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Effect of replacing potassium by sodium on growth and on inorganic and organic composition of Italian ryegrass
Author(s) -
Nowakowski Tadeusz Z.,
Bolton John,
Byers Marjorie
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740250307
Subject(s) - potassium , sodium , chemistry , dry matter , lolium multiflorum , sodium nitrate , nitrogen , ammonium , organic matter , agronomy , composition (language) , zoology , food science , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , linguistics , philosophy , biology
Abstract Two pot experiments, one with 2 3 factorial (1969) the other with 3 3 factorial (1970) N × K × Na design, showed that yields of Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ) were increased by both potassium and sodium, when sufficient nitrogen was given but responses to potassium were larger than to sodium. Yields were only increased by potassium fertiliser when the grass contained less than 2.0 % K in the dry matter, irrespective of the Na content. The main effect of potassium and sodium on the soluble carbohydrates was to increase the production of fructosan; again potassium was more effective than sodium. Total N concentrations in the grass decreased with the increased production of dry matter from potassium and sodium fertilisers. Ammonium N, nitrate N and soluble organic N (expressed as the percentage of total N) were also decreased by potassium and sodium. In 1969, both potassium and sodium increased the percentages of most amino acids and decreased the percentages of asparagine and glutamine within the free amino acid pool; potassium was more effective than sodium. In 1970, sodium alone had little effect on the percentage distribution of free amino acids. Under conditions of severe potassium deficiency sodium can substitute to some extent for potassium in its effects on yields, soluble carbohydrates and various N fractions.