Soil-plant relationships in pangola grass (Digitaria decumbens Stent.) and intortum (Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb.) fertilized with molybdenum and copper
1991
Ishizaki, S.M. | Silva, J.A. | Toma, W.Y.
Molybdenum and Cu are required by plants and animals in trace amounts, and the ratios and interactions between them have profound effects on growth and maintenance. This study evaluated the influence of Mo and Cu on Mealani hybrid pangolagrass (Digitaria decumbens Stent.) and intortum (Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb.) grown on a productive agricultural soil, and their relationships in soil and plant tissue. A factorial combination of two forage species, four Mo and three Cu rates was arranged in a split plot design with three replications. Extractable soil Mo concentrations of pangolagrass and intortum plots increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing Mo application. Extractable soil Cu concentration of pangolagrass plots increased curvilinearly while that of intortum plots increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing Cu application. Pangolagrass and intortum Mo concentrations increased curvilinearly (P < 0.01) with increasing Mo application and was accompanied by a Mo X Cu interaction. Molybdenum and Cu concentrations in both pangolagrass and intortum were adequate for plant and ruminant nutrition. Cu:Mo ratios in pangolagrass and intortum fertilized at the highest rates of Mo were below 2:1 and considered molybdenotic. The regression equation Pm = 0.01 + 0.59Sm, (R2 = 0.67), was developed to estimate pangolagrass Mo (Pm) from extractable soil Mo (Sm). The equation for intortum was Im = -0.97 + 0.97Sm, (R2 = 0.93). Growth and nutrient composition of pangolagrass and intortum were generally not improved by fertilization, and plant tissue Mo concentration was predicted from extractable soil Mo concentrations.
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