Two varieties of bermudagrass were grown in a green-house to determine differences in nitrate-nitrogen content due to soil texture, nitrogen fertilization, and various mineral nutrient treatments. Nitrate-N content of ‘NK-37’ bermudagrass was twice as high as that of ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass across all treatments. Soil texture influenced nitrate-N levels within each variety more than did rate of N fertilization. Mineral nutrient application did not significantly alter nitrate-N levels in the plant tissues. Dry matter yields were increased by nitrogen fertilization, but not by mineral nutrient application. Zinc was the only mineral nutrient which increased within the plant tissues due to mineral application. All nutrients were as high or higher in NK-37 than in Coastal except for Mn.

Estudo da composição das folhas de cana-planta e de cana-soca de primeiro corte, em diferentes regiões canavieiras do Estado de São Paulo. Amostras de duas variedades, em duas idades, de cana-planta, e numa de soca, foram analisadas para doze elementos: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo e Zn. Pelo levantamento nutricional foi feita a distribuição dos teores de cada elemento, por freqüência. A evidência das variações na composição das fôlhas, permitiu a interpretação das análises com base nas faixas críticas de teores admitidas para cada amostragem e variedade. Os elementos K, Mg, N, P, S e Fe foram os que apresentaram maior porcentagem na faixa de carência. | A leaf analysis survey of sugar cane plantations in São Paulo was conducted with twelve essential plant nutrients. These included sulfate--sulfur and total N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B and Mo. Samples consisting of leaf blades +3 for the 2 major commercial varieties Co. 419 and CB. 41/76 were collected in 32 counties from 89 fields when the cane was 4 and 9 months old, and from 69 groves of the ratoon cane crop, when 4 to 5 months of age. The analyses were carried out on the 8 middle inches of the leaf blades. Only lamina was used. The results indicated clear-cut differences in leaf-nutrient contents attributed to the following variables: age of the cane at sampling, type of crop (plant or ratoon canes) and varieties. In general, the ranges in the levels of the elements in the blades for both varieties in all locations were very wide. Nitrogen had the smallest and molybdenum the largest variation, among the different nutrient elements analyzed. Based on the frequency distribution of leaf nutrient content, it was noted that a higher percentage of sugar cane plantations was found to have lower levels in the following decreasing order: K, Mg, N, P, S and Fe.

Two soybean varieties (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) differing in sensitivity to phosphorus nutrition were grown in nutrient solutions containing various levels of P and Zn. Low P levels decreased growth and P concentration in leaves more than in other plant parts. High P levels decreased growth of the P-sensitive variety more than the P-tolerant variety but decreased Zn concentration in both varieties equally. Added Zn overcame the effect of P on the tolerant variety but not on the sensitive variety, indicating two different detrimental effects of P. Zinc deficiency affected growth of all plant parts similarly but had little effect on P content of plants except that when Zn was added to deficient plants P concentration in leaves decreased. Interaction of P with Zn decreased Zn concentration of leaves most and roots least. The effect of P on Zn appeared to originate in the roots, however, and to occur on translocation of Zn to the upper plant parts.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) was grown in controlled environmentalg rowthc hambersa t five different temperatures (21, 23, 26, 29, and 30 C) in two separate experiments. Plants grown at 21 and 23 C developed no Ca deficiency symptoms, and only a few plants of genetically susceptible varieties (‘Burley 21’ and Ky Exp 22) developed Ca deficiency symptoms when grown at 26 C. However, these varieties developed very severe Ca deficiency symptoms when grown at either 29 or 30 C. ‘Ky 16 ’ (nonsusceptible) and ‘Ky 12 ’ (slightly susceptible) developeds light and severe deficiency symptomast 29 C. These two varieties were grown only at the 23 and 29 C temperatures. A moderately deficient level of K (0.6 meq/liter) resuited in appreciably less severe development of Ca deficiency symptoms. Differences due to K were slight or not apparent at higher levels of K concentration in the nutrient solutions. However, increasing the level of K nutrition resulted in a decrease in Ca content at all levels of K used. An increase in temperature at which the plants were grown resulted in an increase in Ca accumulation in the stems. Apparently the Ca is being immobilized in the stems at higher temperatures and is failing to reach the meristem and terminal leaves, the critical portion of the plant with respect to Ca deficiency.