Summary
Nitrogen and phosphate uptake by young plants was studied in experiments, mainly using artificial aggregates of different sizes. Large impenetrable aggregates brought about coarse rooting, while in the finer substrates dense root growth was possible. Coarse rooting resulted diminished uptake of the mainly immobile stock of phosphate. Nitrate uptake, however, was hardly influenced by rooting density on account of its high mobility and transport along with the extracted water. On the finer substrates the plants absorbed more phosphate and therefore the N/P ratio was lower.
Implications of this effect of soil structure on uptake are indicated.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atkinson, I. A. E., Soils and the growth ofPinus radiata at Cornwallis, Auckland. New Zealand J. Sci.2, 443–473 (1959).
Bray, R. H., A nutrient mobility concept of soil-plant relationships. Soil Sci.78, 9–22 (1954).
Cleveringa, C. J., Het onderzoek van plantenwortels in hun natuurlijk groeimilieu met behulp van eenvoudige middelen.In: De Plantenwortel in de Landbouw, p. 192–198. Min. Landb., Viss., Voedselvoorz., 's Gravenhage (1955).
Domsch, M., Beziehungen zwischen Bodenstruktur und Nährstoffanalyse. Z. landwirtsch. Versuchs-u. Untersuchungsw.1, 547–555 (1955).
Egberts, H.,in: Jaarverslag Tuinbouwk. Onderzoek 1959, p. 331. 's-Gravenhage (1960).
Hulshof, H. J., Kloes, L. J. J. van der, and Schellekens, A. F. C. M., Beworteling van appelbomen en bodemstructuur. Mededel. Dir. Tuinbouw23, 33–42 (1960).
Kuntze, H. und Neuhaus, H., Die landeskulturelle Bedeutung der Pflanzenwurzel — ein Beitrag zum Problem der biologischen Standortsverbesserung. Der Kulturtechniker48, 60–77 (1960).
Letey, J. and Klute, A., Apparent mobility of potassium and chloride ions in soil and clay pastes. Soil Sci.90, 259–265 (1960).
Murdock, J. T. and Seay, W. A., The effect of a soil conditioner on uptake of superphosphate by greenhouse wheat. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc.18, 97–98 (1954).
Paauw, F. van der, Landbouwvoorlichting. 1. Fosfaatbemesting in de Landbouw. Min. Landb., Viss., Voedselvoorz., 's-Gravenhage (1948).
Rennie, D. H. and Clayton, J. S., The significance of local soil types to soil fertility studies. Canadian J. Soil Sci.40, 146–156 (1960).
Shapiro, R. E., Armiger, W. H., and Fried, M., The effect of soil water movement vs. phosphate diffusion on growth and phosphorus content of corn and soybeans. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc.24, 161–164 (1960).
Tepe, W. und Leidenfrost, E., Ein Vergleich zwischen pflanzenphysiologischen, kinetischen und statischen Bodenuntersuchungswerten I. Die Kinetik der Bodenionen, gemessen mit Ionenaustauschern. Landwirtsch. Forsch.11, 217–230 (1958).
Veihmeyer, F. J. and Hendrickson, A. H., Soil density and root penetration. Soil Sci.65, 487–495 (1948).
Visser, W. C. en Goedewaagen, M. A. J., Een onderzoek naar bodemstructuur en wortelontwikkeling. Landbouwk. Tijdschr.55, 405–432 (1943).
Wallace, A., Ammonium and nitrate nitrogen absorption by citrus. Soil Sci.78, 89–94 (1954).
Weaver, J. E., Summary and interpretation of underground development in natural grassland communities. Ecol. Monographs28, 55–78 (1958).
Wiersum, L. K., The relationship of the size and structural rigidity of pores to their penetration by roots. Plant and Soil9, 75–85 (1957).
Wiersum, L. K., Utilization of soil by the plant root system. Plant and Soil15, 189–192 (1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wiersum, L.K. Uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus in relation to soil structure and nutrient mobility. Plant Soil 16, 62–70 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01378158
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01378158