Cation and Anion Relationships in Plants with Special Reference to Seasonal Variation in the Mineral Content of Alfalfa 1

HE mineral analyses of 34 different plant species T were reported by Parker and Truog ( 2 1 ) ~ in an attempt to show that a relationship exists between the Ca and N contents of plants. However, when the Ca, Mg, and K contents of the plants are calculated on the equivalent basis, the sum of the three cations was more closely related to the N content than was the Ca in all but 8 of the 34 samples reported. There has been considerable interest, in recent years, concerning the cation relationships in plants, but the interrelationships of the different anions among themselves and in relation to cations have generally been neglected. The purpose of this study is to present possible relationships that may exist between cations and anions in plants and to suggest practical applications of these relationships with specific reference to the alfalfa plant. .Review of Literature