Saturday, 15 July 2006
155-57

Can Potassium Affect Root Influx Parameters of Wheat?.

Ghorban Ali Roshani1, G. Narayanasamy2, and S.C. Datta2. (1) Golestan Agricultural Research Center, Dr. Beheshti Street, Gorgan, Iran, (2) Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India

Root influx parameters (Vmax, and Km) of wheat (var. HD 2285) were determined at different stages of crop growth, viz. CRIS-Crown Root Initiation Stage, MTS-Maximum Tillering Stage, FLS-Flag Leaf Stage and DFS-Dough Formation Stage. Wheat was grown in sand medium with Hoagland nutrient solution (all nutrients except potassium). Plants were taken out from sand culture at 22, 41, 69 and 87 days after germination and placed in a specially designed assembly of flowing solution in greenhouse. The nutrient solution was allowed to flow into the culture vessel in a regulated manner by means of a separating funnel. Fresh Hoagland solutions having five different concentration of K (2, 6, 10, 13, and 16 mg L-1) were added drop-wise on the funnels at the rate of about 3000 mL day-1 and continuously supplied in five different assemblies. Root influx parameters (Vmax and Km) were determined employing a simple solution culture technique, by measuring the depletion of potassium (input – output concentration) by wheat roots in five nutrient media differing in potassium concentration only. Vmax and Km were calculated with the help of coefficients obtained by fitting the solution K concentration and K uptake rate data on the Michaelis-Menten equation. Vmax and Km values are decreased with the age of crop. Vmax was 48.7 nmol m-2 s-1 at 22 DAG and decreased to 4.21 nmol m-2 s-1 at 87 days of crop growth; corresponding Km values were 299 and 146 ìM, respectively.

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