Effects of High Ammonium Concentration on Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Lettuce Plants with Solution Culture

A nutrition solution experiment was conducted over two months to investigate the response of vegetable crops to high concentrations of ammonium, using lettuce （Lactuca sativa L. cv. Angustana Irish） as a test crop. Ammonium concentrations were designed in 5 levels, ranging from 12 mmol N L^-1 to 22 mmol N L^-1 and local tap water was used as water source. At the first culture stage （0-9 days）, lettuce plants maintained normal growth while the lettuce roots were increasingly impaired. During the subsequent three stages the root structure was greatly damaged, and roots became brown or black through continuous supply of high concentration of ammonium. However, there was no obvious reduction of the aboveground biomass of the plants in the high ammonium treatments compared to those supplied with nitrate alone. In contrast to results obtained in another experiment from us with distilled water, the detrimental effect of high ammonium concentration on lettuce growth was greatly alleviated. Based on the results, it was postulated that the small amount of nitrate and the higher amount of bicarbonate existed in the tap water might mitigate the adverse effects of high ammonium N. The higher bicarbonate content in water and soil has usually been regarded as a major constraint factor limiting plant growth in calcareous soil areas. However, the reaction of bicarbonate to ammonium might produce positively interactive effect on reduction of both damages. The lettuce plants grown in ammonium solutions took up less P, K, Fe, Mn and Cu and more Ca than those grown in the nitrate nutrient solution. In conclusion, the results indicated that the N form imposed an obvious influence on absorption of cations and anions. Supplying ammonium-N stimulated transport of Ca, Mg and Mn to shoots of lettuce.

Effects of High Ammonium Concentration on Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Lettuce Plants with Solution Culture

A nutrition solution experiment was conducted over two months to investigate the response of vegetable crops to high concentrations of ammonium, using lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Angustana Irish) as a test crop. Ammonium concentrations were designed in 5 levels, ranging from 12 mmol N L-1 to 22 mmol N L-1 and local tap water was used as water source. At the first culture stage (0-9 days), lettuce plants maintained normal growth while the lettuce roots were increasingly impaired. During the subsequent three stages the root structure was greatly damaged, and roots became brown or black through continuous supply of high concentration of ammonium. However, there was no obvious reduction of the aboveground biomass of the plants in the high ammonium treatments compared to those supplied with nitrate alone. In contrast to results obtained in another experiment from us with distilled water, the detrimental effect of high ammonium concentration on lettuce growth was greatly alleviated. Based on the results, it was postulated that the small amount of nitrate and the higher amount of bicarbonate existed in the tap water might mitigate the adverse effects of high ammonium N. The higher bicarbonate content in water and soil has usually been regarded as a major constraint factor limiting plant growth in calcareous soil areas. However, the reaction of bicarbonate to ammonium might produce positively interactive effect on reduction of both damages. The lettuce plants grown in ammonium solutions took up less P, K, Fe, Mn and Cu and more Ca than those grown in the nitrate nutrient solution. In conclusion, the results indicated that the N form imposed an obvious influence on absorption of cations and anions. Supplying ammonium-N stimulated transport of Ca, Mg and Mn to shoots of lettuce.