|
|
|
WHEAT
GROWTH AND PHYTOAVAILABILITY OF COPPER AND ZINC AS AFFECTED BY SOIL
TEXTURE IN SALINE-SODIC CONDITIONS
MUHAMMAD
ARSHAD1,2,*, GHULAM MURTAZA1, MUHAMMAD ARIF ALI1,3, MUHAMMAD
SHAFIQ1, CAMILLE DUMAT4 AND NIAZ AHMED3
Abstract:
Nutrient disorders in saline-sodic soils can adversely affect crop
growth. In order to evaluate the growth response of wheat (Triticum
aestivum L.) to Cu and Zn and the phytoavailability of these
essential elements, a pot experiment was conducted in three different
textured saline-sodic soils [sandy loam (SL), sandy clay loam (SCL) and
clay (C)] having an ECe 8.63, 8.80, 8.98 dS m–1
and SAR 21.66, 23.48, 24.84 (mmol L–1)1/2
respectively. Seven treatments including levels of Cu (4, 6 and 8 mg kg–1)
and levels of Zn (4, 6 and 8 mg kg–1) were separately applied
together with a single control treatment. Dry
matter yield (straw + grain) of wheat increased up to 35.2% with Cu and
up to 31.2 % with Zn application relative to the control. As soil clay
content increased, dry matter yield decreased up to 39.2% in SCL and up
to 62.7% in C soil when compared to SL soil.
Application of Cu increased the concentration in both wheat straw and
grains up to 2.46 and 2.20 mg kg–1 DW respectively relative
to the control. Zinc concentration in wheat straw and grains was also
increased up to 29.97 and 29.40 mg kg–1 DW respectively
relative to the controls. Copper application significantly increased Zn
concentrations in wheat plants.
1Institute
of Soil & Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad,
38000, Pakistan
2Institute of Environmental Sciences & Engineering (IESE-SCEE) - National
University of Sciences & Technology,
H-12, Islamabad, 44000,
Pakistan
3Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture Bahauddin
Zakariya University, Multan 60800 Pakistan
4ECOLAB,
UMR5245 CNRS-UPS-INPT, Avenue de l’Agrobiopole, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan,
France.
|
|
|