Studies on the mineral nutrition of Vigna sinensis. III: effects of deficiencies of micronutrients on growth, yield and mineral composition of leaves

Abstract

Vigna sinensis, varieties "Dorminhoco" and "Pitiúba" were grown in nutrient solution both in the presence and in the absence of micronutrients dry matter production was measured either at the end of life cycle or whenever symptoms of deficiency were sufficiently acute to warrant an early harvesting; leaves were then analysed for mineral composition. Dry matter production obeyed the following decreasing order: Complete >; - Mn = - Mo = - Cu >; - Zn >; - B; pods were formed and filled in all treatments except the last two; yield, however, was much lower than in the full strength solution which gave an average equivalent to 1.5 ton per hectare of dry beans. Leaf analyses showed consistently that lack of a nutrient in the substrate leads to a decrease in its contents in the tissue. Other variations were induced in leaf composition by the different treatments being all of them in agreement with common cases of dilution and interionic effects on uptake and in translocation. The inverse relationship between Fe and Mn, however was not substantiated. Tentatively the following leaf levels (in ppm) could be considered as satisfactory: B = 203 ± 31; Cu = 6±0.79; Fe = 817 ± 103; Mn = 148 ± 21; Mo = 0.24 ± 0.05; Zn = 43 ±9; deficient levels could be considered: B = 44 ± 25;Cu=5±1.2; Fe = 337 ± 31; Mn = 24 ± 6; Mo = 0.20 ± 0.08; Zn = 24 ± 5.