Quantitative spectrographic analysis of biological material—II

It is well known that several metallic elements in small concentrations are essential to plant growth and normal development. The relative importance of a given element and the concentrations necessary or most beneficial vary with the plant. Quantitative spectrographic methods permit one to determine the distribution of the element throughout a single plant and in certain cases follow the distributions through the life of an individual specimen. Such methods may therefore be expected to aid in the solution of many problems now fully appreciated by biologists and to suggest further studies. For many years it has been known that boron deficiency has disastrous effects on many plants of economic value such as sugar beets, tomatoes, turnips, tobacco, and celery. Chemical analysis as applied to studies of remedial treatments or of a purely scientific nature is relatively long, requires much material, is less sensitive, and is such as to risk loss of boron before the analysis is completed.