Distribution and redistribution of mineral nutrients and dry matter in grain sorghum as affected by soil salinity

Abstract

A study was made of the effects of soil salinity on dry matter production, grain yield, and the uptake, distribution and redistribution of mineral nutrients in irrigated grain sorghum. Soil salinity (EC, 3.6 mS/cm) reduced seedling establishment by 77%, and dry matter and grain yields per plant by 32%; grain yield/ha was reduced by 84%. Salinity reduced grain number per head, but not individual grain size. The accumulation of dry matter and most nutrients was reduced by salinity, but the distribution and redistribution of nutrients within the plant were largely unaffected. Redistributed dry matter provided 52 and 31% of the grain dry matter for control and salt‐affected plants, respectively. Salt‐affected plants had a greater proportion of their sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and chloride (Cl) in stems and leaves than control plants at maturity. Grain had 50–90% of the nitrogen <N), phosphorus (P), S, and Mg, 20–50% of the potassium (K), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu), but < 20% of the calcium (Ca), Na, Cl, and iron (Fe) contents of the whole plant. Over 65% of the N and P, and from 20 to 30% of the K, S, Mg, Cu, and Zn was redistributed from the stem and leaves to grain. There was no redistribution of Ca, Na, Cl, Fe, and Mn. Leaves were more important than the stem as a source of redistributed N, but the leaves and stem were equally important as sources of redistributed P, K, S, Mg, and Cu. Redistribution from the stem and leaves provided 80% of the K and 20–50% of the N, P, S, Mg, Zn, and Cu accumulated by grain. Concentrations of Na, and especially Cl, were high in vegetative organs of salt‐affected plants, but not in grain. It was concluded that although moderate salinity was detrimental to the establishment and yield of grain sorghum, it had little effect on patterns of distribution and extents of redistribution of mineral nutrients.

Notes

Present address: CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, G.P.O. Box 1600, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia.