Nitrogen, chlorine and potassium in penennial ryegrass and their relation to the mineral balance.

Abstract

In pot experiments ryegrass was grown on sandy soil containing 4 % organic matter and low amounts of N and Cl, to which NaCl/KCl solutions (40 parts K₂O to 100 parts NaCl + KC1) and NH₄NO₃/ CaCO₃ solutions (20 parts N to 100 parts NH₄NO₃+ CaCO₃) were applied. Cl fertilizing increased the concentration of anions and cations in the plants without altering their ratio. At the highest Cl rate there was no further increase in the cation content with increasing N. K had no effect on total-cation concentration but altered cation ratios. Increasing N decreased the concentration of Cl + P + S ions and increased the N-ion concentration. The resulting increase in total-anion content Cl + P+ S + N was greater than that of the cations K + Na + Mg + Ca. At high Cl levels excessive uptake of anions was counteracted by decrease in S content and also, at higher N levels, by decrease in N content. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)