Nutrient Concentrations and Interactions in Young Leaves of Potato Plants Growing With and Without Tubers

Relationships Between Yield and Mineral Concentrations in Potato Tubers

“…The application of mineral fertilizers to the potato crop accelerates plant growth and increases tuber yield (e.g., Allison et al, 2001aAllison et al, , 2001bAllison et al, , 2001cBirch et al, 1967;Eppendorfer et al, 1979;Harris, 1992;Johnston et al, 1986;Neeteson and Wadman, 1987;Simmons and Kelling, 1987;Trehan and Sharma, 2003;White et al, 2005). It is evident that applying nitrogen (N) fertilizers increases tuber N concentrations (e.g., Augustin, 1975;Eppendorfer et al, 1979;Harris, 1992; Sen Tran and Giroux, 1991), applying P fertilizers increases tuber P concentrations (Allison et al, 2001a;Alvarez-Sánchez et al, 1999;Hammond and White, 2005;Rocha et al, 1997;Simpson, 1962;Trehan and Sharma, 2003), applying K fertilizers increases tuber K concentrations (Addiscott, 1976;Allison et al, 2001b;Harris, 1992;Maier, 1986), and applying Ca or Mg fertilizers increases tuber Ca (Bamberg et al, 1993(Bamberg et al, , 1998Clough, 1994;Karlsson et al, 2006;Kelman, 1984, 1986;Simmons and Kelling, 1987) and Mg concentrations (Allison et al, 2001c), respectively. In addition, the application of these fertilizers can also affect the concentrations of other mineral elements in tubers.…”

“…In addition, the application of these fertilizers can also affect the concentrations of other mineral elements in tubers. For example, although the application of N fertilizers often has little effect on tuber K, Ca, and Mg concentrations, it can lead to a decrease in tuber Fe and P concentrations (Allison et al, 2001c;Augustin, 1975;Harris, 1992;Simpson, 1962), the application of P fertilizers can increase tuber N and Mg concentrations but may reduce tuber Mn concentrations (Hammond and White, 2005), the application of K fertilizers often, but not always, increases tuber Mg but reduces tuber Ca and P concentrations (Addiscott, 1974(Addiscott, , 1976Allison et al, 2001c;Maier, 1986), and the application of Ca fertilizers generally reduces tuber Mg concentrations but can increase tuber P, S, and K concentrations (Clough, 1994;Simmons and Kelling, 1987). These effects are the result not only of complex interactions between mineral elements in the soil and their consequences for uptake by plants, but also of the effects of tissue mineral composition on the redistribution of elements within the plant.…”

Development, growth and chemical composition of the potato crop (solanum tuberosum L.). II. Tuber and whole plant

“…3. According to Addiscott (1976) intensively growing plant tissue is a dominant sink, especially for magnesium, which is caused by the specific antagonistic effects of potassium. During the exponential stage of growth the magnesium concentration first decreases markedly in young tubers.…”