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Nitrogen Nutrition and Growth Relations of Tall and Intermediate Wheatgrasses 1
Author(s) -
Hylton L. O.,
Cornelius D. R.,
Ulrich A.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1970.00021962006200030013x
Subject(s) - dry matter , agropyron , nitrate , nitrogen , agronomy , nutrient , chemistry , phosphorus , dry weight , zoology , biology , horticulture , organic chemistry
Alkar tall wheatgrass, Agropyron elongatum (Host.) Beauv., and Greenar intermediate wheatgrass, A. intermedium (Host.) Beauv., grown separately in nutrient solutions to which NO 3 ‐ had been added at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, 16, or 32 meq of NO 3 ‐ per liter. Other nutrients were present in ample amounts. The two grasses were grown concurrently in full greenhouse sunlight for 36 days. Total dry matter production (tops + roots) was significantly reduced with less than 4.0 meq of NO 3 ‐ per liter. Average maximum top weight (oven‐dry) was 2.02 g per plant for tall wheatgrass and 2.76 for intermediate wheatgrass. These top weights were obtained with 8, 16, or 32 meq of NO 3 ‐ per liter. In a common and favorable environment, growth of intermediate wheatgrass was more rapid than that of tall wheatgrass. Accumulation and distribution of nitrate‐N varied slightly within the plants. At high NO 3 ‐ treatments, matured blades of tall wheatgrass had the highest nitrate‐N concentration (14,600 ppm) whereas stems of intermediate wheatgrass had the highest (16,000 ppm) concentration. Immature blades had the lowest nitrate‐N concentration, about 8,200 and 9,200 ppm, respectively, for tall and intermediate wheatgrasses. Recently matured blades of intermediate wheatgrass had higher percentages of total‐N, nonsoluble‐N (protein‐N), and crude protein than did those of tall wheatgrass. Soluble‐N and nitrate‐N concentrations were generally higher in tall wheatgrass than in intermediate wheatgrass. The critical nitrate‐N concentrations for growth of these two wheatgrasses is about 500 ppm nitrate‐N in recently matured blade tissue, dry basis.