The nutrition of the pea

Sand-culture experiments with the pea plant demonstrated that 8.24–32.96 p.p.m. of available nitrogen was the optimum range of concentrations for yield of peas, with a bias in favour of the lower half of the range; adequate supplies of nitrogen appeared to cause branching of the tops into two or more main stems. The best range of concentrations of available phosphorus was 2.73-10.92 p.p.m., while that for available potassium was 5.61-44.88 p.p.m. Deficiency of potassium caused marginal scorch followed by general scorch and death of the foliage progressively up the stem. Absence of boron had not a great effect with this plant, probably because the large seed possibly contains an appreciable amount of boron.     

More is not necessarily better: the impact of limiting and excessive nutrients on herbivore population growth rates

Abstract 1. The body tissues of insect herbivores contain higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than do their host plants, leading to an elemental mismatch that can limit herbivore growth, fecundity and ultimately influence population dynamics. While low nutrient availability can limit herbivore growth and reproduction, nutrient levels that exceed an organism’s nutritional requirements, i.e. an organisms’ threshold elemental ratio, can also decrease performance. 2. We conducted a laboratory experiment to examine the impacts of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on population growth rates of a phloem‐feeding insect herbivore. 3. Herbivore per capita population growth rates were highest at intermediate foliar nitrogen concentrations, indicating a performance cost on the highest nitrogen foliage. While there was no direct effect of foliar phosphorus concentration on insect performance, there was a strong and unexpected indirect effect. High soil phosphorus availability increased both foliar nitrogen concentrations and aphid tissue nitrogen, resulting in low population growth rates when both soil nitrogen and phosphorus availabilities were high. 4. In this study, experimental increases in foliar nitrogen levels led to a decrease in herbivore performance suggesting that excessive nutrient levels can limit herbivore population growth rates.     

Effects of salinity and gibberellin on water content,growth and mineral composition of cowpea,calabrese and red radish plants

Salinity had generally little influence on the water content of different parts of cowpea(Vigna sinensis L.), calabrese(Brassica oleracea L. var.botrylis) and red radish(Raphanus salivus L.) plants. Salinity showed a promotive effect on the growth of cowpea, while in calabrese the effect was either promotive or depressive depending upon the concentration of the NaCl, and in red radish plants salinity progressively suppressed growth. Total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sodium contents of cowpea leaves were not affected by salinity treatments, while in calabrese and red radish leaves the contents of N, P and K were generally decreased as the salinity level increased. Gibberellin (GA₃) applied to salt-treated plants had either a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on the growth, water content and contents of N, P, K and Na in the leaves depending upon the plant type, the concentration of GA₃ and level of salinity.     

Effects of Edaphic Factors on the Soluble Carbohydrate Content of Roots of Lolium perenneL. and Trifolium repens L.

In a 3³x2² factorial experiment with Lolium perenne L. and Trifoliumrepens L. grown at three soil moisture tensions, three levelsof nitrogen and three levels of phosphorus, there was a widerange of percentage soluble carbohydrate (TSC) in the roots.The significant positive correlations between percentage ofTSC and root weight suggest that root growth-rate was proportionalto the concentration of TSC in the roots. In other experiments with Lolium perenne grown at five constantsoil temperatures and factorial combinations with three soilmoisture treatments with and without manure, there was declinein the percentage of TSC with increasing temperature. This impliedthat the respiration sink strength in the roots did not controlthe partitioning of photosynthate to the roots. No firm conclusions can be drawn from this work, but it is inferredthat there is a dynamic balancing mechanism in the foliage whichcontrols the partitioning of photosynthate between foliage androot growth. This mechanism appears to divert carbohydrate toroots in inverse proportion to root activity.     

Colchicine after-effects on the absorption and utilisation of phosphates and nitrates by mycelial felts of Cunninghamella sp.

Summary Colchicine at 5 and 10 p.p.m. increased both phosphorus uptake and incorporation into organic forms (nucleoproteins or other simpler organophosphorus compounds). Continuous supply of colchicine at 20 p.p.m., almost checked phosphorus uptake during the second 24 hours of the experiment.The absorbed nitrates were utilised through the classical reduction steps. It appears also that colchicine had an inhibitory effect on the nitrite reductase that increased by increasing the concentration of the drug. Continuous supply of colchicine at its highest concentration (20 p.p.m.) checked completely the protein building during the second 24 hours of the experiment, though nitrate absorption continued; a phenomenon that caused the accumulation, in the tissue medium systems, of large amounts of peptide nitrogen.The mechanism of nitrate reduction as affected by colchicine treatment was fully discussed.     

Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus availability on the growth response of Eucalyptus grandis to high CO2

The response of Eucalyptus grandis seedlings to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations was examined by growing seedlings at either 340 or 660 n mol CO₂ mol^-1 for 6 weeks. Graded increments of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers were added to a soil deficient in these nutrients to establish if the growth response to increasing nutrient availability was affected by CO₂ concentration. At 660 μmol CO₂ mol^-1, seedling dry weight was up to five times greater than at 340 μmol CO₂ mol^-1. The absolute response was largest when both nitrogen and phosphorus availability was high but the relative increase in dry weight was greatest at low phosphorus availability. At 340 μmol CO₂ mol^-1 and high nitrogen availability, growth was stimulated by addition of phosphorus up to 76 mg kg 1 soil. Further additions of phosphorus had little effect. However, at 660 μmol CO₂ mol^-1, growth only began to plateau at a phosphorus addition rate of 920mg kg^-1 soil. At 340 μmol CO₂ mol^-1 and high phosphorus availability, increasing nitrogen from 40 to 160mg kg^-1 soil had little effect on plant growth. At high CO₂, growth reached a maximum at between 80 and 160mg nitrogen kg^-1 soil. Total uptake of phosphorus was greater at high CO₂ concentration at all fertilizer addition rates, but nitrogen uptake was either lower or unchanged at high CO₂ concentration except at the highest nitrogen fertilizer rate. The shoot to root ratio was increased by CO₂ enrichment, primarily because the specific leaf weight was greater. The nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in the foliage was lower at elevated CO₂ concentration partly because of the higher specific leaf weight. These results indicate that critical foliar concentrations currently used to define nutritional status and fertilizer management may need to be reassessed as the atmospheric CO₂ concentration rises.     

磷浓度对小环藻、大型溞和金鱼藻三者相互作用的影响

为了解磷浓度对水生植被恢复和生物操纵效果的影响, 分别用小环藻(Cyclotella sp.)、大型溞(Daphnia magna)和金鱼藻(Ceratophyllum demersum)代表浮游植物、浮游动物和大型沉水植物建立水生微宇宙模型, 在25℃、2600 lx光强和11 mg/L氮浓度条件下, 分别研究小环藻与大型溞、小环藻与金鱼藻、小环藻-大型溞-金鱼藻共培养时4种磷浓度(0.05、0.1、0.5和2 mg/L)下小环藻、大型溞、金鱼藻的增长率以及培养液中氮磷去除率的变化。结果表明: 小环藻与大型溞、小环藻与金鱼藻两两共培养时, 磷浓度为0.05-2 mg/L时, 金鱼藻和大型溞均生长良好, 小环藻受到明显抑制, 其密度保持较小幅度的正增长。在小环藻-大型溞-金鱼藻三者共培养时, 在0.05-2 mg/L的磷浓度范围内大型溞和金鱼藻生长良好, 与两两共培养相比, 小环藻则受到了更大程度的抑制, 在磷浓度为0.05-0.1 mg/L时藻密度呈现负增长. 这说明在水生态系统中, 大型浮游动物和沉水植物对浮游藻类的联合控制效果远好于各自单独的控制效果, 该控制效果随磷浓度的提高而减弱, 以0.1 mg/L的磷浓度为最佳。在实验结束后测定氮磷去除率发现, 在最低磷浓度(0.05 mg/L),即磷限制时, 水中磷去除率最高, 在最高磷浓度(2 mg/L), 即氮限制时, 水中氮去除率最高。     

Foliage phenols and nitrogen in relation to growth,insect damage,and ability to recover after defoliation,in the mountain birch Betula pubescens ssp tortuosa

We studied growth of the mountain birch, and the role of foliage phenols, nitrogen, and variance in the timing of bud burst, as potential defensive characters, in Finnish Lapland in 1975–1979. Annual and local variation both in phenol and nitrogen concentration of foliage were significant. Individual trees retained their position in the foliage and nitrogen distribution of the population in successive years, as well as in the order of leaf flush in spring. Growth of twigs, mature leaf size, and ability of trees to recover in the year following artificial defoliation correlated positively with the sum of degree days in the previous growing season. Foliage nitrogen correlated negatively with foliage phenols in within-site comparisons. Twig growth correlated negatively with foliage phenols, particularly in growing seasons following cool summers, but did not correlate with foliage nitrogen. Birches flushing early did not grow more than birches flushing late. Between-site differences in foliage phenol content were mainly determined by abiotic conditions, like temperature and nutrient availability. In a between-site comparison insect chewing marks in leaves correlated positively with foliage phenols as well as with nitrogen; intensity of invertebrate predation presumably explained variable herbivory between the sites. In a within-site comparison trees with the highest foliage phenol content had few herbivores only at the site with the highest average phenol level.     

白桦、落叶松不同器官水浸液对种子萌发和播种苗生长的种间化感作用

研究了白桦的根、枝、叶,落叶松的根、枝、叶和皮不同浓度水浸液(5.0、12.5、25.0、50.0和100.0 mg·mL-1)对另一树种种子萌发和当年生播种苗生长的化感作用.结果表明:落叶松不同器官水浸液(根5.0 mg·mL-1除外)处理均抑制白桦种子的萌发,其平均发芽率为:对照(75％)＞根(66％)＞皮(59％)＞枝(58％)＞叶(54％),随浓度增加,根、枝水浸液的抑制作用增强,而叶、皮水浸液的抑制作用减弱.落叶松各器官水浸液对白桦胚根和胚轴生长具有较强的抑制作用,且以100.0 mg·mL-1浓度的叶水浸液抑制作用最强,胚根和胚轴长分别降低38％和55％(P＜0.05).落叶松枝、叶水浸液处理对白桦播种苗的苗高、地径及生物量有一定的促进作用,根、皮水浸液则具有抑制作用.白桦各器官水浸液能促进落叶松种子的萌发,根和枝的水浸液促进胚轴生长,叶的水浸液抑制胚轴生长,50.0和100.0 mg·mL-1浓度的叶水浸液处理的种子胚轴分别较对照降低27％和28％(P＜0.05).其对落叶松播种苗生长的影响以促进作用为主,5.0 mg·mL-1浓度的白桦叶水浸液处理的落叶松苗高、地径、生物量分别较对照高54％、60％和100％ (P＜0.05).白桦与落叶松之间存在明显的化感作用,混交可能对林木生长产生一定的促进作用.     

氮和磷浓度对中肋骨条藻和锥状斯氏藻种间竞争的影响

采用室内单养和混养方法, 设置不同的氮、磷营养条件, 研究了氮、磷对中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum)和锥状斯氏藻(Scrippsiella trochoidea)种间竞争的影响。结果表明: 混养时各氮和磷浓度下均呈现培养初期中肋骨条藻为优势种、培养后期锥状斯氏藻为优势种的变化趋势, 但随着氮、磷浓度的升高, 中肋骨条藻作为优势种的时间延长; 与单养时相比, 混养中两种微藻的最大密度受到不同程度的抑制, 表现出氮、磷浓度越高, 受抑制的程度越大的特征, 且与锥状斯氏藻相比, 中肋骨条藻的最大密度受到抑制的程度更大。混养时两种微藻均是在氮、磷浓度最高时, 抑制起始点出现时间最长, 随着氮、磷浓度的降低, 抑制起始点出现时间缩短; 各氮、磷浓度条件下, 锥状斯氏藻对中肋骨条藻的竞争抑制参数明显高于中肋骨条藻对锥状斯氏藻的竞争抑制参数, 当氮浓度为512 μmol·L^-1、磷浓度为2 μmol·L ^-1时, 竞争结果是锥状斯氏藻获胜; 其余氮、磷浓度条件下为两种微藻不稳定共存。     

Effects of fire,mowing and nitrogen addition on root characteristics in tall-grass prairie

Abstract. Root harvests and root windows were used to study the influence of fire, mowing and nitrogen additions on root lengths, biomass, and nitrogen content in tall-grass prairie. Four years of nitrogen additions (10 g m² yr^?1) increased below-ground mass by 15 % and nitrogen concentration in that mass by 77 %. In general, live roots and rhizomes exhibited greater increases in nitrogen concentrations than detrital roots and rhizomes. After four years of treatment, live roots and rhizomes immobilized an additional 1.5 to 5 g/m² of nitrogen, depending upon specific treatment, while dead roots and rhizomes immobilized an additional 3 to 3.5 g/m². Average root growth parameters, as measured with root windows, were positively correlated with above-ground peak foliage biomass; however, the only significant correlation was between average new root growth and above-ground peak foliage biomass (r = 0.73, p ≤ 0.04). Root growth and decay, as measured by annual mean values for eight root windows over a four year interval, were insensitive to climatic and treatment effects.     

Effect of mineral nitrogen on nitrogen nutrition and biomass partitioning between the shoot and roots of pea (Pisum sativum L.).

The effect of mineral N availability on nitrogen nutrition and biomass partitioning between shoot and roots of pea (Pisum sativum L., cv Baccara) was investigated under adequately watered conditions in the field, using five levels of fertiliser N application at sowing (0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 kg N ha^–1). Although the presence of mineral N in the soil stimulated vegetative growth, resulting in a higher biomass accumulation in shoots in the fertilised treatments, neither seed yield nor seed nitrogen concentration was affected by soil mineral N availability. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation was inhibited by mineral N in the soil but it was replaced by root mineral N absorption, which resulted in optimum nitrogen nutrition for all treatments. However, the excessive nitrogen and biomass accumulation in the shoot of the 400 kg N ha^–1 treatment caused crop lodging and slightly depressed seed yield and seed nitrogen content. Thus, the presumed higher carbon costs of symbiotic nitrogen fixation, as compared to root mineral N absorption, affected neither seed yield nor the nitrogen nutrition level. However, biomass partitioning within the nodulated roots was changed. The more symbiotic nitrogen fixation was inhibited, the more root growth was enhanced. Root biomass was greater when soil mineral N availability was increased: root growth was greater and began earlier for plants that received mineral N at sowing. Rooting density was also promoted by increased mineral N availability, leading to more numerous but finer roots for the fertilised treatments. However, the maximum rooting depth and the distribution of roots with depth were unchanged. This suggested an additional direct promoting effect of mineral N on root proliferation.     

Distributional gradients and variability of macroelement concentrations in the crowns of plantation grownPinus resinosa (AIT.)

Summary The vertical distribution of inorganic nutrient concentrations in red pine were dependent on the foliage age. Older foliage did not show an average vertical gradient while younger foliage did show a significant gradient. Horizontal gradients across foliage age classes in a branch whorl were consistent for all branch whorls, but the relative difference between the concentration of the current foliage and foliage three years-old or older was dependent on crown position. Coefficients of variation (CV) did not show a variability gradient in the crown for nitrogen and phosphorus. Variability of potassium tended to decrease as foliage age increased. Contribution of the University of Florida, Soil Science Department, Gainesville, FL and State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York. Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 3017.     

Controls of biomass partitioning between roots and shoots: Atmospheric CO2 enrichment and the acquisition and allocation of carbon and nitrogen in wild radish

Summary The effects of CO₂ enrichment on plant growth, carbon and nitrogen acquisition and resource allocation were investigated in order to examine several hypotheses about the mechanisms that govern dry matter partitioning between shoots and roots. Wild radish plants (Raphanus sativus × raphanistrum) were grown for 25 d under three different atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (200 ppm, 330 ppm and 600 ppm) with a stable hydroponic 150 mol 1^–1 nitrate supply. Radish biomass accumulation, photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency, nitrogen per unit leaf area, and starch and soluble sugar levels in leaves increased with increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration, whereas specific leaf area and nitrogen concentration of leaves significantly decreased. Despite substantial changes in radish growth, resource acquisition and resource partitioning, the rate at which leaves accumulated starch over the course of the light period and the partitioning of biomass between roots and shoots were not affected by CO₂ treatment. This phenomenon was consistent with the hypothesis that root/shoot partitioning is related to the daily rate of starch accumulation by leaves during the photoperiod, but is inconsistent with hypotheses suggesting that root/shoot partitioning is controlled by some aspect of plant C/N balance.     

The effect of rhizoctonia root disease and applied nitrogen on growth,nitrogen uptake and nutrient concentrations in spring wheat

Root disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a common problem of spring wheat in South Australia. There are reports that nitrogen applications can reduce the incidence and severity of the disease. A glasshouse trail in pots examined the effects of disease and of applied nitrogen on wheat growth, and evaluated the utility of the basal stem nitrate concentration in diagnosing deficiency in plants with and without root disease. Plants were harvested at the mid-tillering stage. Shoot growth was increased by applied nitrogen until a maximum yield was attained, after which additional N had no effect on shoot yield. Root growth, however, responded positively only to low levels of applied N, after which it declined, and in the highest N treatment root mass was less than in the plants without applied N. Root disease caused severe reductions in plant growth, and both root and shoot mass were affected similarly. Even though growth of diseased plants responded positively to applied nitrogen the response was less than that of disease-free plants. The critical concentration of basal stem nitrate-N did not appear to be affected by root disease, and was estimated at 1200 mg kg^-1, consistent with other glasshouse data. The basal stem nitrate-N concentration, either in fresh or dried tissue, appeared a better diagnostic tool of N stress than did total shoot N concentration or content, because of sharper definition of critical concentrations. Concentrations of other nutrients in shoot tissue were affected differentially by both applied nitrogen and root disease, but generally did not reach critical levels, although phosphorus and magnesium appeared deficient in very disease-stressed plants.     

Performance of two Picea abies (L.) Karst. stands at different stages of decline

Summary A declining Picea abies (L.) Karst. stand produced as much foliage and branches as a healthy stand but less stemwood at a similar leaf area index and climate. Nutrient analyses revealed that most biomass components at the declining site had lower concentrations of calcium and magnesium, but similar nitrogen and potassium (except for lower potassium in younger needles) and higher phosphorus, manganese and aluminum than the respective components at the healthy site. Comparison of these data with the results from studies on the nutrition and growth of P. abies seedlings (Ingestad 1959) led to the conclusion that the healthy stand is in a balanced nutritional state, while trees at the declining stand have only 56% of the foliar magnesium concentration required to permit growth at a rate which could be achieved at their nitrogen status. It appears that acidic deposition, which involves an input of nitrogen and a leaching of cations from the soil, causes an imbalance in the availability of nitrogen and magnesium. Growth is eventually reduced as magnesium becomes limiting.     

The Influence of Foliage Habit on Competition Between Carrot Plants

Carrot plants of a cultivated variety (cv. Chantenay Red Cored)and those of a wild type were grown in both pure and mixed populationsin which root competition was prevented. During early growth,cultivated plants competed effectively against the wild plants.Fifty days after sowing chitted seed, the mean weight of thestorage organs of the cultivated variety grown in mixed populationswas 56 per cent greater than the mean weight of cultivated storageorgans in a pure population. Subsequently, however, this competitiveadvantage diminished, this being associated with the developmentof tall flowering stems by the wild plants. The foliage habitof the vegetative cultivated plants was more erect than thatof the vegetative wild plants. This difference in foliage habitmight explain why the cultivated plants out-compete the wildplants. Daucus carota L., carrot, foliage habit, competition     

东北三江平原覆盖作物种植效果

以土壤紧实度、冬前生物量、根系性状、植株氮累积量等为指标对供试12种覆盖作物(豆科:紫花苜蓿、光叶苕子、毛叶苕子、红三叶、白三叶、箭筈豌豆;非豆科:苏丹草、青萝卜、Nitro radish、甘蓝型油菜、羽衣甘蓝、菊苣)在东北三江平原地区的种植效果及应用潜力进行综合评价。结果表明: 12种覆盖作物在试验播期均能正常生长,不同覆盖作物与对照相比均有利于降低土壤紧实度,其中青萝卜、Nitro radish和苏丹草土壤紧实度下降最显著,分别较对照下降了47.1%、43.4%和33.4%;覆盖作物群体冬前鲜生物量为3.38～13.98 kg·m^-2,干生物量为0.78～2.43 kg·m^-2,非豆科覆盖作物的生物量显著高于豆科覆盖作物;覆盖作物的群体根系体积以萝卜、油菜、菊苣较大,尤其Nitro radish的根体积高达4018.5 cm³·m^-2,苏丹草的根系横向延展范围最宽;豆科覆盖作物的灰分含量显著低于非豆科覆盖作物,能提供更多易分解的有机物质;覆盖作物总氮积累量为18.72～53.09 g·m^-2,其中,羽衣甘蓝和菊苣的氮积累量最高,且生物量相对较大,有利于氮的积累和固定。在三江平原地区根据主栽作物的类型与冠层结构,选择豆科的三叶草、苕子、紫花苜蓿和非豆科的萝卜、羽衣甘蓝、苏丹草作为覆盖作物进行行间或行内混播的种植方式,可以在调控土壤结构的同时促进养分循环,有利于三江平原黑土地力的提升。     

Large herbivores affect the stoichiometry of nutrients in a regenerating woodland ecosystem

Previous studies on the effects of herbivores on nutrient cycling have given little consideration to the relationship between soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. Here we examined how browsing by red deer influences the relative availability of N and P in a regenerating woodland ecosystem. We found that removal of browsing by fencing for 14 years led to a shift from N toward P limitation of the dominant tree species Betula pubescens . This was evidenced by a significant increase in foliar N:P ratio of B. pubescens as a result of removal of browsing; mean N:P ratio of foliage from browsed areas was 13.2 suggesting that trees growing in browsed areas were N limited, whereas foliage from unbrowsed areas had a mean N:P ratio of 15.8, suggesting that these areas were more P limited. Further evidence of a shift toward P limitation in unbrowsed areas came from the finding that root uptake of labelled ³²P was significantly greater in roots collected from unbrowsed than browsed trees. Soil phosphatase activity did not significantly differ between browsed and unbrowsed areas. Our data indicate therefore that herbivores have the potential to significantly affect the stoichiometry of N and P in forest ecosystems.     

Ecological correlates of seed mass variation in Phoradendron juniperinum,a xylem-tapping mistletoe

Summary We investigated several ecological correlates of seed mass variation in the hemiparasitic, xylemtapping mistletoe, Phoradendron juniperinum. Mean seed mass varied two-fold among plants between the ages of 4 and 14 years old and was positively correlated with parental plant age. Both the standard deviation and the coefficient of variation in mean seed mass decreased with increasing plant age demonstrating that, on average, younger plants produced seed with more variable mass. Nitrogen concentrations (mg nitrogen per gram of seed) of both the seed and fruit (pericarp) were not correlated with mass or the age of the parent plant from which the seed was taken. However, the nitrogen content per seed (mg nitrogen per seed) was positively correlated with the mean seed dry mass and the age of the seed parent, suggesting that the carbon to nitrogen ratio of individual seeds remained relatively constant as seed mass increased and plants grew older. Seed germination ranged between 20% and 86% and was positively correlated with mass and parental plant age. Heavier seeds (seeds from older plants) also had the highest root radicle growth rates. Furthermore, the final root radicle length after 76 d of growth was positively correlated with seed dry mass. When grown on a medium containing an extract prepared from the host plant foliage, all seeds showed lower germination, grew more slowly and had shorter overall root radicles, but had significantly greater development of the haustorial disks (the holdfast which forms the host-parasite junction in Phoradendron) than seeds grown on a control medium. Our results suggest that, on average, seeds of greater mass produced by older plants have a greater total resource pool per propagule (fruit + seed). This resource pool may be important in conferring a greater potential for dispersal (fruit), survival, colonization, and establishment.