Aqueous lcaf extract of cormnon lambsquartcrs (Chenopodium album L.) was evaluated alonc or in combination wilh NaCI for its effcct on germination and rice seedling growth. Thc treatments have no effcct on gcrmination. However, growth of both shoot and root significantly decrcased under NaC1 alone and in combination with leaf extract. Root growth was affectcd more than the shoot and the cffcct of NaC1 was accentuated in the presence of leaf extract.

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Aqueous leaf extract of common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) was evaluated alone or in combination with NaCI salinity tbr its influence on germination, seedling growth and contents of Na, K, and Ca by shoots and roots of wheat. The leaf extract and NaC1 alone or in combination did not have any significant effect on germination, but the shoot and root lengths of seedlings and their dry weight decreased significantly by the treatments. Root growth was affected more than the shoot. The combination of leaf extract and NaCI drastically reduced the growth more than the separate effects of these stress treatments.The incorporation of leaf extract in the growth media decreased the content of Na by shoot, whereas the contents of K and Ca increased. NaCI treatments in combination with leaf extract increased the content of Na. Similar increases were observed for K and Ca in shoot, while these nutrients were increased in roots compared to control.

On several alkaline calcareous soils, Zn and Cu deficiency occurred mainly ill lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) and was rarely found in wheat (Trilicum aestivum L.). Zinc and Cu requirement of plants was not responsible as the critical Zn and Cu contents ill tops of the two plant species were almost similar i.e. 17.4, 6.5 and 14.5, 5.6 ppm respectively. Neither did rice absorb Zn and Cu less efficiently. On the contrary, their rates of absorption in rice were double than in wheat. They were 22.2, 6.3 and 10.2, 3.3 ng atoms/g fresh root/h respectively in the two plant species. Flooded soil conditions appeared to be responsible for Zn and Cu deficiency in rice as their deficiency was found maillIy in plant samples collected from continuously flooded fields. The mechanism is not known.Both Zn and Cu inhibited uptake of each other in wheat on most of the soils. In rice, only applied Zn depressed Cu uptake but Cu had generally little effect on Zn uptake. Little Cu inhibition of Zn uptake in lowland rice seems to be related to flooded soil conditions. The mechanism is yet to be known. The antagonising element accentuated the deficiency of the other element both in wheat and rice and severely reduced their yields on soils marginal to deficient in Zn or Cu supplies. I t is recommended that their soil availability status should be thoroughly considered before their fertilizers are applied.