Availability of Ca from Ca45SO4 in a highly saline-sodic soil

Summary Application of gypsum (tagged Ca⁴⁵SO₄.2H₂O) caused a considerable increase in dry matter yield and content of Ca, Ca⁴⁵, Mg and K and Ca:Na and (Ca+Mg): (Na+K) ratios and a decrease in the content of Na, N and P in dhaincha tops. There was a considerable increase in the total uptake of Ca, Mg, Na, K, N, P and Ca⁴⁵ by plant tops in response to gypsum. Contribution of Ca from applied Ca⁴⁵SO₄ varied from 78.3 to 84.7 per cent of the total Ca in plant tops, whereas, its uptake from this source varied from 52.18 to 98.73 me per 100 g plant tops. re]19720705     

Urease activity in soils

Summary The availability of Ca from different levels of gypsum and calcium carbonate in a non-saline sodic soil has been investigated. Different levels of tagged gypsum (Ca⁴⁵SO₄.2H₂O) and calcium carbonate (Ca⁴⁵CO₃) (i.e. 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 per cent of gypsum requirement) were mixed thoroughly in 3.5 Kg of a non-saline alkali soil (ESP, 48.4; ECe, 2.68 millimhos/cm). Dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) — a legume and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) — a cereal were taken as test crops. Increasing levels of gypsum caused a gradual increase in the yield of dry matter, content of Ca and K in the plant tops and Ca:Na and (Ca+Mg):(Na+K) ratios in both the crops. Application of calcium carbonate caused a slight increase in the dry matter yield, content of Ca and Mg and Ca:Na and (Ca+Mg):(Na+K) ratios in barley, however, in case of dhaincha there was no such effect. Gypsum application caused a gradual decrease in the content of Na and P in both the crops. Total uptake of Ca, Mg, K, N and P per pot increased in response to gypsum application. The effect of calcium carbonate application on the total uptake of these elements was much smaller on dhaincha, but in barley there was some increasing trend.Increasing application of tagged gypsum and calcium carbonate caused a gradual increase in the concentration and per cent contribution of source Ca in both the crops, although, the rate of increase was considerably more in dhaincha. The availability of Ca from applied gypsum was considerably more than that from applied calcium carbonate. Efficiency of dhaincha to utilize Ca from applied sources was considerably more (i.e. about five times) than that of barley     

Influence of soil oxygen and soil water on the accumulation of nutrients in avocado seedlings (Persea Americana mill.)

Summary This experiment was conducted in a greenhouse to study the influence of 2 soil-oxygen levels and 4 irrigation levels on the plant response, root decay, concentrations of 12 nutrients, as well as on total amounts of nutrients per avocado seedling (Persea americana Mill.).Reduced soil-oxygen supply to the roots significantly reduced the amount of dry weight per seedling, increased percentage of root decay, and reduced the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and B in the tops, while Na and Fe were increased. Concentrations of K, Mg, Na, and Cl in the roots were decreased, while N and Ca were increased with decreased soil oxygen supply to the roots. Total amounts of N, P, Ca, Mg, Na, and Cl per seedling were decreased with the low soil-oxygen supply to the roots.Only slight differences in dry weight of the tops of seedlings were found. The highest degree of root decay was caused by the irrigation treatment where a water table was present. In the tops, concentrations of N, P, K, Mg, Na, Zn, Cu, Mn, B, and Fe were significantly influenced by differential irrigation treatments; in the roots, concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, and Cl were also significantly influenced; and total amounts of N, P, Mg, and Cl the whole seedling were likewise significantly influenced.Significant interactions were noted between the soil-oxygen and irrigation treatments on the dry weight of tops, roots, and total amounts of dry weight produced per seedling. The lowest amount of dry weight of roots and the highest degree of root decay were found in the avocado seedlings grown under low soil-oxygen supply and the irrigation treatment where a water table was present. Several significant interactions between soil oxygen and irrigation on the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Zn, and Mn are discussed.University of California, Citrus Research Center and Agricultural Experiment Station, Riverside, California. The research reported in this paper was supported in part by NSF Grant GB-5753x.     

Role of membrane-bound Ca in ghost permeability to Na and K

Summary The permeability of red cell ghosts to K is determined by the amount of membrane-bound Mg which, in turn, depends on internal Mg. Contrasting with such effect, an increase in cellular Ca raises K permeability. To test whether this, action is due to a competitive displacement of membrane Mg, the free Ca content of human red cell ghosts was altered by means of Ca-EGTA buffers. Net Na and K movements as well as Ca and Mg bindings, were assessed after incubation in a Na-medium at 37°C. Raising Ca from 3×10^–7 to 1×10^–2M caused a large K efflux with very little Na gain. Under similar conditions, Ca binding was increased without affecting membranebound Mg. Both Ca binding and K loss were markedly diminished by either adding ATP to the hemolytic medium or increasing internal Mg at a fixed Ca concentration. A Scatchard analysis showed three Ca binding sites, two of them having high affinity. It is concluded that Ca action does not arise from a displacement of membrane-bound Mg but from binding to different sites in the membrane. Presumably, high affinity sites are involved in the control of K permeability.     

Accession and cycling of elements in a coastal stand ofPinus radiata D. Don in New Zealand

Summary The accession and cycling of elements in a 14-year-old coastal stand ofPinus radiata D. Don was measured for one year. The element contents (mg m^–2 year^–1) of bulk precipitation and throughfall respectively were: NO₃–N 41, 12; NH₄–N 133, 154; organic-N 157, 396; Na 4420, 9700; K 387, 2900; Ca 351, 701; Mg 486, 1320. Of the increase in element content of rainwater beneath the forest canopy 20% (NH₄–N), 70% (organic-N), 3% (Na), 90% (K), 20% (Ca) and 30% (Mg) was attributed to leaching; the remainder to washing of aerosols filtered from the atmosphere by the vegetation. The canopy absorbed approximately 40 mg m^–2 year^–1 of NO₃–N. Litterfall was the major pathway for the above-ground biogeochemical cycle of N (93%), Ca (96%) and Mg (74%), and leaching was the major (73%) pathway for K.     

Effects of salt stress on purslane (Portulaca oleracea) nutrition

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of saline stress on the chemical composition of purslane (Portulaca oleracea), in particular the mineral composition. Four salinity levels were investigated using irrigation solutions with electrical conductivity values of 0.8, 6.8, 12.8 and 24.2 dS m^?1 and two planting dates (May and July) were tested. Samples of full‐grown leaf and stems of purslane were harvested after 7 and 15 days of the saline treatment exposure. Chemical analysis (dry matter basis) of leaves showed significant differences among the different saline treatments for all the characteristics measured. Salinity levels, planting date and harvest time significantly influenced (P < 0.05) the levels of crude protein, total lipids, ash and carbohydrate content. Salinity treatments did not significantly (P > 0.05) affect the water content of purslane leaves. The crude protein content of purslane leaves decreased with increasing salinity levels and time of exposure to treatment. However, carbohydrates and mineral residue content increased. An unusual phenomenon was noted for intermediate salinity levels, whereby an increase in total lipid content was measured in leaves of plants exposed to salinity treatments of 6.8 and 12.8 dS m^?1. The highest mineral residue content was seen in leaves of purslane exposed to the highest salinity treatment. The mineral composition was also affected by salinity levels, Na and Cl uptake, and accumulation increased with increasing salinity in irrigation solution; Mg concentration was not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by salinity levels, although a slight increase was seen, and Ca, K and Zn levels significantly (P < 0.05) decreased. Ca and Zn preferentially accumulated in the leaves, while K and Na values were higher in the stems. A significant increase (P < 0.05) in relative ratio of Na/K, Mg/K, Na/Ca and Mg/Ca was observed with increasing salinity levels. A decrease in the yield of purslane was only observed for the most severe saline treatment, where the highest ratio of Mg/Ca was seen. This study reveals that purslane is relatively tolerant to conditions of moderate salinity, thus improving its potential to become a key vegetable crop for animal and human consumption.     

Nutrient cycling in an excessively rainfed subtropical grassland at Cherrapunji

Cycling of six mineral elements (N, P, K, Na, Ca and Mg) was studied in a humid subtropical grassland at Cherrapunji, north-eastern India during 1988-1989. Elemental concentrations in the shoot of four dominant grass species,viz., Arundinella khaseana, Chrysopogon gryllus, Eragrostiella leioptera andEulalia trispicata were very low, and none of the species appears suitable for fodder use. Among different vegetation compartments, live root was the largest reservoir of all the nutrients (except Ca) followed by live shoot, dead shoot, litter and dead root. For Ca, live shoot was the major storage compartment. The total annual uptake (kg ha^-1) was 137.3, 10.4, 51.1, 5.5, 8.7 and 18.2 for N, P, K, Na, Ca and Mg, respectively. In an annual cycle 98% N, 77% P, 49% K, 109% Na, 87% Ca and 65% Mg returned to the soil through litter and belowground detritus. A major portion of N, P and Na was recycled through the belowground system, whereas nearly half of K, Ca and Mg was recycled through the shoot system. Precipitation acts as the source of N and P input, but at the same time causes loss of cations.     

Effects of inorganic nitrogen application on the dynamics of the soil solution composition in the root zone of maize

The effect of inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer on the ionic composition of the soil solution under maize (Zea mays L.) was studied. A pot experiment was carried out with two treatments combined factorially, with or without N application (Ca(NO₃)₂; +N and –N treatments, respectively), and with or without plants. Three looped hollow fiber samplers were installed in each pot to sample soil solutions nondestructively from the root zone, seven times during the 50-day growth period. Plants were harvested on the 50th day, and their nutrient contents determined.Effects of N fertilizer on the soil solutions were observed by the first sampling, 2 days after sowing. The concentrations of Ca and NO₃ ^– and electrical conductivity (EC) increased significantly in the +N treatments as direct effects of fertilizer application. In addition, the concentrations of Mg, K, Na and H⁺ also increased and that of P decreased significantly as indirect effects caused by the re-establishment of chemical equilibria. This suggested the greater supply as well as the greater possibility of leaching loss not only of NO₃ ^– but also of Ca, Mg and K. In the treatments with plants, the concentrations of NO₃ ^–, Ca, Mg and K decreased with time and pH increased significantly compared with the unplanted soil. The depletion of N in the soil solution roughly agreed with the amount of N taken up by the plant. The depletions of K from the soil solution amounted to less than 10% of the amount of the K taken up, suggesting intensive replenishment of K from exchange sites in the soil. Depletions of Ca and Mg were several times higher than the amounts taken up, indicating that the depletions resulted from the adsorption of the divalent cations by the soil rather than uptake by plants. Because NO₃ ^– is hardly absorbed by exchange sites in soil and was the dominant anion in solution, it was concluded that NO₃ ^– had a major role in controlling cation concentrations in the soil solution and, consequently, on their availability for uptake by plants as well as their possible leaching loss. ei]H Marschner     

Relationship between root cationexchange capacity and sodium tolerance of different crops

Summary Paragrass, wheat, barley, gram, lady's finger, and dhaincha were grown in a soil whose ESP had been adjusted to 1.7, 30.2, 41.4, 58.4, and 77.9. The growth in terms of dry weight of tops and roots decreased with increasing levels of exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). The sodium-tolerance index was the highest in paragrass (lower-root CEC) followed by barley and wheat (medium root CEC). Dhaincha, gram, and lady's finger (high root CEC) were relatively sensitive crops having low sodium-tolerance index. Fifty per cent reduction in the yield of wheat, barley, paragrass, lady's finger, dhaincha and gram occurred when ESP was 41, 43, 55, 35, 37, and 36, respectively. Increasing ESP of the soil was associated with increasing Na and decreasing Ca, Mg, and K contents of the tops and roots.     

(Ca + Mg)-stimulated ATPase activity of a rat brain microsomal preparation.

ATPase activity of freshly prepared brain microsomes was stimulated 20% when 0.1 mm CaCl₂ was added in the presence of a “saturating” concentration of MgCl₂ (4 mm). This (Ca + Mg)-stimulated activity declined rapidly on storage. Treatment of the microsomes with 0.12% deoxycholate in 0.15 m KCl, followed by centrifugation and resuspension in sucrose, produced a preparation both stable on storage at ?15 °C and with an increased stimulation in the presence of CaCl₂. SrCl₂ was more effective than CaCl₂, but BaCl₂ was a poor activator. KCl and NaCl stimulated the (Ca + Mg)-ATPase activity by reducing substrate (ATP) inhibition. The K_m for ATP was 0.1 mm, a third that of the Mg-ATPase. CTP, ITP, and GTP could not substitute for ATP, although they were fair substrates for the Mg-ATPase. The energy of activation of the (Ca + Mg)-ATPase was 21 kcal, nearly twice that of the Mg-ATPase. After sucrose density-gradient centrifugation of the microsomal preparation, the (Ca + Mg)-ATPase activity was distributed with the (Na + K)-ATPase and not with the mitochondrial marker succinic dehydrogenase. Studies with ouabain, oligomycin, and azide distinguished the (Ca + Mg)-stimulated ATPase from (Na + K)- and mitochondrial ATPases. Sensitivity to ruthenium red suggested a link to Ca transport, although the microsomal ⁴⁵Ca accumulating system was much more sensitive to the inhibitor than was this ATPase activity.     

Mineral nutrient economy in competing species of Sphagnum mosses

Bog vegetation, which is dominated by Sphagnum mosses, depends exclusively on aerial deposition of mineral nutrients. We studied how the main mineral nutrients are distributed between intracellular and extracellular exchangeable fractions and along the vertical physiological gradient of shoot age in seven Sphagnum species occupying contrasting bog microhabitats. While the Sphagnum exchangeable cation content decreased generally in the order Ca²⁺ ≥ K⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺ > Al³⁺ > NH₄ ⁺, intracellular element content decreased in the order N > K > Na, Mg, P, Ca, Al. Calcium occurred mainly in the exchangeable form while Mg, Na and particularly K, Al and N occurred inside cells. Hummock species with a higher cation exchange capacity (CEC) accumulated more exchangeable Ca²⁺, while the hollow species with a lower CEC accumulated more exchangeable Na⁺, particularly in dead shoot segments. Intracellular N and P, but not metallic elements, were consistently lower in dead shoot segments, indicating the possibility of N and P reutilization from senescing segments. The greatest variation in tissue nutrient content and distribution was between species from contrasting microhabitats. The greatest variation within microhabitats was between the dissimilar species S. angustifolium and S. magellanicum. The latter species had the intracellular N content about 40% lower than other species, including even this species when grown alone. This indicates unequal competition for N, which can lead to outcompeting of S. magellanicum from mixed patches. We assume that efficient cation exchange enables Sphagnum vegetation to retain immediately the cationic nutrients from rainwater. This may represent an important mechanism of temporal extension of mineral nutrient availability to subsequent slow intracellular nutrient uptake.     

Replacement of nutrient losses caused by acidification of a beech forest soil and its effects on transplanted field-layer species

Acidification of south Swedish forest soils has caused considerable decreases in pH and exchangeable cations during recent decades. The lowered abundance of several field-layer species is probably related to the altered soil chemistry. The present study focuses on the importance for the vegetation of reduced amounts of Ca, Mg and K. These elements were applied separately or mixed as C1+SO₄, six times the current exchangeable amount of the topsoil of an acid beech forest soil (pH H₂O 4.1). Soil pH was raised to 7 by Na₂CO₃ application and Na was also given as C1+SO₄. Survival and growth of the seven transplanted species were measured during three years (Dentaria bulbifera, Gagea spathacea, Galium odoratum, Lamium galeobdolon, Melica uniflora, Mercurialis perennis and Viola reichenbachiana.Half a year after the treatment the exchangeable amounts of K, Ca and Mg had increased by ca. 2.5 times when applied separately. Howerver, the retention of Mg was strongly disfavoured by the application of all other elements. Exchangeable K and Na thereafter decreased while the effects on Ca and Mg were persistent during the study. D. bulbifera, G. odoratum and M. perennis hardly survived any treatment, possibly due to the low soil pH, while 40–70% of the other species survived. Growth to normal size was only attained by G. spathacea, M. uniflora and V. reichenbachiana. The application of Ca+Mg+K was positive for G. spathacea, L. galeobdolon and M. perennis and Na (as C1+SO₄) for D. bulbifera, L. galeobdolon, M. uniflora and M. perennis. The effects of the Na treatment may partly be caused by the increased pH (5.3). Application of Mg favoured M. uniflora and Na₂CO₃ V. reichenbachiana. Addition of K gave no positive effects.It can be concluded that addition of Ca, Mg and K without raising pH was insufficient for a normal growth for all studied species but M. uniflora and V. reichenbachiana. These two species also had a relatively high survival in the control plots but performance was enhanced by Mg or Na₂CO₃ application.     

Salt stress effects on growth and mineral nutrition of French beans

An experiment was designed to study the effects of sodium chloride and sodium sulphate on growth and inorganic contents inPhaseolus vulgaris (L) cvVaghya. It was noted that except at 2.5 and 5 dS/m Na₂SO₄, other concentrations of both the salts proved to be inhibitory. NaCl lowered the chlorophyll content while opposite was the trend with Na₂SO₄. Both the salt caused an increase in leaf thickness and moisture content. Salt rich environment disturbed the normal inorganic metabolism. The contents of Na, Ca, Fe and Mg were greater while those of N, K, Cu and Zn were low. The contents of P and Mn showed a differential response.     

Macronutrient content in leaves of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris,L.) grown with differents rates of N/S as fertilizers

Summary The effect of increasing rates of nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) as fertilizers on the yield, leaf area and N, P, S, Ca, Mg, NO₃ ⁻ and SO₄ ⁼ content in leaves of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) were studied in a hydroponic culture experiment under greenhouse conditions. Bean plants responded significantly to all treatments with differents N/S ratios. When plants grew with high N/S ratios, the leaf content of N, Ca and NO₃ ⁻ increased while the content of K, P and SO₄ ⁼ decreased. However, optimal yield and leaf area were not obtained. Optimal leaf and fruit dry matter was obtained at N/S ratio value of 1.41. When lower N/S rates were used, optimal leaf and fruit dry matter was only observed when the leaf N/S ratio was between 15 and 16. At high sulphate levels in the nutrient solution there is no interaction with nitrate which is easily observed, resulting in an increase in yield. An interaction between nitrate and sulphate in the nutrient solution was found at a N/S ratio of 0.81 which produced in leaves a synergic effect between P-K, an antagonistic effect between N-P and N-K and a lower yield. This research was supported by Fundacion ‘Ramon Areces’.     

中国南方生长于不同基质的天然林植物叶片元素含量特征比较

对比中国南方两个热带喀斯特森林、一个热带红树林和来自文献的一个亚热带常绿阔叶林植物叶片元素含量和计量特点。结果表明,受碳酸盐岩的影响,西双版纳和弄岗喀斯特森林植物叶片普遍富含Ca、Mg元素,因岩性差异,含有一定白云岩的弄岗地区的植物富集更多的Mg。西双版纳喀斯特森林存在K、Fe、Na、Zn元素的缺乏状况;由于白云岩矿物成分的特殊性和缓慢的风化速度,弄岗喀斯特植物有更高的叶片K、Zn、S含量。红树林植物富集P、Ca、Mg、Na、S元素,海水环境中大量的离子进入土壤被植物吸收利用,提高了红树的养分含量,并且在高盐环境下Na在叶片中大量富集。但是,红树植物表现缺乏Fe、Si、Zn。亚热带常绿阔叶林植物受酸性土影响大,Mn元素大量富集,P与Na的含量缺乏,并且相比其他生境,常绿阔叶林的N、P、Ca、Mg含量较低。西双版纳和弄岗的喀斯特森林植物叶片N/P比分别为14.27和18.26,说明前者受到N、P的共同限制,后者主要为P限制;红树植物N/P比为13.12,受N限制;常绿阔叶林植物本身严重缺P,N/P比为26.27,表现出明显的P限制。所研究的不同基质上的植物,叶片N与P元素之间均呈显著正相关,这种稳定的协同关系是植物适应环境的普遍规律。Ca与Mg两个二价阳离子元素在喀斯特森林和常绿阔叶林中为协同关系,而在红树林中则不存在相关性,分析表明Na盐胁迫下增加了Mg的吸收,改变了Ca、Mg的平衡关系。N与K元素在红树林和常绿阔叶林中为协同关系,而由于喀斯特环境中Ca、Mg协同影响了K的吸收,改变了N、K的协同关系。P与Zn在喀斯特森林和红树林中都表现出协同关系,这与两种元素在植物代谢过程中都参与了酶的合成有关。红树植物表现K和Mn的拮抗关系,而在喀斯特森林和常绿阔叶林中均未有相关性。S与P元素在弄岗喀斯特森林中表现出正相关,这种协同性可以帮助喀斯特植物缓解缺P的症状,而在高P的红树植物中没有相关性。研究结果对于森林生态系统的生物地球化学循环模拟和生态系统管理有重要参考意义。     

Characterization of wheat germ lipase

Some properties of wheat germ lipase were determined with a fluorometric assay of enzymatic cleavage converting the nonfluorescent 4-methyl umbelliferone butyrate (4-MUB) to the highly fluorescent 4-methyl umbelliferone (4-MU). Optimum reaction conditions were attained at buffer pH 7·5 and temperature 30°. Lineweaver-Burk plots were linear. Relative cation combination effectiveness as reaction activators was Ca + Mg + K > Ca + Mg + K + Na > Ca + Mg + Na > Ca + Mg > Mg > Ca, with no reaction effects of K, Na, and K + Na without Ca or Mg. Highly significant inhibitors of lipase reaction were CN⁻, aflatoxin, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, S²⁻, and EDTA.     

Effect of N,K, and P fertilization,N source,and clipping on potential tetany hazard of bromegrass

Summary The objective of this field study was to determine early-season effects of N source, N, K, and P fertilization, and clipping (to simulate grazing) on potential tetany hazard of bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.) as indicated by the chemical composition of its forage. Tetany is a metabolic disorder of ruminants resulting from forage with low Mg availability. Chemical components considered in the forage were inorganic cations, organic acids, aconitate, and per cent total N/per cent total water soluble carbohydrate (N/TWSC). Differences between the sum (in meq/kg) of inorganic cations (Mg, Ca, K, and Na) and inorganic anions (Cl, NO₃, H₂PO₄, and SO₄) in forage were defined as the concentration of organic acids (C-A). Soil was Parshall fsl, a Pachic Haploboroll. Yields and chemical composition of oven-dried forage from previously unclipped and reclipped plots were determined at 3-week intervals beginning May 22 and June 12, respectively. A water budget was determined using soil-water and rainfall data.Forage yields were increased 2- to 3-fold by N fertilization with the NO₃-N source generally outyielding the NH₄-N source. A slight additional yield response to that obtained with N alone was obtained with K+P fertilization but not with K or P alone with or without N. Much less total forage was removed from reclipped plots than from unclipped plots. Forage Mg content was decreased only slightly by K or NH₄-N fertilization. Soil analysis indicated that high NH₄-N levels were present at the May 22 harvest. Magnesium and Ca concentrations were only slightly affected by N fertilization; however, K, K/(Ca+Mg), total N, C-A, and aconitate were increased. Reclipping increased Mg, N, K, N/TWSC, C-A, and aconitate. Estimates of blood-plasma Mg concentrations were obtained by using the data for plant N, K, and Mg. These estimates did not indicate increased tetany hazard as a result of reclipping, but did indicate increased tetany hazard from N fertilization. Forage C-A and aconitate concentrations were decreased by fertilization with KCl which seemed to have been caused by the increased Cl concentrations in the forage. Estimates of quantities of Mg, arriving at the root surfaces from the soil by mass flow, far exceeded amounts of Mg in the forage. Mass flow seemed to be the principal mechanism by which Mg and Ca arrived at root surfaces but this mechanism was much less important for K.This study indicated an increased potential tetany hazard resulting primarily from N fertilization with either NH₄-N or NO₃-N sources. However, the potential for increased forage and livestock-carrying capacity with N fertilization is very large. Therefore, management practices corroborated by livestock data are vitally needed to minimize tetany hazard while increasing bromegrass yields by N fertilization.Contribution from Soil, Water, and Air Sciences, North Central and Northeastern Regions, ARS-USDA.Follett, Power, and Grunes are soil scientists and Kleinis a biological laboratory technician. Follett is now National Program Staff Scientist, ARS, BARC-West, Beltsville, MD 20705. Power and Klein are at the USDA Northern Great Plains Research Center, Mandan, ND 58554, as formerly was Follett. Grunes is at the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Laboratory, Ithaca, NY 14853.     

Physiological and biochemical aspects of tolerance of three grass species to varying Na+/Ca2+ ratios

The effects of decreasing Ca²⁺ concentrations (Na/Ca ratios were 24, 49, 99 and 199) of the saline growth medium (NaCl concentration 200 mM) on three grass speciesCenchrus pennisetiformis Hochst. & Steud,Leptochloa fusca L. Kunth. andPcmicum turgidum Forssk. were assessed after 7 weeks growth in sand culture.L. fusca produced the highest dry biomass of all the species at varying Na/Ca ratios. Number of tillers per plant and number of green leaves per tiller were reduced significantly only inC. pennisetiformis. Leaf water potential ofC. pennisetiformis decreased at all external Na/Ca ratios, whereas inL. fusca it decreased only at an Na/Ca ratio of 99. Leaf osmotic potential ofL. fusca consistently decreased at all Na/Ca ratios, whereas that of the other two species remained unchanged. The shoot and root total sugars of all species remained unaffected at all decreasing Ca²⁺ concentrations. InP. turgidum chlorophyllb and total chlorophyll decreased consistently at all Na/Ca ratios, but inL. fusca they decreased only at the highest Na/Ca ratios. The leaf soluble proteins of all the species remained unaffected at all Na/Ca ratios. The leaf free amino acids decreased significantly inL. fusca with the increase in Na/Ca ratios. The leaf proline content was only decreased inL. fusca at the highest Na/Ca ratio. The significant correlations between the growth of the three grass species and other variables determined in this study were not found.     

Multiple stress and growth of barley: Effect of salinity and temperature shock

The effect of preconditioning to NaCl salinity (0 to 135 mmol L^-1) on the subsequent response of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to two days of low (5°C) temperature shock (LTS) was investigated. Both salinity and LTS reduced the final growth of barley tops and roots. The effect of LTS on growth of tops and roots depended on the level of salinity stress imposed. At salinity level of 45 mmol L^-1, for example, exposing the plants to LTS reduced top growth by an additional 34%; at 135 mmol L^-1 salinity, however, LTS reduced the top growth by only 2%. Salinity increased the concentration of Na, Cl, total P, PO₄, and Zn, reduced the concentration of K, Ca, total N, NO₃, and SO₄, but did not affect the concentration of total S in the barley tops. LTS increased the concentration of Ca and Zn in the tops; the concentrations of other elements (cations and anions) were not changed by the temperature treatment. In the tops of the control plants, NO₃, PO₄, and SO₄ accounted for 15%, 72% and 93% of the total N, P, and S, respectively. In the plants grown at 135 mmol L^-1 NaCl, however, the above values were 8%, 84%, and 70%, respectively, which indicates that salinity had altered the incorporation of N, P, and S into organic compounds. We suggest that salinity and low temperature affect growth and nutrient uptake and incorporation into organic matter by different mechanisms. Although barley subjected to low salinity becomes more sensitive to subsequent low temperature stress, preconditioning of barley to higher salinity stress seems to reduce the plant's sensitivity to subsequent low temperature.     

Short-term effects of thinning and liming on forest soils of pitch pine and Japanese larch plantations in central Korea

The influences of thinning (50% of standing density) and liming (Ca+Mg, 2 Mg ha⁻¹) on soil chemical properties were investigated for 2 years (2001, 2002) in 40-year-old pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) and 44-year-old Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis Gord.) plantations established on similar soils. In general, soil properties varied significantly among plantations and treatments. For both plantations, thinning significantly increased soil organic C (SOC) concentrations whereas there were no significant changes in soil pH and Ca and Mg concentrations. In addition, thinning increased total soil N and Na concentrations for the pitch pine plantation and available P concentration for the Japanese larch plantation in the second year after the treatment. Liming did not affect soil chemical characteristics for the pitch pine plantation except for Na concentration. However, for the Japanese larch plantation, liming significantly increased soil pH and K, Ca and Mg concentrations and decreased SOC and total soil N concentrations. For both plantations, soil Al concentration did not change after thinning and liming and decreased exponentially with increased pH values. The increases in SOC and total soil N concentrations after thinning were possibly due to increases in decomposition of organic matter and root death. Although differences were not statistically significant, soil available P concentration tended to increase at early stages of liming for both plantations. These results suggested that thinning and liming seemed to regulate soil chemical properties for pitch pine and Japanese larch plantations established on similar soils.