Premium
Effects of aluminium on growth and nutrition in birch seedlings under magnesium‐ or calcium‐limiting growth conditions
Author(s) -
Ericsson Tom,
Göransson Anders,
Gobran George
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung und bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0044-3263
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.1998.3581610609
Subject(s) - magnesium , limiting , plant growth , calcium , chemistry , betula pendula , aluminium , horticulture , dry weight , zoology , nutrient , botany , biology , mechanical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering
Growth and nutrition of birch seedlings (Betula pendula Roth) with and without 0.5 mM Al 3+ were studied. The seedlings were cultivated at growth‐limiting Mg‐ or Ca‐conditions by adding one of these elements at relative addition rates (R Mg , R Ca ) of 0.15 day −1 . The concentration of Ca 2+ in the Mg‐limited treatments was 0.01.0.1 or 1 mM and Mg 2+ was given in equal molarities in the Ca‐limited treatments. The relative growth rates, R G , of the plants and plant parts attained values close to R Mg or R Ca and were not affected by the concentration of Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ or Al 3+ in the culture solution. Uptake of Ca, at Ca‐limitation, increased significantly in the roots after addition of Al, and decreased in all plant parts when the Mg concentration of the culture solution was raised. Less clear effects were found on Mg uptake at Mg‐limitation. The inhibitory effect of Al on Mg uptake decreased with time as a result of the growth technique. The root mass fraction was significantly larger in plants limited in Ca (24%) than in plants limited in Mg (20%). The usefulness in using the balance between Ca and Al or ratios between Ca, Mg, K and Al as diagnostic tools for assessing the nutritional status of trees is discussed.