Influence of boron on other chemical elements in alfalfa

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of three boron rates applied to the soil on the distribution and relative abundance of 12 chemical elements in various alfalfa plant parts at four successive stages of growth.

Plant samples were separated into lower leaves, lower stems, upper leaves, upper stems, and tips. These plant parts were analyzed for Zn, B, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, P, K, Na, Al, Si, and Cu.

Results of this study indicated: i. application of B to the soil resulted in increases in concentration of B in alfalfa tissue proportional to the rate of B applied. For most elements, a decrease in concentration was generally obtained when the rate of soil‐applied boron was increased from 6.3 to 12.6 kg/ha;

ii. a continual increase in the B concentration from early vegetative to bloom stage of growth and then, a decrease in the B concentration from bloom to seed set was observed for the entire alfalfa plant;

iii. the concentration of an element found in leaf tissue was generally greater than the concentration in stem tissue. Furthermore, the concentration of an element found in the lower leaves was generally greater than the concentration found in the upper leaves.

     

Effects of certain cations on manganese absorption by excised rice roots

Abstract

The peanut requires a readily available source of Ca in the fruiting zone during fruit development. Field studies were conducted for three years on two soils to compare rates of fine and coarse gypsum material applied to peanuts shortly after planting and at early flowering in supplying Ca to the peanut fruit and its effect on yields. The fine and coarse gypsum was applied at three rates and at two different times in randomized complete block experiments. At approximately every four weeks, composite soil samples were collected at 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths and extracted with (0.05N HC1 + 0.025N H₂ SO₄) extractant. On the Lakeland soil fine gypsum applied at early flowering gave higher Ca levels at the 0–10 cm depth than coarse material applied shortly after planting or at early flowering. Yield data showed that at low rates coarse gypsum applied at planting was superior to early flowering application. In most instances on the Greenville soil, coarse gypsum applied at planting produced higher levels of Ca than fine or coarse gypsum applied at early flowering. There was no yield response to gypsum application.     

Effect of planting date and growth stage on secondary and micronutrient content of soybean tissue

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of planting date and cultivar on B, Zn, Mn, Fe, Mg, and Ca content of soybean leaflets, petioles, and stems at beginning bloom (R1), beginning seed (R5) and physiological maturity (R7) growth stages. The concentrations of all the nutrients analyzed were influenced by planting date and cultivar in at least one year. The concentration ranges were: B, 16–167 ppm; Zn, 14–98 ppm; Fe, trace‐575 ppm; Mn, 12–122 ppm; Mg, 0.18–0.89%, and Ca, 0.47–3.02%. As the plants developed, [Fe] generally decreased, [Mn] increased, and [Zn] showed no consistent response. Changes in B, Mg, and Ca concentrations with plant development varied with the plant part. Leaflet [Ca] and [B], and petiole [Ca] and [Mg] increased during seedfill. Petiole and stem [B], and stem [Mg] and [Ca] decreased during seedfill.     

Influence of nitrate and ammonium on critical nitrogen deficiency concentrations and mineral composition of Dupontia fisheri grown hydroponically in a controlled environment

Dupontia fisheri plants, derived from a clone, were propagated in plant growth chambers by the open‐pot nutrient solution technique, with vermiculite as the solid phase. The plants were illuminated continuously at 21, 500 lux (2,000 f.c.) by a combination of fluorescent and incandescent lamps. Air temperature was kept constant at 20°C. The plants, after transplanting to 20‐liter pots (closed‐pot system), were nourished by a modified half‐strength Hoagland solution, supplied with a one time addition of nitrogen at the rate of zero, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 me/1 derived from (NH₄)₂SO₄, Ca(NO₃)₂ or NH₄NO₃. They were harvested 49 days after transplanting at a time when those in the three lowest treatments were distinctly deficient in nitrogen. Critical nitrate‐N values (the concentration at a 10% reduction in vegetative growth) were found to be identical, at 100 μg/g (dry basis), in the stem, blade‐1 and blade‐3 tissues, and those for total‐N at 0.901, 2.251, and 2.501, respectively.

Absence of nitrate in stem tissue indicated a nitrogen deficiency while the total‐N value indicated the degree of deficiency: the lower the value the greater the deficiency. Nitrogen also influenced the mineral composition of stem and blade tissues directly, mainly by ionic competition, and possibly indirectly, by decreasing dry matter content as the plants became less deficient in nitrogen. Transitions from nitrogen deficiency to sufficiency caused relatively large changes in the concentration of other nutrients in both stems and blades, but sometimes in opposite directions. For example, soluble‐P and total‐P in stems increased dramatically with increases in total‐N, but decreased greatly in the blade‐1 and blade‐3 tissues. Potassium, on the other hand, increased greatly in all tisues with increases in total‐N. These effects were much smaller for phosphorus with ammonium‐N as a nitrogen source than with nitrate, but for potassium there was no appreciable effect of nitrogen source in stems, a larger effect in blade‐1 and an erratic effect in blade‐3. Additionally, there were rather large decreases in manganese concentration with increases in nitrogen while effects on other nutrients were either small (Mg and Zn) or not significant (Ca, Fe, Cu and Na). All values were above critical concentrations.     

Lime effect on forage legume growth and mineral composition in an acid subsoil

Abstract

Six legume species and several varieties within the species were grown in a greenhouse pot experiment using the Bt horizon of a Lily (Typic Hapludult) soil. Lime treatments were 0 and 2.2 g Ca(OH)₂/kg soil. Liming increased the soil pH from 4.6 to 6.2. The species and varieties responded differentially to lime. Both shoot and root growth of legumes showed a significant species and lime interaction effect. Based on tolerance index groups for shoot growth, alfalfa varieties were classified as very sensitive, red clovers and white clovers as sensitive and Essex soybean and Carroll birdsfoot trefoil as tolerant to the acid soil. The remaining legumes were grouped as moderately tolerant to the acid soil. Liming increased shoot concentrations of Ca in all the legumes and reduced concentration of Mg, K, and Zn. Species and varieties within species differed significantly in concentrations of all mineral elements studied except Mg. Further significant differences in elemental composition were observed due to both lime and lime species interactions. In the limed soil, the Ca concentration of the shoots increased as the tolerance index decreased.     

Mineral element concentration of two barley cultivars in relation to water deficit and aluminum toxicity

The separate and combined effects of water and Al stress on concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Al, Sr, and Ba were determined in tops of ‘Dayton’ (Al‐tolerant) and ‘Kearney’ (Al‐sensitive) barley (Hordeum vulgäre L.) grown in an acid, Al‐toxic, Tatum subsoil (clayey, mixed, thermic, Typic Hapludult). Plants were grown 4 weeks in a plant growth chamber at high (pH 4.7) or low (pH 6.6) Al stress. During the last 2 weeks they were also subjected to low (‐20 to ‐40 kPa), moderate (‐40 to ‐60 kPa), or high (‐60 to ‐80 kPa) water stress. In general, Al stress had a greater overall effect on mineral element concentration of tops than water stress. Aluminum stress significantly decreased concentrations of P, Ca, and Mg and increased concentrations of Zn, Sr, and Ba, irrespective of the cultivar or water stress treatment. Cultivar differences in Mn concentration were observed with Al stress under all water stress conditions. In each case, Mn concentration was lower in ‘Kearney’ than in ‘Dayton’. Potassium, Ca, and Mg were lower in ‘Kearney’ than in ‘Dayton’ only at low and moderate water stress, under low Al stress, ‘Kearney’ had significantly higher concentrations of K and Ca than did ‘Dayton’ under all water stress conditions. The effects of water stress on mineral element concentration varied greatly with cultivar, Al stress treatment, and severity of water stress. Under high Al stress, increasing drought conditions from low water stress (‐20 to ‐40 kPa) to high water stress (‐60 to ‐80 kPa) significantly increased the concentrations of Ca, K, Zn, Sr, and Ba in Al‐sensitive ‘Kearney’ and reduced the concentrations of Zn, Sr, and Ba in Al‐tolerant ‘Dayton'; P and Mg concentration were unaffected by water stress. In contrast, under low Al stress, a corresponding increase in water stress significantly increased the concentrations of Ca and reduced that of P in ‘Kearney’ and increased Ca and B concentration in ‘Dayton'; Mg concentrations were unaffected in either cultivar. Thus, it appears that Al stress and water stress had opposite effects on Ca accumulation in barley tissue.     

Effect of arsenic on concentrations and translocations of mineral elements in the xylem of rice

By using Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique, the effect of arsenic (As) on the mineral contents and translocation in the xylem of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. ‘Akihikari’) was studied. The results suggest that exogenous As increased the concentrations of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), and manganese (Mn) in xylem, while the concentrations of potassium (K) remained unchanged. The highest concentration of As to the rice roots did not have any clear effect on the translocation of P, Ca, S, and chlorine (Cl) in the xylem, indicating that the increasing concentrations of the minerals may be due to a condensation effect, resulting from the repression of water movement in xylem by As-toxicity. Among the metal micronutrients, As decreased the concentrations and translocations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu).     

Sour Orange (Citrus Aurantium L.) Growth is Strongly Mycorrhizal Dependent in Terms of Phosphorus (P) Nutrition Rather than Zinc (Zn)

The partial sterilization of soil eliminates useful microorganisms, resulting in the reduced growth of mycorrhizae-dependent citrus plants, which are often unresponsive to the application of fertilizer. Research was conducted to test the hypothesis that indigenous mycorrhizae (IM) inoculation is as efficient as selected mycorrhizal inoculation under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions. Rhizophagus clarus and indigenous mycorrhiza spores, isolated from citrus orchards, were used as arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi under greenhouse conditions with sterile and non-sterile Çanakçi series (Typic xerofluvent) soils with low phosphorus (P) fertility. Different P (0 and 100 mg kg^?1) and zinc (Zn) (0, 5 and 10 mg kg^?1) concentrations were used at the start of the experiments. The shoot, root dry weight (RDW), root colonization, and P, Zn, iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) concentrations of the shoot were determined; mycorrhizae dependency (MD) was also calculated.

The results indicate that R. clarus and indigenous mycorrhiza in sterile and non-sterile soil conditions considerably increased the growth of citrus plants. Owing to existing beneficial indigenous rhizosphere microorganisms, citrus plant growth without inoculation was better in non-sterile soils than in the sterile soils. In non-sterilized soil, the plant growth parameters of R. clarus-inoculated soils were higher than those of indigenous mycorrhiza-inoculated soils. Mycorrhizae infection increased certain citrus plant growth parameters, such as root infection, biomass and nutrient uptake (P, Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu). In sterile soil, the addition of up to 5 mg kg^?1 soil Zn and the inoculation of R. clarus significantly increased plant growth; inoculation with indigenous mycorrhiza produced more dry weight upon the addition of up to 100 mg kg^?1 phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅). Under sterile soil conditions, without considering fertilizer addition, MD was found to be higher than that of non-sterile soils. In general, the contribution of the indigenous soil spores is significant. However, indigenous soil mycorrhizae may need to be managed for better efficiency in increasing plant growth and nutrient uptake. The major finding was that the inoculation of citrus seedlings with mycorrhiza is necessary under both sterilized and non-sterilized soil conditions.     

Response of five tobacco cultivars to sodium phosphate and ammonium polyphosphate

Abstract

Three greenhouse experiments were conducted to compare the response of five tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cultivars to different levels of NaH₂PO₄ and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) in nutrient media by measuring tissue content of selected nutrient elements (P, Na, K, Ca and Mg). Plants were grown in sand cultures fertilized with nutrient solutions in two experiments and a soil‐sand mix fertilized with solid materials in a third experiment. Plant P and Na content increased as the concentrations of these elements increased in nutrient solution. Plant K content was not generally affected by treatments. Magnesium was reduced in flue‐cured and cigar‐filler tobaccos but was not changed in cigar‐wrapper and Turkish types by increasing amounts of NaH₂PO₄. All of the cultivars responded similarly to NaH₂PO₄ with respect to plant Ca. High levels of P in the nutrient media were consistently related to low levels of Ca in plant tissue.     

Ionic equilibria,selectivity and diffusion of cations in soil as influenced by anion additions

Abstract

An experiment was carried under controlled conditions to investigate the influence of the anions, H₂PO₄ ^‐. and Cl on the ionic equilibria, selectivity and effective diffusion of Rb, K, Na, Ca, Mg in two Indiana soils.

Additon of anions to the soils increased the concentration of cations in soil solution. In both the soils receiving H₂PO₄ ^‐, lower cation concentrations were found in the soil solution than in those receiving Cl^‐ . Additon of H₂PO₄ ^‐and Cl^‐ reduced the ion selectivity coefficient, k, for various homovalent (Rb/K, Rb/Na, K/Na, Ca/Mg) and mono‐divalent ion pairs (Rb/Ca, Rb/Mg, K/Ca, K/Mg). In Zanesville soil treatments receiving H₂PO₄ ^‐ had lower k values for mono‐divalent cations than treatments receiving Cl^‐. However, no such conclusions could be drawn for Raub soil. Soils treated with H₂PO₄ ^‐ had higher k values for homovalent cations than Cl^‐ treated soils. The differences in the selectivity of adsorption in these two soils might be attributable to the differences in the type and nature of exchange materials and cation concentrations on the exchange phase.

Addition of H₂PO₄ ^‐ or Cl^‐ enhanced the magnitude of effective diffusion coefficient. (De) of all the cations under considerations. The magnitude of effective diffusion coefficient for cations was lower for H₂PO₄ ^‐ treated soils than Cl^‐ treated soils. Such a reduction in De is related to the reduction in cation concentration in soil solution thereby increasing the buffer capacity for the ions under consideration.     

Importance of acid‐insoluble residue in plant analysis for total macro and micro elements

Abstract

Insoluble siliceous residues remaining after HNO₃/HClO₄ decomposition of the plant tissues National Bureau of Standards, standard reference materials spinach (Spinacea oleracea), orchard leaves and tomato leaves (Lycopersicon escuientum), contained varying quantities of the macro and micro elements Na, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn. For the different samples with total element concentrations ranging from 11 μg/g (Cu in orchard leaves) to 45,000 μg/g (K in tomato leaves), residues contained element concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 88 times the respective concentrations in the samples. Contributions of residues to element concentrations in the plant tissues varied from 0.04 to 42% of the total concentrations. Overall, these constituted negligible (ca 0.1% for Mg and Ca), small (0.5% for Zn, Mn, K and 1% for Cu), and large (6% for Fe, 28% for Na) contributions depending on sample and analyte. Residue contributions to total element concentrations of plant tissues must be considered for reliable estimations of macro and micro elements.