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Pepper Seedling Response to Steady and Transient Nitrogen and Phosphorus Supply
Author(s) -
BarTal A.,
BarYosef B.,
Kafkafi U.
Publication year - 1990
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/agronj1990.00021962008200030033x
Subject(s) - seedling , pepper , dry matter , phosphorus , vermiculite , nutrient , nitrogen , agronomy , chemistry , growth rate , zoology , horticulture , aeration , biology , mathematics , geometry , organic chemistry
Using transplants for growing pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.) is widespread, but little is known about seedling response to transient N and P supply during tbe nursery growth stage. The objective of this work was to study the effect of steady and alternating N and P concentrations in solution culture on pepper seedling development, dry‐matter production rate, and N and P uptake rates, to allow better control of production by transplants. Seedlings were grown in trays of pyramidal cells, packed with vermiculite and floated on well‐aerated nutrient solutions of high (6 m M ) or low (1 m M ) N and high (0.25 m M ) or low (0.01 or 0.03 m M ) P. Dry‐matter accumulation in seedling tops as a function of time conformed in all treatments to a first‐order exponential equation. The growth rate constant was significantly higher in the high than in the low N or P concentrations. Root growth rate was less affected by the N and P solution concentration than was the top growth rate. Five‐day‐long alternations of solution concentration from high to low and from low to high N and P significantly changed dry‐matter production rate and nutrient content in plants. Growth and uptake rates regained their original values when seedlings were re‐exposed for 5 d to the original solutions. The rapid changes in growth rate were attributed to rapid variations in the flux of N and P uptake in response to changes in solution concentrations, which affected N and P concentration in plant organs. Varying N and P concentrations in tops affected dry‐matter production rate, whereas variations in N and P concentrations in roots influenced the flux of uptake of P and N, respectively.