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Top and root growth and nutrient absorption of Prunus avium L. at two soil pH and P levels

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Abstract

One-year-old Prunus avium L. were grown under greenhouse conditions in a Countesswells soil in all combinations of 2 pH and 2 P levels. The soil, obtained from a long-term liming and fertilizer experiment, provided pH values throughout the experiment of 3.75–3.99 (pH 1) and 4.81–5.41 (pH 2). The P treatments had 0.43% acetic acid extractable P of 31–44 μg g-1 (P1) and 145–173 μg g-1 (P2). The trees were harvested 92 (H1), 134 (H2), and 168 (H3) days after initiation of growth.

Top (leaf+new stem) dry weight was significantly increased for pH 2 and P2 at H2 and H3. P2 also increased leaf weight (H1), the weight of the original stem-root (H2 and H3), and root length but decreased root diameter at both soil pHs (H2 and H3). Total tree uptake of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg was also increased by pH-P combinations which had significantly greater dry matter production and root length. Total Mn uptake decreased at pH2. Root nutrient inflows (uM m-1 day-1) were increased for Ca at pH2 and for P at P2. Mn inflow decreased at pH2 and at pH1 P2 although the increased root length associated with the latter treatmen resulted in increased total tree Mn uptake. In general, high nutrient inflows occurred in all trees at H1 and in severely stunted trees at pH1 P1; both had larger than average root diameters.

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Neilsen, G.H., Neilsen, D. & Atkinson, D. Top and root growth and nutrient absorption of Prunus avium L. at two soil pH and P levels. Plant Soil 121, 137–144 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00013106

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