Wheat growth in a saline sandy loam soil as affected by N form and application rate
Date
2010
Authors
Elgharably, A.
Marschner, P.
Rengasamy, P.
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Journal article
Citation
Plant and Soil: international journal on plant-soil relationships, 2010; 328(1-2):303-312
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Ahmed Elgharably, Petra Marschner and Pichu Rengasamy
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Abstract
Plant growth in saline soils may be increased by fertilisation, but little is known about the effect of different forms of N on wheat growth in soils with different salinity levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv Krichauff) to (NH<inf>4</inf>)<inf>2</inf>SO<inf>4</inf> or KNO<inf>3</inf> or NH<inf>4</inf>NO<inf>3</inf> at 0 (N0), 50 (N50), 100 (N100) and 200 (N200) mg N kg<sup>-1</sup> soil in a saline sandy loam. Salinity was induced using Na<sup>+</sup> and Ca<sup>2+</sup> salts to achieve three EC<inf>e</inf> levels, 2. 8, 6. 6 and 11. 8 dS m<sup>-1</sup> denoted S1, S2 and S3, respectively, while maintaining a low SAR (>1). Dry weights of shoot and root were reduced by salinity in all N treatments. Addition of N significantly increased shoot and root dry weights with significant differences between N forms. Under non-saline conditions (S1), addition of NO<inf>3</inf>-N at rates higher than N50 had a negative effect, while N100 as NH<inf>4</inf>-N or NH<inf>4</inf>NO<inf>3</inf>-N increased shoot and root dry weights. At N100, shoot concentrations of N and K were higher and P, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn were lower with NO<inf>3</inf>-N than with NH<inf>4</inf>-N nutrition. The concentration of all nutrients however fell in ranges did not appear to be directly associated with poor plant growth with NO<inf>3</inf>-N. At all N additions, calculations indicated that soil salinity was highest with N addition as NO<inf>3</inf>-N and decreased in the following order: NO<inf>3</inf>-N > NH<inf>4</inf>-N > NH<inf>4</inf>NO<inf>3</inf>-N. Addition of greater than N50 as NO<inf>3</inf> - N, compared to NH<inf>4</inf>-N or NH<inf>4</inf>-NO<inf>3,</inf> increased soil salinity and reduced micronutrient uptake both of which likely limited plant growth. It can be concluded that in saline soils addition of 100 mg N kg<sup>-1</sup> as NH<inf>4</inf>-N or NH<inf>4</inf>NO<inf>3</inf>-N is beneficial for wheat growth, whereas NO<inf>3</inf>-N can cause growth depression. © Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2009.
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First published online in 2009
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© 2009 Springer. Part of Springer Science+Business Media