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Absorption of foliar applied Zn is decreased in Zn deficient sunflower (Helianthus annuus) due to changes in leaf properties

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Abstract

Aims

Despite the importance of foliar Zn fertilisation, it remains unclear how the Zn status of the plant itself influences the efficacy of foliar applied Zn, with this forming the focus of the present study.

Methods

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was grown in nutrient solutions with either 0.5 (sufficient) or 0 μM Zn (deficient) to relate the absorption of foliar applied Zn to leaf properties. The distribution and speciation of Zn within the leaf were examined in situ using synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

Results

Zinc deficiency decreased foliar absorption of Zn as ZnSO4 by 50–66% compared to Zn sufficient sunflower, despite μ-XRF analysis showing the pattern of Zn absorption was similar for both plants. Rather, Zn deficiency decreased the leaf trichome density and likely altered the adaxial leaf surface composition and structure, with these presumably being the main causes for the reduced Zn absorption. The Zn status of the plant also influenced the speciation of the absorbed Zn, with 37–53% as Zn phytate in Zn sufficient leaves but 55% as Zn phosphate in Zn deficient leaves.

Conclusions

Zinc status of the plants influenced leaf surface properties, with Zn deficiency leading to decreased absorption of foliar applied Zn.

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Abbreviations

ICP-MS:

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

ICP-OES:

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy

LCF:

Linear combination fitting

XAS:

Synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy

XANES:

K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectra

YFELs:

Youngest fully-expanded leaves

μ-XRF:

Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge use of the facilities and technical assistance of both the Queensland Brain Institute and the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility at the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland. Suggestions from Dr. Bernhard Wehr also thanked. Parts of the research were undertaken on the XFM and XAS beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron, part of Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). This work was supported by Sonic Essentials, as well as by the Australian Research Council (ARC) through the Linkage Projects funding scheme (LP130100741). Support was also provided to Peter Kopittke by the ARC Future Fellowship funding scheme (FT120100277) and to Cui Li through the China Scholarship Council and The University of Queensland International Scholarship award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwestern Polytechnical University, Research Centre for Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Xi’an, 710072, China

    Cui Li

  2. School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Cui Li, Peng Wang, Jingtao Wu, F. Pax C. Blamey, Neal W. Menzies & Peter M. Kopittke

  3. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Peng Wang

  4. Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, 5095, Australia

    Enzo Lombi

  5. School of Forest Engineering, Forest Genetics and Ecophysiology Research Group, Technical University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Victoria Fernández

  6. Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia

    Daryl L. Howard

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  1. Cui Li
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  2. Peng Wang
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  3. Enzo Lombi
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  8. Neal W. Menzies
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Correspondence to Cui Li.

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Responsible Editor: Michael A. Grusak.

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Li, C., Wang, P., Lombi, E. et al. Absorption of foliar applied Zn is decreased in Zn deficient sunflower (Helianthus annuus) due to changes in leaf properties. Plant Soil 433, 309–322 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3841-0

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