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- Title
Zinc fertilizer placement affects zinc content in maize plant.
- Authors
Zhang, Yue-Qiang; Pang, Li-Li; Yan, Peng; Liu, Dun-Yi; Zhang, Wei; Yost, Russell; Zhang, Fu-Suo; Zou, Chun-Qin
- Abstract
Background and aims: Adequate zinc (Zn) in maize ( Zea mays L.) is required for obtaining Zn-enriched grain and optimum yield. This study investigated the impact of varying Zn fertilizer placements on Zn accumulation in maize plant. Methods: Two pot experiments with same design were conducted to investigate the effect of soil Zn heterogeneity by mixing ZnSO·7HO (10 mg Zn kg soil on an average) in 10-15, 0-15, 25-30, 0-30, 30-60 and 0-60 cm soil layers on maize root growth and shoot Zn content at flowering stage in experiment-1, and assessing effects on grain Zn accumulation at mature stage in experiment-2. Results: In experiment-1, Zn placements created a large variation in soil DTPA-Zn concentration (0.3-29.0 mg kg), which induced a systemic and positive response of root growth within soil layers of 0-30 cm; and shoot Zn content was increased by 102 %-305 % depending on Zn placements. Supply capacity of Zn in soil, defined as sum of product of soil DTPA-Zn concentration and root surface area at different soil layers, was most related to shoot Zn content ( r = 0.82, P < 0.001) via direct and indirect effects according to path analysis. In experiment-2, Zn placements increased grain Zn concentration by up to 51 %, but significantly reduced the grain Zn harvest index from 50 % by control to about 30 % in average. Conclusion: Matching the distribution of soil applied Zn with root by Zn placement was helpful to maximize shoot Zn content and grain Zn concentration in maize.
- Subjects
ZINC fertilizers; CROP yields; ROOT growth; CORN growth; SOIL productivity; PLANT indicators
- Publication
Plant & Soil, 2013, Vol 372, Issue 1/2, p81
- ISSN
0032-079X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11104-013-1904-9