Growth and nutrient response of flax and durum wheat to phosphorus and zinc fertilizers

Abstract

. 2007. Growth and nutrient response of flax and durum wheat to phosphorus and zinc fertilizers. Can. J. Plant Sci. 87: 461-470. Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) are important agricultural crops that enter the human food chain. Effective nutrient management considering nutrient interactions is important in order to increase crop yield and improve crop nutrient concentration. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of P and Zn fertilizers on the yield and nutritional value of flax and durum wheat. A pot culture experiment conducted in a growth chamber using a calcareous clay-loam soil showed that P fertilizers can restrict flax growth by reducing Zn absorption but can increase the seed yield of both crops by enhanced dry matter translocation to the seed/grain. Among the P sources, commercial monoammonium phosphate (CMAP) and commercial triple superphosphate (CTSP) had similar effects on growth and yield, but different impacts on the nutrient concentrations of both crops, indicating the importance of selecting P source to improve crop quality. Zinc addition with reagent grade P decreased the concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg and Cu in flax but not in durum wheat. We conclude that proper combination of P and Zn fertilizers is necessary to optimize crop yields, but that P had a proportionally greater effect in promoting yield in durum wheat than in flax. In contrast, Zn had a greater impact on mineral composition in flax than in durum wheat, which can affect the nutritional quality of the crop as a component of the human diet. La culture en pot sur un loam argileux dans un phytotron révèle que les engrais P ralentissent la croissance à cause de l'effet antagoniste du Zn mais augmentent le rendement grainier dans les deux cas grâce à une meilleure translocation de la matière sèche vers la semence ou le grain. Parmi les sources de P, le phosphate d'ammonium diacide et le superphosphate triple vendus dans le commerce ont une incidence analogue sur la croissance et le rendement, mais leur impact sur la concentration d'éléments nutritifs diffère chez les deux plantes, signe qu'il est important de bien choisir la source de P pour améliorer la qualité de la culture. L'addition de Zn à du P de qualité réactif diminue la concentration de P, K, Ca, Mg et Cu dans le lin mais pas dans le blé dur. Les auteurs en concluent qu'une combinaison adéquate des engrais P et Zn est essentielle à l'optimisation du rendement, mais que le P est proportionnellement plus efficace sur le rendement du blé dur que sur celui du lin. En revanche, le Zn agit davantage sur la composition minérale du lin que sur celle du blé, ce qui peut avoir des répercussions sur la qualité nutritive de la culture quand elle est destinée à l'alimentation humaine.

Effects of synthetic Zn chelates on flax response and soil Zn status

“…Moraghan (1993) reported that, in a greenhouse study with a calcareous soil, applying ZnSO 4 at 8 mg Zn/kg soil advanced the appearance of mature bolls by 15 d and increased the yield of flax seed by 33%. A similar result was reported by Jiao et al (2007), who found that applying of 10 and 20 mg Zn/kg soil in the form of ZnSO 4 enhanced the growth of flax, increased its height, and caused it to mature from 3 to 5 d earlier. Nofal et al (2011), working with a foliar Zn application, also observed that increasing the application rate also caused significant increases for growth, fiber yield and other qualities such fiber length.…”

“…Fertilizer management may offer a cost-effective way of meeting crop requirements since appropriate fertilizer management can optimize both crop yield and crop micronutrient content (Chandi & Takkar, 1982;Jiao et al, 2007). More information is therefore needed to determine how Zn fertilizers influence both crop yield and crop micronutrient concentrations, and also the mechanical properties of plants such as flax (Alvarez, 2010).…”

“…This plant is also a Zn-deficiency sensitive species with a relatively high Zn requirement (Loneragan, 1951;Moraghan, 1980;Jiao et al, 2007;Storey, 2007). Zinc deficiency is a common, and often important, problem in flax fields throughout the world and especially in well-drained, sandy, acidic soils and in soils that have developed on calcareous rocks (Jeffery & Uren, 1983;Adriano, 2001).…”

Influence of soil type and natural Zn chelates on flax response, tensile properties and soil Zn availability

“…Flax is a plant that is very susceptible to Zn deficiency, particularly at low soil temperatures (Moraghan 1980). This susceptibility is heightened by P application (Burleson and Page 1967;Jiao et al 2007;Loneragan et al 1979;Millikan et al 1968;Moraghan 1984;Spratt and Smid 1978) and also influenced by the presence of Fe, which determines normal chlorophyll formation and the development of green plant tissue (Lee et al 1969). Field studies have been conducted to evaluate the interactive effects of phosphate and ZnSC>4 fertilizers on different soil types and Cd uptake and their distribution in flax (Grant and Bailey 1997;Jiao et al 2004).…”

Agronomic Advancement in Tillage, Crop Rotation, Soil Health and Genetic Gain in Durum Wheat Cultivation: a 17-year Canadian Story

“…However, when P level in the soil is smaller than 10 kg ha -1 , an addition of P fertilizers usually has a positive effect on durum wheat yield on the Brown and Dark Brown soils [86,93]. In some cases, increased fertilization with monoammonium phosphate to durum wheat could reduce soil pH and enhance root proliferation [94], but may reduce grain quality [93] or modify the micronutrient profile in the durum grain [95]. There exists a complex interplay between multi-nutrient dynamics within the rhizosphere of a durum wheat crop.…”