Response of okra to sodium nutrition in an Ultisol

The essentiality of Na to the growth of okra plants in an Ultisol grown in soil culture and treated with Na concentrations of 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 mg/kg of soils as NaCl. was studied. Sodium applied at 8mg/kg of soil increased leaf area and number, plant height, water content dry matter yield and tissue N and K when compared with the control. Severe defoliation was observed at the highest Na treatment of 16mg/kg of soil, which also induced low tissue N. The okra may be classified as a medium sodium tolerant plant. Key Words: Okra; sodium; elemental accumulation; water conservation Moor J. Agric. Res. Vol.4(1) 2003: 8-1

Assessing the nutritional potential of sodium in combination with potassium for the growth of tomato in soil culture

The role of sodium (Na) in combination with potassium (K) in the growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) was studied in soil culture. Sodium was applied at 0, 5, 10, 20 mg / kg soil as NaCl and K at 0, 20, 40, 80 mg / kg soil as KCl. Records of components of growth and mineral nutrient uptake and accumulation in plant tissue were taken. Sodium application at levels above 10mg / kg improved number of leaves and root dry matter yields, while number of flowers and shoot dry matter yields were depressed. The application of K to varying levels of Na reversed the antagonistic effects of Na on plant growth. However, Na applied at levels lower than 10 mg / kg increased tissue N, P and Ca and decreased Mg and Na. A complimentary relationship between Na and K at a ratio of 1:8 or 1:16 was observed to have enhanced the growth and yield of tomato. Key words: Sodium nutrition, tomato, dry matter yield, tissue elemental content Moor Journal of Agricultural Research Vol.4(2) 2003: 183-19

The response of maize to copper and iron application in sand culture

Maize (Zea mays L), an important cereal crop for animal and human nutrition in Nigeria was studied for its response to Cu and Fe. application. Effects on agronomic characteristics and elemental accumulation in maize root and shoot were assessed. The Cu:Fe ratio that best enhanced growth was determined. Grains of maize were grown in a carefully washed sand placed in pots containing 4 rates of Cu at 0, 1. 5, 10 ppm as CuSO4 and Fe at 0, 10, 20, and 40 ppm as FeSO4. The plants were harvested at 10 weeks of growth. Results indicate that increasing the levels of applied Cu and Fe produced an increase in shoot root ratio and the total chlorophyll content of the maize leaf. The increase was more pronounced when Cu and Fe were combined in a 1:4 ratio (Cu10: Fe40) Iron application at increasing concentrations reduced dry matter yield shoot K and increased root K. The depressing effect of Fe at 40 ppm on plant dry matter yield was corrected by the addition of Cu at 10 ppm. The roots accumulated more Ca, P, Na, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn than the shoot. Iron content of the shoot ranged from 476 to 889 ppm; and from 1358 to 2060 ppm in the roots, suggesting the tolerance of the maize plant to Cu and Fe. Micronutrients accumulated more in the roots than the shoot while N, P and K accumulated more in the shoot. Key Words: Maize; Cu and Fe nutrition; total chlorophyll and carotene; components of growth Moor J. Agric. Res. Vol.4(1) 2003:13-1