Effect of Calcium and Potassium Nutrition on Yield, Ion Content, and Salt Tolerance of Brassica campestris (rapa)

When plants encounter salinity, growth is reduced initially by water stress and subsequently by toxic levels of ions and by interference with nutrient acquisition and translocation. Calcium (Ca 2 + ) in particular seems to have an important role in salt tolerance and there are reports of a beneficia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of plant nutrition 2008-07, Vol.31 (8), p.1461-1481
Main Authors: Collins, R. P., Harris, P. J. C., Bateman, M. J., Henderson, J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acacia
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
Brassica campestris
Brassica campestris (rapa)
calcium
Economic plant physiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Metabolism
Metabolism. Physicochemical requirements
Nutrition. Photosynthesis. Respiration. Metabolism
plant nutrition
Plant physiology and development
potassium
salinity tolerance
seed germination
Sphagnum
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:When plants encounter salinity, growth is reduced initially by water stress and subsequently by toxic levels of ions and by interference with nutrient acquisition and translocation. Calcium (Ca 2 + ) in particular seems to have an important role in salt tolerance and there are reports of a beneficial effect of increasing Ca 2 + availability. Higher potassium (K + ) concentrations in plants may also improve salinity tolerance as sodium (Na) + /K + ratios have been shown to be important. Previous work with a range of Acacia species has suggested that endogenous seed Ca 2 + and K + concentrations might influence salinity tolerance at germination, but this has not previously been tested with a single species. The objectives of this investigation were thus to determine whether (1) altered Ca 2 + and K + nutrition of Brassica campestris (rapa) L. plants affects the yield and ion content of their seeds, and (2) seeds with different Ca 2 + and K + contents differ in their salinity tolerance. Plants were grown in a growth room or greenhouse in (1) Gem® horticultural sand (2) Silvaperl® perlite and sand (2:1), or (3) Shamrock® Medium General Purpose Irish Sphagnum Peat and Vermiperl® vermiculite (1:1). Plants in each growth substrate were supplied with nutrient solutions based on a modified Hoagland's solution as a control, low Ca 2 + and low K + solutions containing those elements at half the control strength, but all other mineral elements as far as possible at control strength, and high Ca 2 + and high K + solutions containing those elements at double control strength but all other mineral elements, as far as possible, at control strength. An increase in substrate available Ca 2 + and K + resulted in increased Ca 2 + and K + concentration in seeds, respectively, and was accompanied by a reduction in seed K + and Ca 2 + , respectively. The Ca 2 + and K + concentrations of seeds affected their salinity tolerance. Increases in seed Ca 2 + , K + or Ca 2 + + K + concentrations decreased salinity tolerance at germination. The results, especially in terms of Ca 2 + nutrition, contradict previous results of an increased salinity tolerance with increased Ca 2 + and/or K + concentrations.
ISSN:0190-4167
1532-4087
DOI:10.1080/01904160802208444