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Abstract
An experiment was conducted to study the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on citrus growth and mineral composition. Seedlings of 7 citrus rootstock cultivars were treated with three osmotic potential levels (‐0.10, ‐0.20, and ‐0.35 MPa) of PEG for five months under greenhouse conditions. Increasing the concentration of PEG in the nutrient solution proportionally reduced root and shoot growth in all rootstocks. Although roots were in direct contact with PEG, their growth was less affected by PEG treatments than that of shoots. Seedling growth was reduced the most in Carrizo citrange and Milam lemon. Significant differences in root and leaf mineral concentrations among cultivars were found under PEG stressed and non stressed conditions. Furthermore, no consistent relationship in mineral absorption, translocation and accumulation seemed to exist between citrus roots and leaves. Root and leaf mineral concentrations were also significantly altered by PEG in all rootstock cultivars. Nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) were reduced in the leaves and calcium (Ca) was reduced in the roots but zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) were noticeably increased in the roots. The results of this study demonstrated that some of the deleterious effects of PEG could be attributed to nutritional imbalances, N and Mg deficiency in the leaves and Zn and Mn toxicity in the roots of citrus cultivars.
Notes
Present Address: Director of Citrus Research, c/o Jack M. Berry, Inc., P.O. Box 459, LaBelle, Florida 33935