Nutrition of winter wheat during the life cycle. II. Influx and translocation of potassium and phosphorus

Changes in the K, Na and P content of solution-grown and soil-grown winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. cv. Martonvásári 8) were followed during the life cycle. In parallel experiments the influx of K⁺(⁸⁶Rb) and H₂³²PO-₄ and the translocation of these ions to the shoot were also measured. The K content increased during the seedling and tillering stages (autumn and winter period), but then decreased rapidly as the temperature rose. The influx and translocation of K⁺ increased during vegetative growth and declined in the generative phase. Na⁺ replaced K⁺ when K⁺ uptake was limited. The P content changed less than the K content, but influx was maximal during elongation. Both influx and translocation slowed greatly in the grain-filling period. For both minerals the ratio of influx to net uptake was estimated for the life cycle. This ratio was high for the soil-grown plants but low for the solution-grown plants, suggesting that the supply of K and P was limiting the growth of the former but not of the latter plants. It is suggested that the transport of K and P during the life cycle is regulated by metabolism-dependent direct routes (i.e. negative feedback mechanisms) during vegetative growth and by passive, indirect routes in the generative stage. The possibility of hormone-directed transport processes is also discussed.     

遮阴对夏玉米干物质积累及养分吸收的影响

以振杰2号(ZJ2)、登海605(DH605)和郑单958(ZD958)为试验材料,在大田条件下设置花粒期遮阴(S₁)、穗期遮阴(S₂)、全生育期遮阴(S₃)3个遮阴处理,以自然光照条件为对照(CK),研究了遮阴对夏玉米干物质积累和氮、磷、钾吸收的影响.结果表明: 遮阴后夏玉米籽粒产量和单株干物质积累量显著降低,降低程度与遮阴时期有关,表现为S₃>S₁>S₂,其中S₁、S₂和S₃籽粒产量平均降低61.6%、25.3%和92.8%,说明花粒期遮阴较花前遮阴对夏玉米干物质积累和籽粒产量影响更大,不同品种的变化趋势相同.夏玉米植株花前养分吸收量表现为钾>氮>磷,植株吸收总量表现为氮>钾>磷.遮阴后植株氮和磷积累量显著减少,由于遮阴后干物质较对照降低程度大于对氮、磷吸收的降低程度,各处理氮、磷相对含量有所升高;遮阴后各处理植株钾吸收量较对照显著降低,但S₂处理的钾吸收降低程度大于干物质积累降低程度,钾相对含量降低,即花前遮阴对玉米钾吸收的影响大于氮和磷.     

水氮组合对冬小麦干物质及氮素积累和产量的影响

于2015—2017年小麦生长季在山东省泰安市农业科学研究院肥城试验基地进行田间试验,供试材料为‘泰山28',在150(A₁)、300(A₂)、450(A₃)、600 m³·hm^-2(A₄)4个灌水量和90(B₁)、135(B₂)、180(B₃)、225 kg·hm^-2(B₄)4个施氮水平下,研究水氮组合对小麦生长发育过程中干物质积累、氮素积累、水分消耗利用、光合特性、籽粒产量等的影响。结果表明: A₃B₃条件下各生育阶段的干物质积累量和氮素积累量,成熟期籽粒干物质和氮素积累量均为最大,花前花后营养器官生产储藏干物质及氮素向籽粒的运输量最高,且与其他水氮组合处理差异显著。各氮素处理下,60~200 cm土层土壤耗水量均为A₃>A₄>A₂>A₁;A₃B₃处理下的水分利用效率和氮素利用效率高于A₃B₄、A₄B₃和A₄B₄。A₃B₃处理显著提高了开花后7~28 d的旗叶净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率,有利于小麦进行光合作用合成碳水化合物。水氮组合效应显著影响籽粒产量和产量构成,且A₃B₃处理下小麦产量最高,达到9400 kg·hm^-2。综上,450 m³·hm^-2和180 kg·hm^-2的水氮组合处理可以显著提高小麦干物质和氮素积累量,并促进干物质和氮素向籽粒运输,与高水肥处理相比,可以有效提高水分利用效率和氮素利用效率,有利于增强小麦旗叶的光合能力,产生更多的碳水化合物,增加籽粒产量。     

氮肥运筹对晚播冬小麦氮素和干物质积累与转运的影响

氮素平衡对干物质积累与分配的影响是农业生态系统研究的重要内容,在保障产量前提下减少氮肥施用量可减少环境污染与温室气体排放。以晚播冬小麦为研究对象,设置4个施氮量水平:0 kg/hm2(N0)、168.75 kg/hm2(N1)、225 kg/hm2(N2)、281.25 kg/hm2(N3),每个施氮量水平下设置2个追氮时期处理:拔节期(S1)、拔节期+开花期(S2),研究了氮肥运筹对晚播冬小麦氮素和干物质积累与转运及氮肥利用率的影响。结果表明:拔节期追施氮肥(S1)条件下,在225 kg/hm2(N2)基础上增施25%氮肥(N3)对开花期氮素积累总量和营养器官氮素转运量无显著影响;拔节期+开花期追施氮肥(S2)条件下,随施氮量增加,开花期氮素积累总量和花后营养器官氮素转运量升高;S2较S1显著提高成熟期籽粒及营养器官氮素积累量、花后籽粒氮素积累量及其对籽粒氮素积累的贡献率。同一施氮量条件下,S2较S1提高了成熟期的干物质积累量、开花至成熟阶段干物质积累强度和花后籽粒干物质积累量。同一追氮时期条件下,籽粒产量N2与N3无显著差异,氮肥偏生产力随施氮量增加而降低;同一施氮量条件下,S2较S1提高了晚播冬小麦的籽粒产量和氮肥吸收利用率。拔节期+开花期追施氮肥,总施氮量225kg/hm2为有利于实现晚播冬小麦高产和高效的最优氮肥运筹模式。     

Effects of switches in nutrient levels during the life cycle of spring wheat

Accumulation of cations in roots and shoots and influx of K⁺(⁸⁶Rb⁺) and Ca²⁺(⁴⁵Ca²⁺) into the roots were investigated in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Svenno). Plants were sampled at four main developmental stages: tillering, shooting, heading and grain filling. The effects of switches between a high and a low supply of nutrients were characterized. Growth of the shoots and roots was affected by the switches. A high supply of nutrients at the seedling stage and towards tillering supported a high growth rate, while a further high supply of nutrients increased vegetative growth and delayed grain filling. An early high supply of nutrients followed by a low supply at shooting, heading and grain filling accelerated root growth and growth of the main culm. Switches of the mineral supply gave only small changes in concentration of Mg in the plants. Generally, the K⁺(⁸⁶Rb⁺) influx into the roots decreased during ontogenesis, while Ca²⁺(⁴⁵Ca²⁺) influx increased more or less independent of the switches between nutrients levels.     

冬小麦干物质在各器官中的累积和分配规律研究

为修正冬小麦生长模型中的干物质分配,通过田间试验,对冬小麦干物质累积和在不同器官中的分配进行了描述。并且在此基础上结合文献资料,对冬小麦光合产物在各器官中的分配和转移系数的计算方法进行了探讨,分析了两者随相对发育阶段（RDS）的变化规律,并建立了函数表。同时运用试验资料进行了实地验证,取得较好的效果。     

Response of mesquite to nitrate and salinity in a simulated phreatic environment: Water use,dry matter and mineral nutrient accumulation

Mesquite plants (Prosopis glandulosa var. Torreyana) were grown in 2-m long columns 20 cm in diameter, and provided with a constant, stable ground water source 10 cm above the sealed base of the column. Ground water contained 0, 1 or 5 mM nitrate, or a mixed salt solution (1.4, 2.8, or 5.6 dS m^-1) with the ionic ratios of ground water found in a field stand of Prosopis at Harper's Well (2.8 dS m^-1). Water uptake in the highly salinized columns began to decrease relative to low salt columns when soil salinity probes 30 cm above the column base read approximately 28 dS m^-1, a potential threshold for mesquite salt tolerance. Prosopis growth increased with increasing nitrate, and decreased with increasing salinity. Water use efficiency was little affected by treatment, averaging approximately 2 g dry matter L^-1 water used. Most fine roots were recovered from a zone about 25 cm above the ground water surface where water content and aeration appeared to be optimal for root growth. Root-shoot ratio was little affected by nitrate, but increased slightly with increasing salinity. Plant tissue P concentrations tended to increase with increasing salinity and decrease with increasing N, approaching potentially deficient foliage concentrations at 5 mM nitrate. The whole-plant leaf samples increased in sodium concentration both with added salt and with added nitrate. Foliar manganese concentrations increased with increasing salt in the absence of nitrate. Concentrations of sodium in leaves were low (<10 g kg^-1), considering the high salt concentrations in the ground water. Prosopis appears to exclude sodium very effectively, especially from its younger leaves. Although Prosopis is highly salt tolerant, the degree to which it utilizes soil nitrate in place of biologically fixed N may lower its salinity tolerance and affect its nutrient relations in phreatic environments.     

Warming impacts on the dry matter accumulation,and translocation and nitrogen uptake and utilization of winter wheat on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

Aims Global warming is expected to be the strongest in high altitude mountainous areas, which are more ecologically fragile and economically marginalized. The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is among such areas most vulnerable to global warming, and more than 80% of its population depends on subsistence agriculture. The aim of this study is to understand the impacts of warming on indigenous crop production, which can help to devise better strategies for crop adaptation and food security in this area.Methods A field warming experiment using a facility of free air temperature increase was conducted to simulate the predicted warming level in Caigongtang town, Lhasa City, China. The experiment consisting of two treatments (warmed and non-warmed) was performed using a completely random design with three replicates. An infrared heater (180 cm in length and 20 cm in width) of 1 500 W was suspended 1.5 m above the ground in each warmed plot. In each non-warmed plot, a ‘dummy’ heater of same dimensions was also suspended to mimic the shading effects. The warming treatment was performed from the sown date to the harvest date. We measured dry matter and nitrogen accumulation, partition and translocation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) using ‘Shandong 6’ under warming and control treatments.Important findings Results showed that, with 1.1 °C increase in daily mean air temperature during winter wheat growing season, the dry matter accumulation rate at population level from sowing to anthesis stage, grain dry matter partition ratio and contribution of dry matter translocation amount to grain after anthesis were 27.5%, 5.6% and 68.6% higher, respectively, in the warmed plots than those in the non-warmed plots. Meanwhile, warming increased nitrogen accumulation rate at population level of winter wheat. Nitrogen distribution proportions in grain and nitrogen translocation efficiency from vegetative organs to grain after anthesis in the warmed treatment were 6.0% and 5.5% higher than those in the non-warmed treatment, respectively. Compared with non-warmed treatment, warming decreased harvest index by 3.1%, though the difference was not statistically significant. Grain yield, nitrogen uptake efficiency, nitrogen partial factor productivity and nitrogen harvest index were 8.1%, 20.8%, 8.1% and 6.0% higher, respectively, in the warmed plots than those in the non-warmed plots. In conclusion, an increase in daily mean air temperature of about 1.1 °C can enhance plant growth during the pre-anthesis phase by mitigating the low temperature limitation, and accelerate dry matter and nitrogen partition and translocation to the grain after anthesis in winter wheat. These results suggest that warming may benefit winter wheat production through increasing nitrogen use efficiency in high altitude areas.     

Growth and internal ion concentrations in seedlings of winter wheat are affected by 1 pM tentoxin

The long-term effect of tentoxin on K^+;, Ca²⁺ and total phosphorus (P) concentrations in the roots and shoots of 7- and 14-day-old seedlings of winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. cv. Martonvásári-8) was studied. Growth (dry weight) and shoot to root ratios (dry weight and mineral concentrations) were also estimated. One p M tentoxin increased the shoot to root ratio for dry weight after a 14-day period of application. The concentration of Ca²⁺ slightly increased in the shoot. In roots, tentoxin caused a 30% higher accumulation of Ca²⁺ after 7 days, which did not change with treatment during the following 7 days. The accumulation of Ca²⁺ was enhanced by increasing concentrations of tentoxin. K⁺ and total P levels increased in roots but decreased in shoots after 7 days. However, they were redistributed between root and shoot during days 8–14 of tentoxin treatment. The effect of tentoxin is explained as a stimulation of ion transport mainly into the vacuoles of the immature metaxylem elements. It is suggested that tentoxin and other microbial products effective at very low concentrations may have a general significance in promoting plant infection or symbiosis via the modification of physiological or biochemical processes.     

氮素营养对小麦根冠协调生长的调控

在植物生长箱通过溶液培养方式,对不同氮素条件下不同抗旱性的小麦品种西农1043和小偃6号的幼苗根苗生长特性进行了研究,结果表明在不同氮素浓度下,氮肥用量的提高对地上部干重和叶片气体交换参数表现为增效效应,当用量增至一定程度时,地上部干重和叶片气体交换参数均呈下降趋势,只是各自的适宜用量存在差异。培养介质氮素浓度低时,有利于小麦根系干重累积,培养介质氮素浓度高时,不利于根系干重累积。西农1043和小偃6号根长分布基本相似,水分利用效率随着根冠比的增大而降低。小麦根冠比的增加并不利于叶片水分利用效率的提高,而叶片光合作用最优的根冠比为0．5左右。     

Loss of dry matter and cell contents from fibrous roots of sugar beet due to sampling,storage and washing

To obtain correction factors for estimating root dry weight from washed samples and to test the efficiency of various procedures for storing root samples, dry matter losses were determined by simulating root washing methods with roots obtained from a nutrient culture. For sugar beet dry matter losses were higher than values previously found for wheat and ryegrass: about 30% for the procedure normally used and about 40% for samples pretreated with sodium pyrophosphate. The largest share of water-soluble sugars was lost from root samples within one day of storing roots. The N content of roots expressed on the basis of remaining dry matter rose first during handling of the root samples and decreased in samples stored for a longer period. In most cases no cell wall material (cellulose and lignin) is lost from the root samples; expressed on the basis of remaining dry weight the contents consequently rose.Communication no. 2 of the Dutch Programme on Soil Ecology of Arable Farming Systems     

Pattern of cadmium accumulation and essential cations during growth of cadmium-tolerant fungi

The present study evaluates the growth response of two strains of filamentous fungi; a Fusarium sp. and Alternaria tenuis, grown on both solid and liquid Czapek Dox medium amended with different concentrations of CdCl₂. Colony extension and the mycelial dry weight of both fungi were significantly inhibited by high concentrations of cadmium. Extended lag phases and low growth rates resulted from cadmium administration. Cadmium drastically affected fungal morphogenesis by the production of stunted sterile thick mycelial filaments of the Fusarium sp. and chains of uncharacterized swellings instead of conidia in A. tenuis. Experiments showed that cadmium accumulation by the Fusarium sp. grown in liquid medium was a concentration dependent, and over the incubation time it displayed a plateau pattern. The cells grown on medium containing 0.25 mmol l^–1 CdCl₂ accumulated up to 89 ± 12 mol Cd (gm dw)^–1 after two days, falling to 29 ± 10 mol Cd (gm dw)^–1 after five days. At 0.5 mmol l^–1 CdCl₂ treatment the maximum cellular cadmium content was 132 ± 14 mol (gm dw)^–1, attained after 3 days, and decreased to 98 ± 9 mol (gm dw)^–1 at the end of the incubation time. There was a simultaneous marked drop in cadmium content and pH of the growth medium during the first few days. The presence of cadmium markedly altered the cellular essential cations; K⁺ and Mg²⁺ being decreased while Na⁺ increased during the growth period. Such findings resulted a reverse pattern of cellular Na⁺/K⁺ ratio for cells grown on cadmium-containing medium in respect to the control treatment. The results are discussed in relation to a further dimension of cadmium effects that might reflect its toxicity, as well as the implication of cadmium extrusion for tolerance during fungal growth.     

灌溉和种植方式对冬小麦耗水特性及干物质生产的影响

于2008-2010年通过田间试验,以高产中筋冬小麦品种济麦22为材料,设等行距平作、宽窄行平作、沟播3种种植方式,每种种植方式下设不灌水(W₀)、拔节水(W₁)、拔节水+开花水(W₂)、拔节水+开花水+灌浆水(W₃)4种灌溉处理(每次灌水量为60 mm),研究不同灌溉和种植方式对冬小麦耗水特性及干物质积累与分配规律的影响.结果表明： 随灌水量的增加,3种植方式下农田总耗水量均增加,灌水量占总耗水量的比例也增加,而土壤贮水消耗量及其占总耗水量的比例显著降低;与W₀处理相比,各灌水处理提高了开花后干物质的积累量、小麦籽粒产量,而水分利用效率(WUE)降低.同一灌溉条件下,与其他两种种植方式相比,沟播方式土壤贮水量消耗比例、籽粒产量和WUE均较高.综合考虑小麦的籽粒产量和WUE,沟播结合灌拔节水+开花水是华北平原冬麦区较适宜的节水种植方式.     

The cost of stress: Dry matter partitioning changes with seasonal supply of water and nitrogen to dryland wheat

Spring wheat cv. ‘Gutha’ was grown in continuous wheat (W/W) and narrow-leafed lupin (L. angustifolius L. cv. Yandee)-wheat (L/W) rotation on a yellow earth over mottled clay (Arenic Fragiudult) in a mediterranean climate for two years. The first year had a higher than average rainfall with adequate soil water until anthesis. The second year was very dry (only 232 mm total rainfall) and soil water contents were low throughout the growing season. Nitrogen fertilizer (+N) treatments were included in both years. In the first year an adjacent experiment compared the effects of loosening a pronounced traffic pan which existed on the site (LS)versus unloosened (US). In the first year roots contained more dry matter than tops in the early vegetative stage in all crops and then declined exponentially to a ratio of 0.1 in the US and LS treatments. In the second year however, the decline was both linear and much less, so that root:shoot ratios at harvest were still between 0.4 and 0.8. There was a consistent trend in root:shoot ratios from the most favourable (LS) to least favourable (W/W-N) treatments over the combined two years’ data, and this was also found in grain yield, with a higher yield in year one from the LS than US, and the lowest yield in year two from the W/W-N treatment. The proportion of total biomass recovered from below ground was substantially higher than is commonly reported from studies carried out in temperate, high fertility soils, but probably still under-estimates of the true amount of dry matter in roots because of inadequacies of sampling, washing and storage techniques. Root length densities were much greater in the drier year, especially in the surface 0.1-m, and based on theoretical considerations, much greater than required for extraction of available water. The effect of environmental conditions on the relative size of cereal crop carbon sinks are discussed in relation to these results.     

灌溉和种植方式对冬小麦耗水特性及干物质生产的影响

于2008—2010年通过田间试验,以高产中筋冬小麦品种济麦22为材料,设等行距平作、宽窄行平作、沟播3种种植方式,每种种植方式下设不灌水(W0)、拔节水(W1)、拔节水+开花水(W2)、拔节水+开花水+灌浆水(W3)4种灌溉处理(每次灌水量为60 mm),研究不同灌溉和种植方式对冬小麦耗水特性及干物质积累与分配规律的影响.结果表明:随灌水量的增加,3种植方式下农田总耗水量均增加,灌水量占总耗水量的比例也增加,而土壤贮水消耗量及其占总耗水量的比例显著降低;与W0处理相比,各灌水处理提高了开花后干物质的积累量、小麦籽粒产量,而水分利用效率(WUE)降低.同一灌溉条件下,与其他两种种植方式相比,沟播方式土壤贮水量消耗比例、籽粒产量和WUE均较高.综合考虑小麦的籽粒产量和WUE,沟播结合灌拔节水+开花水是华北平原冬麦区较适宜的节水种植方式.     

硫加树脂包膜尿素控释肥对小麦干物质积累分配及产量的影响

在田间高产条件下,设置硫加树脂包膜尿素控释肥(SRCU)、树脂包膜尿素控释肥(RCU)、普通尿素加硫磺粉(SU)、普通尿素(U)处理,研究硫和SRCU对冬小麦干物质积累与分配及产量的影响.结果表明:施用RCU处理的植株干物质积累量和籽粒产量与分期施氮不施硫处理相比无显著差异.在土壤有效硫含量为43.2 mg·kg-1的条件下,施硫量为91.4 kg·hm-2的SRCU处理与相同施硫量分期施氮处理相比,花后干物质积累与分配及产量无显著差异;与无硫的RCU处理相比,花后同化物输入籽粒量、籽粒灌浆中期的灌浆速率、千粒重和产量均显著提高.在土壤有效硫含量为105.1 mg·kg-1的条件下,施硫量为120kg·hm-2的SRCU处理籽粒产量显著高于相同施硫量分期施氮处理,与不施硫分期施氮处理和RCU处理无显著差异.说明SRCU释放的氮素对冬小麦干物质积累、分配和产量的调节作用与速效氮素分期施用的效果一致.SRCU释放的硫素对冬小麦的调节作用受土壤有效硫含量高低的影响,在有效硫含量为43.2 mg·kg-1的条件下,能促进花后干物质积累和籽粒灌浆,显著提高籽粒产量;在有效硫含量为105.1 mg·kg-1的条件下,则无显著增产作用,过多施用硫磺粉还可导致产量显著降低.     

灌溉对干旱区冬小麦干物质积累、分配和产量的影响

为探明灌溉对干旱区冬小麦(Triticum aestivum)产量、水分利用效率(WUE)、干物质积累及分配等的影响, 以甘肃河西走廊冬小麦适宜种植品种‘临抗2号’为材料进行了研究。在冬季灌水180 mm的条件下, 生育期以灌水量和灌水次数等共设置5个处理, 分别为: 拔节期灌水量165 mm (W1)、拔节期灌水量120 mm +抽穗期灌水量105 mm (W2)、拔节期灌水量105 mm +抽穗期灌水量105 mm +灌浆期灌水量105 mm (W3)、拔节期灌水量75 mm +抽穗期灌水量75 mm +灌浆期灌水量75 mm (W4)、拔节期灌水量105 mm +抽穗期灌水量75 mm +灌浆期灌水量45 mm (W5)。结果表明: 随着生育期的推进, 土壤有效含水量(AWC)受灌水次数及灌水量影响更加明显; W3、W4处理的土壤各层AWC在灌浆期均较高; 叶面积指数(LAI)下降慢, 延缓了生育后期的衰老; 生育后期干物质积累增加, 提高了穗粒数、千粒重和籽粒产量。籽粒产量以W3处理最高, 但W4具有最高的WUE, 且籽粒产量与W3无显著差异, 但W4较灌溉总量相同的W2和W5以及灌水量最少的W1具有明显的指标优势。W1、W2、W5处理灌浆期各层土壤AWC均较低, 花后LAI下降快, 干物质积累减少, 灌浆持续期缩短, 穗粒数和千粒重减少, 最终表现为籽粒产量和WUE下降。灌浆期水分胁迫可促进花前储存碳库向籽粒的再转运, 并随着干旱胁迫的加重而提高, 对籽粒产量起补偿作用; 水分胁迫提高了灌浆速率, 但缩短了灌浆持续期。相关性分析表明, 灌浆持续期、有效灌浆持续期、有效灌浆期粒重增加值和最大籽粒灌浆速率出现时间与千粒重和籽粒产量均呈正相关。综合考虑, 拔节、抽穗及灌浆期各灌溉75 mm是高产高WUE的最佳灌水方案。     

Effects of throughfall manipulation on soil nutrient status: results of 12 years of sustained wet and dry treatments

To investigate the potential effects of changing precipitation on forest ecosystems, the Throughfall Displacement Experiment (TDE) was established on Walker Branch Watershed, Tennessee, in 1993. Three different throughfall amounts were tested: ?33% (DRY); ambient (no change, AMB); and +33% (WET). Throughfall manipulations had no statistically significant effects on total C, N, exchangeable Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, bicarbonate‐extractable P, or extractable SO₄^2? in soils after 12 years of sustained treatments. Increased K⁺ inputs in the WET treatment resulted in relative increases in exchangeable K⁺compared with the AMB and DRY treatments. Soil C, N, and extractable P declined in all treatments over the 12‐year study, and the declines in N were inexplicably large. Field observations contrasted with earlier simulations from the Nutrient Cycling Model (NuCM), which predicted greater decreases in exchangeable K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and extractable P in the order WET>AMB>DRY, and no change in C, N, and extractable SO₄^2?. The failure of the NuCM model to accurately predict observed changes is attributed to the lack of mechanisms for deep rooting and the transfer of throughfall K⁺ from one plot to another in the model. Measurements of element availability using resin membranes during the final years showed higher values in wet and lower values in dry treatments compared with ambient conditions for mineral N, K, Mn, Zn, and Al, but the opposite for B, Ca, and Mg. In the cases of Ca and Mg, the patterns in resin values were similar to those at the soil exchange sites (greatest in the dry treatment) and appeared to reflect pretreatment differences. This study showed that while longer term changes in soil nutrients are likely to occur with changes in precipitation, potential changes over this 12‐year interval were buffered by ecosystem processes such as deep rooting.     

The diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS) for diagnosing the nutrient status of grassland swards: I. Model establishment

Herbage analysis offers a definitive means of determining the N, P, K and S status of perennial ryegrass swards. Unfortunately, the results of such analyses can be difficult to interpret, simply because the minimum or 'critical' concentration of a nutrient in plant tissue for optimum growth, varies both with crop age and with changes in the concentrations of other nutrients. The Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) could help to improve the reliability of such interpretations. Diagnoses made using DRIS are based on relative rather than on absolute concentrations of nutrients in plant tissue, and as such should be comparatively independent of crop age.The aim of this study was to establish and test DRIS methodology for high-yielding perennial ryegrass swards. Because of prohibitive costs, setting up a whole new series of field experiments to evaluate DRIS model parameters for perennial ryegrass was out of the question. Instead, the diagnostic norms and associated coefficients of variation for the model were evaluated using data from a single (large) multi-factorial glasshouse experiment.Of the nutrient ratios selected to form the diagnostic norms, K/N and S/N had the clearest physiological rationale, whereas those involving Ca and Mg in combination with N, P, K and S appeared to have little physiological basis. It was reasoned, though, that because Ca and Mg uptake by plants are largely passive processes (ultimately governed by plant growth), the DRIS indices for these nutrients, together reflected the degree to which growth may be limited by non-nutritional (environmental) factors relative to nutritional ones. Both indices were combined to form a single reference (Rⁱ) index. Without such an internal reference, plant growth could be limited by multiple nutrient deficiencies, and yet N, P, K and S indices might all be close to, or equal to zero (i.e. the optimum), simply because the absolute concentrations of each nutrient (while low) had been in the correct state of balance. Moreover, by effectively using Ca and Mg as internal reference parameters in DRIS, 'nutrient concentrations' which previously formed the basis of the critical value approach, were essentially incorporated into the DRIS model, thus combining the strengths of the two diagnostic approaches; the only difference being that Ca and Mg, and not dry matter, were the internal references against which the levels of the major nutrients were compared.