Variety Differences in Strontium and Calcium Accumulation in Seedlings of Barley¹

Abstract

Sixteen barley varieties were employed in a study of intraspecific differences in Ca and Sr accumulation. The effect of Ca/Sr ratio, pH, and various Sr‐89 concentrations and durations of feeding on variety differences were evaluated. Significant differences were observed for Ca and Sr accumulation among varieties of barley seedlings grown in nutrient solution. Varieties high in Sr accumulation also were high in Ca accumulation. Two‐fold differences in accumulation were observed for both Ca and Sr‐89. The ratio of Ca to Sr in the nutrient solution had little affect on variety differences in accumulation of Ca or Sr. However, there was evidence that varieties differed in ratio of Ca to Sr accumulated in the shoots. The pH of the solution did not affect total Sr‐89 accumulation or variety differences. Both concentration and duration of feeding had a marked effect on total Sr‐89 accumulation, but no effect on variety differences.

Comparison of Pod Calcium Concentration between Two Snap Bean Populations

“…Significant differences were observed for pod Ca concentration among the 60 genotypes within each of the populations (Table 1). Variability for this trait in snap beans was consistent with the results of previous studies in snap beans (Quintana et al, 1996a) and other crops including tomatoes (Giordano et al, 1982), corn (Clark, 1978), soybeans (Kleese, 1967), barley (Young and Rasmusson, 1966), wheat (Rasmusson et al, 1971), sorghum (Kawaski and Moritsugu, 1979), and sunflower (De La Guardia et al, 1980). Year × genotype interaction for pod Ca concentration was not detected in CA2, but was significant in CA3 although the mean squares were approximately half those found for differences among genotypes (Table 1).…”

The concentration ratio of alkaline earth elements calcium, barium and strontium in grains of diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid wheat

“…Significant differences with respect to the concentrations of particular alkaline earth elements were recorded between the genotypes of the same species. Young and Rasmusson (1966) found significant differences in the accumulation of Ca and Sr between genotypes of barley: those genotypes which accumulated higher amounts of Sr accumulated Ca as well. Barley genotypes differed significantly with respect to Sr:Ca ratio in the shoots.…”

“…Differences exist also between genotypes, lines and individual parts of the whole plant within a species or variety (Sarić, 1981;Clark, 1983). The ratio between concentrations of alkaline earth metals differs not only between different plant species, but also between different genotypes of the same species (Young and Rasmusson, 1966), and also between different organs and tissues within each individual plant (Watmough, 2014). The ratio between Ca and Sr in edible plant parts is particularly important having in mind the potential risk of Sr (and its 90 Sr isotope) entering the food chain, and the importance of Ca as essential macronutrient.…”