Influence of Complexation on the Uptake by Plants of Iron, Manganese, Copper and Zinc: II. EFFECT OF DTPA IN A MULTI-METAL AND COMPUTER SIMULATION STUDY

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants were grown in nutrient solutionscontaining the chelating agent, DTPA. The experiments replicatedthose reported in the preceding paper in which EDTA was thechelating agent used. The concentrations of all the chemicalspecies of metals were stimulated using the program NUTRIENT.The concentrations of DTPA used were chosen to give a similarrange of complexation as used in the EDTA experiments. The effectof complexation by DTPA on the uptakes of the metal ions Fe³⁺,Mn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺ and on plant growth were sufficiently differentfrom those with EDTA to indicate some dependence on the natureof the chelating agent used. The biggest difference betweenthe EDTA and DTPA experiments occurred in the solutions containingthe largest concentrations of these reagents. With DTPA, chlorosiswas seen only in the early stages; otherwise the plants showednormal growth. A simple chemical model for metal uptake is discussed. Key words: DTPA, EDTA, micronutrients, trace metals, computer simulation, plants, absorption, iron, manganese, copper, zinc