Phosphorus uptake of maize as affected by ammonium and nitrate nitrogen - Measurements and model calculations -

Phosphorus uptake is often enhanced by ammonium compared to nitrate nitrogen nutrition of plants. A decrease of pH at the soil-root interface is generally assumed as the cause. However, an alteration of root growth and the mobilization of P by processes other than net release of protons induced by the source of nitrogen may also be considered. To study these alternatives a pot experiment was conducted with maize using a fossil Oxisol high in Fe/Al-P with low soil solution P concentration. Three levels of phosphate (0, 50, 200 mg P kg^?1) in combination with either ammonium or nitrate nitrogen (100 mg N kg^?1) were applied. Plants were harvested 7 and 21 d after sowing, P uptake measured and root and shoot growth determined. To assess the importance of factors involved in the P transfer from soil into plants, calculations were made using a model of Barber and Claassen. In the treatments with no and low P supply NH₄-N compared to NO₃-N nutrition increased the growth of the plants by 25 % and their shoot P content by 38 % while their root growth increased by 6 % only. The rhizosphere pH decreased in the NH₄-N treatments by 0.1 to 0.6 units as compared to the bulk soil while in the NO₃-N treatments it increased by 0.1 to 0.5 units. These pH changes had a minor influence on P uptake only, as was demonstrated by artificially altering the soil pH to 4.7 and 6.3 respectively. At the same rhizosphere pH, however, P influx was doubled by the application of NH₄-compared to NO₃-N. It is concluded that in this soil the enhancement of P uptake of maize plants after ammonium application cannot be attributed to the acidification of the rhizosphere but to effects mobilizing soil phosphate or increasing P uptake efficiency of roots. Model calculation showed that these effects accounted for 53 % of the P influx per unit root length in the NO₃-N and 72 % in the NH₄-N supplied plants if no P was applied. With high P application the respective figures were only 18 and 19%.     

Kaliumdynamik im wurzelnahen Boden in Beziehung zur Kaliumaufnahme von Maispflanzen

Potassium dynamics at the soil-root interface in relation to the uptake of potassium by maize plants Young maize plants were grown in flat containers on a sandy and a silt loam soil after addition of ⁴³K as tracer. Changes of the K concentration in soil in the vicinity of the roots were determined by scanning the film density of autoradiographs. A distinct zone of K depletion in the soil adjacent to the root surface was observed, similar to those found earlier with phosphate and rubidium. The highest degree of depletion occured within a distance of 0.7 mm from the surface of the root cylinder which corresponds to the average length of root hairs of the cultivar used. The quantity of K released within 2.5 days per unit of this part of the soil exceeded the exchangeable K by a factor of two. In a radial direction the zone of maximum depletion was followed by a depletion profile which extended over 5 mm in the sandy and over 3 mm in the silt loam soil. The K concentration of the soil solution decreased to 2–3 μmoles K/l at the root surface. In order to determine the effect of depleting the K concentration by plant roots on the release of soil K, desorption studies were carried out in parallel. For this purpose the soil was successively extracted by solutions with cation concentrations corresponding to the soil solution, except for K. With this procedure a massive release of K from the soil was observed after the equilibrium concentration decreased to 2–3 μmoles K/l. It is concluded that

• – in one growing season only part of the soil volume of the rooted layer contributes potassium to the plant and, on the other hand
• – substantial part of the potassium absorbed by plants is derived from nonexchangeable soil K, even in short periods of time.

     

Bedeutung von Kaliumaufnahmerate,Wurzelwachstum und Wurzelhaaren für das Kaliumaneignungsvermögen verschiedener Pflanzenarten

Effect of K uptake rate, root growth and root hairs on potassium uptake efficiency of several plant species Pot experiments with maize, rape, tomato, rye-grass and onion plants were carried out to evaluate the influence of – rate of K uptake per cm of root, – cm root per mg shoot dry weight and – mean root age (as a measure of the time roots absorb potassium) on potassium uptake efficiency of these plants. Percent K in shoot dry matter was used to indicate K uptake efficiency. No close correlation was observed between one of these factors to K concentration in shoot dry matter. The product of K uptake rate and root-shoot ratio was closely related to the K concentration of shoots. However, regression lines for maize, rape and onion were different. One single regression line was found when K concentration in shoot was related to the product of K uptake rate, root-shoot ratio and mean root age. It is therefore concluded that K uptake of plants depends on all three of these factors. In different species the proportion of these factors were markedly different. The plant factors in turn were affected by the K nutritional status of the plants. K uptake rate increased whereas root-shoot ratio and mean root age decreased with increasing K supply of the soil. K uptake rate per cm root was strongly affected by root hairs. The radial distance of the K (Rb) depletion zone of the soil adjacent to the root surface also increased with the length of the root hairs. It is therefore concluded that root hairs substantially affect the spatial access of potassium in soil by the plant.     

Rubidium-Verarmung des wurzelnahen Bodens durch Maispflanzen

Rubidium depletion of the soil-root interface by maize plants Maize plants were grown in flat containers with radioactive labelled rubidium. Changes of the Rb concentration in soil in the vicinity of the roots were determined by means of the film density of autoradiographs. Results were as follows: The Rb concentration of the soil at the root surface decreased markedly within one day; only small changes occured after this period. Initially, the width of the depletion zone was very small. It extended in the following days in a radial direction. Therefore, after the initial phase the Rb supply of the plants depended on transport from more remote parts of the soil. Soil texture and Rb level strongly influenced both degree and distance of Rb depletion. Thus, the Rb concentration at the root surface decreased by 80% of the initial value in a sandy soil (4% clay) and by only 30% in a silt loam soil (loess, 21% clay). The depletion zone extended to a distance of 2 mm in the silt loam soil from the surface of the root cylinder and to 5 mm in the sandy soil. Hence, in the silt loam about 20% and in the sandy soil almost 100% of the total soil volume contributed Rb to the plant, assuming a root density of 1 cm per cm³ of soil. Increased levels of Rb enhanced Rb availability by increasing both the degree of soil depletion near the root surface and the size of the depletion zone. The quantity of Rb available per cm of root varied between 0.05 μmol in the silt loam with low Rb application and 2.7 μmol in the sandy soil with high Rb application. The amount of Rb depleted from the soil, expressed as per cent of the Rb exchangeable by ammoniumacetate ranged from 3 to 7% in the silt loam and from 20 to 30% in the sandy soil, calculated on the basis of 1 cm root per cm³ of soil. The Rb concentration of the soil solution near the root surface was reduced to 2 μmolar.     

Pflanzenverfügbarkeit der Phosphatvorräte ackerbaulich genutzter Böden. -Langfristige Feldversuche zur Nutzbarkeit des Bodenphosphors und zur Bewertung der Bodenuntersuchung -

Availability of Phosphate Reserves in Arable Soils - Long Term Field Experiments for Assessing Soil P Reserves and Critical Soil Test Values - The objective of this work is to quantify the plant availability of soil P reserves accumulated by former fertilizer applications, the possibility of utilizing them by arable field crops and to determine critical soil test values. For this purpose several long term field experiments with large plots without replicates were initiated in 1977 on luvisols from loess (pH 6.8 – 7.4) in Lower Saxony with a sugar beet - winter wheat - winter barley/winter wheat crop rotation. Annual P applications were 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 kg P₂O₅/ha as triple phosphate. Application of other fertilizers and plot management were according to farmer's practice. Despite of high yield levels phosphate response of plants was only 2 % at its maximum in the average of all crops in 15 years. This was confirmed by small plot experiments with four replicates placed into the large plots after 9 years, when soil P levels had been differentiated under the influence of plant P removal and P application. Herewith in agreement, shoot P concentration was found within the range generally regarded sufficient. It is therefore concluded that plant P demand has been fully satisfied by soil P reserves. Soil P test values, monitored by the P(H₂O) method of Sissingh, decreased markedly in 15 years, when no P was applied, they remained approximately constant when P application was equal to P removal and they increased when P addition was higher than P removal. Plants on a site with 4 mg P(H₂O)/L initially had severe P deficiency. Maximum yield was obtained when the soil P level was raised to 11 mg P(H₂O)/L. It is concluded that P reserves, which are often high in German arable soils, can be utilized by field crops and thus be lowered to about 10 mg P(H₂O)/L by reducing or omitting P dressings. For practical purposes it is suggested to restrict P application, if necessary at all, to the sugar beet crop in the rotation because they often respond more than small grain.     

Biscuit-making quality of backcross derivatives of wheat differing in kernel hardness

Kernel texture in wheat has been found to be directly controlled by one or two major genes. Generally, good biscuit-making wheats are those with soft endosperm texture, lower protein content, more breakflour and a smaller particle size. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the dominant soft endosperm genes on biscuit-making quality. Backcross derivatives were developed with a backcrossing procedure. The backcross derivatives and parents were planted in a randomised block design with six replications. Fourteen quality characteristics were measured. Except for hectolitremass and mixing time, the presence of the soft endosperm genes had a major effect on all characteristics used to predict biscuit-making quality. In the soft backcross derivatives there was a significant decrease in alkaline water retention capacity (AWRC), alveograph stability, alveograph strength, alveograph P/L ratio, flour extraction, and protein content. There was a significant increase in alveograph extensibility, biscuit diameter and breakflour yield. In this study, the presence of the soft endosperm genes was associated with good biscuit-making quality characteristics. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Manganese uptake and Mn efficiency of wheat cultivars are related to Mn‐uptake kinetics and root growth

Wheat cultivars differ widely in manganese (Mn) efficiency. To investigate the reasons for different Mn efficiencies, a pot experiment with soil, a solution‐culture experiment, and model calculations were carried out. The pot experiment was conducted with wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cvs. PBW 373, PBW 154, PBW 343, PBW 138, and Triticum durum L. cvs. PBW 34 and PDW 233) grown in a screen house in India. The soil was a loamy sand with pH 8.1, DTPA‐extractable Mn 1.62 mg (kg soil)^–1, and initial soil solution Mn concentration (C_Li) of 0.19 μM. When fertilized with 50 mg Mn (kg soil)^–1, C_Li increased to 0.32 μM. At C_Li 0.19 μM, wheat cv. PBW 373 produced 74% of its maximum shoot dry weight (SDW) with 64% of its maximum root length (RL), while cv. PDW 233 produced only 25% of its maximum SDW with 11% of its maximum RL. The other wheat cultivars were between these extremes. Manganese deficiency caused a reduction in shoot growth, but more strongly reduced root growth. The low Mn efficiency of T. durum cv. PDW 233 was related to a strong depression of its root growth. Manganese influx was similar for all cultivars. In solution culture below 1 μM Mn, under controlled climate‐chamber conditions, Mn influx was linearly related to Mn concentration. Both the efficient cv. PBW 343 and the inefficient cv. PDW 233 had a similar influx. Uptake kinetic parameters from the solution experiment together with soil and plant parameters from the pot experiment were used in a mechanistic nutrient‐uptake model. Calculated values of Mn influx for wheat grown in soil were 55% to 74% of measured values. A sensitivity analysis showed that increasing C_Li or the slope of the uptake isotherm by about 30% would be enough to reach the observed influx. The results of this research indicate that an increase of Mn solubility by microbial or chemical mobilization would increase Mn uptake. But on the other hand, no chemical mobilization would be required to increase Mn uptake if the plant improved its uptake kinetics. Low Mn efficiency of some wheat cultivars was related to their reduced root growth at low soil Mn supply.     

Increase in phosphorylase activity during cold-induced sugar accumulation in potato tubers

Summary The accumulation of reducing sugars, sucrose and hexose phosphates in cv. Bintje and genotype KW77-2916 during storage at 2, 4, or 8°C was studied in relation to several catalytic activities. Bintje tubers accumulated sugars during storage at 2 or 4°C, whereas KW77-2916 showed reduced cold-sweetening at 2°C. The increase in glucose 6-phosphate and sucrose occurred concurrently and preceded the increase in reducing sugar concentration. Phosphorylase activity showed a strong interaction with temperature, storage duration and sugar accumulation in both genotypes. Invertase activity increased in Bintje concomitantly with the increase in reducing sugars, but this effect was less obvious in KW77-2916. The activities of other glycolytic and Krebs cycle enzymes showed no obvious correlation with sugar accumulation. It is suggested that the increase in phosphorylase activity acts as a triggering event in the sweetening of potato tubers during cold storage.     

Hydrolysis rates of inorganic polyphosphates in aqueous solution as well as in soils and effects on P availability

Applications of polyphosphate‐based fertilizers have been reported to have a positive impact on crop yields as compared to orthophosphate sources. Since plants take up P mainly as orthophosphate, hydrolysis rates of polyphosphates into orthophosphates will determine their fertilizer ability. Laboratory and soil incubation experiments were performed to evaluate hydrolysis rates of pyrophosphate (PP), tripolyphosphate (TP), and trimetaphosphate (TMP) in water as well as in two soils having different P‐fixing capacities. P availability was characterized by measuring the orthophosphate (ortho‐P) and polyphosphate (poly‐P) concentration in soil solution as well as the calcium‐acetate‐lactate (CAL)‐extractable amounts of both forms. In water, PP was completely hydrolyzed within 15 d, whereas TMP was hydrolyzed only to about 30% after 90 d. In the two soils, polyphosphates hydrolyzed during the incubation period increasing ortho‐P concentration in soil solution as well as in CAL extract. At the end of the incubation, no significant differences in ortho‐P concentration in soil solution and CAL extract were found in the sandy soil, whereas in the silty‐loam soil, polyphosphate applications resulted in higher soil‐solution ortho‐P concentration. Although polyphosphate hydrolysis is mainly affected by the soil‐specific enzymatic activity, it seems that polyphosphates and/or hydrolysis products are preferentially adsorbed/precipitated compared to ortho‐P in the silty loam, thereby influencing the P availability from polyphosphate sources.