic of Cu or Zn deficiency was more pronounced when both Cu and Zn were deficient than when Cu or Zn was deficient. Antagonism was observed in some parameters between combined excess of Cu and Zn and Cu or Zn excess. Dry weight was decreased further when both Cu and Zn were in excess than when either Cu or Zn was in excess. After the infiltration of Cu and Zn together to the leaf discs from deficient Cu-deficient Zn treatment, the increase in the concentration of leaf Zn and the activities of aldolase, carbonic anhydrase, polyphenol oxidase, and cytochrome oxidase was more pronounced than after the infiltration of Cu or Zn singly. Discontinuance of excess Zn supply from the excess Zn-deficient Cu treatment increased the concentration of leaf Cu and activities of polyphenol oxidase and cytochrome oxidase and lowered the concentration of Zn. Similarly the discontinuance of excess Cu supply from the leaf discs in the “excess Cu-deficient Zn” treatment increased the leaf Zn concentration and the activities of carbonic anhydrase and aldolase.