biologia plantarum

Biologia plantarum 12:167-179, 1970 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02920865

Pea growth and ion accumulation at varying seed density

Z. Laštůvka¹, J. Minář¹

¹ Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Science, J. E. Purkyně University, Brno

Decreased accumulation of elements, particularly of nitrogen, had in dense stand a negative influence on the plants, in spite of the supply of fresh solution and the control of the concentration of nutrients in the pots. The fresh weight and the dry matter of one plant were reduced substantially with rising stand density (from 5 to 10, 20, 40 and 80 plants per 450 sq. cm); the RGR value, the relative absorption rate I_M, the content of all tested elements calculated per one plant, the chlorophyll content in the overground parts of one plant, and the distribution index decrease. Qualitatively the same influence is caused by deficiency of nutrients. Plant dying and self-thinning of the culture occurred in denser stand in the course of cultivation. The root-weight ratio rose with stand densification, particularly at the end of the experiment. The net assimilation rate (NAR) related to chlorophyll dropped with stand density; NAR at density "80" rose slightly from the 22nd day of cultivation and did so at further lower densities. Almost all NAR values lie over the control value at the last measurement. The chlorophyll content in mg g^-1 dry matter of the overground parts rose with stand density to density "40" (41% more than at density "5"); afterwards it dropped. The accumulation (in mg g^-1 d.m.) of phosphorus ions was higher in the plants from dense cultures compared with density "5", particularly in the roots. The accumulation of potassium was near to the control value ("5"), while that of nitrogen was lower. The utilization quotients of phosphorus and potassium in denser stands were the same or negligibly lower than at density "5". They were a little higher in nitrogen than in the controls. Also the ratio RGR/I_M was a little higher than in denser stands. The root-weight ratio, the accumulation of elements in mg g^-1 d.m., the chlorophyll content in mg g^-1 d.m., NAR_ch, the utilization quotient, and the ratio RGR/I_M differed qualitatively by the densification of the culture (with complete mineral nutrition) from the influence of element deficiency (at the same stand density).

Received: January 31, 1969; Published: March 1, 1970  Show citation