Effect of Soil Treatments on Chemical Element Accumulation of Four Corn Hybrids 1

Four single cross corn hybrids, selected on the basis of the chemical element accumulation characteristics of their inbred parents in single‐cross hybrids, were grown under greenhouse conditions to determine the effect of different rates of calcitic and dolomitic limestone at two rates of K on accumulations of Ca, Sr, Mg, and K. As was predicted from the performance of the inbred parents in other single cross hybrids, the four hybrids used in this experiment differed with respect to the concentrations of Ca, Sr, K, and Mg accumulated. Partial genetic control of chemical element accumulation by these hybrids was apparent. With respect to Ca and Sr accumulation the hybrids could be compared at any constant level of lime above 1/2 the L.R. with no significant change in rank order. At the lower rates of lime hybrid IV was relatively low in accumualtion of Ca, and addition of K to the soil caused a greater decrease in Ca accumulation by hybrid IV than was observed for the other hybrids. Hybrid II was a higher accumulator of Ca under all conditions than were hybrids I and III. On the other hand, the capacity of hybrid IV to accumulate Ca increased more with additions of calcitic limestone and decreased more with addition of K than was observed for the other three hybrids. Within rates and sources of lime, accumulation of Ca and Sr were highly related, indicating that no genetic mechanism was operative in these hybrids to cause differential accumulation of these two elements. The observations discussed suggest that antagonistic effects of one element added to soil on accumulation of other elements as well as accumulation levels of each element by these hybrids were under partial genetic control.