The rate of uptake and the degree of translocation of strontium was investigated, as well as the amounts taken up and the effects on the growth of sorghum, cotton, and bean plants when high levels of strontium are incorporated into the culture medium. Strontium was shown to be taken up readily by the plants and also to be very mobile in actively growing plant tissue. Species differed in growth response to Sr with the greatest retarding (toxicity) effect occurring with bean plants. Species showing the largest percent of Ca in plant tissue in a Sr‐free culture showed the largest concentration of Sr in a Ca‐free culture. Generally, the Sr content of plant tops was higher than roots at all Ca/Sr ratios in the culture solution.

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.

The cell wall content of a forage and the digestibility of the cell wall determine to a large extent the digestibility of the forage. A study was conducted with buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) to determine whether cell wall digestibility differences among lines are related to components of the cell wall or the total cell wall content. Seven lines of buffelgrass were evaluated in an in vivo digestibility study. Leaf, stem, and whole plant samples of 15 lines were evaluated at two harvests in an in vitro digestion study. Significant differences in dry matter digestibility were detected among lines in both the in vivo and in vitro studies. About 66% of the variation in digestibility was associated with the digesibility of cell wall. Correlations of digestibility with various cell wall components or component ratios were not sufficiently high to be of significance for prediction purposes. There were no differences among lines in in vitro dry matter digestibility of leaves, but there were for stems and whole plants. Differences in digestibility of cell wall were obtained for leaves, stems, and whole plants. Experimental lines differed in agronomic characteristics such as rhizome development, density, seed production, and color, but no significant correlations of these variables with digestibility could be shown. The most useful procedure for screening buffelgrass plants for quality seems to be in vitro dry matter digestibility with an associated neutral detergent fiber determination, whereby both cell wall content and cell wall digestibiity could be estimated.