Nutrient Solutions for Wheat

Abstract

The following brief notes relate to collaborative work of the writers upon a project outlined by a special committee of the National Research Council (17). Publication in the present rather fragmentary condition is ventured in the hope that our observations may be of aid to others operating in the same field. Acknowledgment is hereby made of a grant from the research funds of the University of Wisconsin in support of this investigation.Of the six possible three-salt combinations which can supply the six essential elements of a nutrient solution, exclusive of iron, as arranged in the plan for collaborators, Type VI was chosen for the present investigation. This type is composed of KH2P04, CaS04' and Mg(NOah. Cultures of wheat were conducted in duplicate in the series of solutions of this type, following the prescribed plan. The results appear to justify no further statement here than that the agreement between duplicate cultures was' generally very poor. It seemed probable that this condition was due in part to the very poor root development of the seedlings employed. The roots were short, and usually curved and discolored where they came in contact with the nutrient solution.Shive's nutrient solution RsC2 (IS) diluted to 0.1 the usual concentration is the medium prescribed for germination in this work. The pH of this nutrient solution, at the concentration commonly employed, is approximately 4.7 (16). It.appeared possible that the poor root growth observed here was due partly to the acidity of this solution. With this possibility in mind, the following tests were undertaken. The seed used throughout was wheat of the Marquis variety, provided for collaborators by the committee in charge of the project. In tests other than the comparison of continuous with intermittent renewal of the solution, ferric citrate was used instead of ferric phosphate, as a source of iron.

The Biology of Flowering Pla N Ts

“…It does not, of course, enable us to say how far the effect is due to direct action on the roots. Tottingham and Rankin (1922) find that growth in length of the roots of wheat is maximal in solutions of p7 -5.…”