Petiole sap nitrate is better than total nitrogen in dried leaf for indicating nitrogen status and yield responsiveness of capsicum in subtropical Australia

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 835 ◽  
Author(s):  
JK Olsen ◽  
DJ Lyons

This study was conducted to assess the usefulness of petiole sap nitrate and total nitrogen (N) in dried leaf for determining N status and yield response in capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) grown with plastic mulch and trickle irrigation in subtropical Australia. Five rates of N (0, 70, 140,210, 280 kg/ha) were applied in factorial combination with 2 rates of potassium (K: 0, 200 kg/ha) in randomised block experiments to capsicum cv. Bell Tower grown at Bundaberg Research Station in spring 1990 and autumn 1991. Critical nutrient ranges for nitrate concentration in petiole sap and for total N concentration in dried youngest mature leaf blades plus petioles (YMB + P) were derived at different stages of crop development (bud development, BD; first anthesis, FA; 80% flowering, F; fruit set, FS). Sap nitrate was about 5 times more sensitive to changes in N application than total N. Petiole sap nitrate accounted for a greater amount of the variation in marketable fruit yield (quadratic square root relationships, 0.45 < R2 < 0.83) than total N concentration in dried YMB + P (linear relationships, 0.29 < R2 < 0.74). Simple linear regressions indicated a stronger relationship between applied N and petiole sap nitrate concentration than total N concentration in dried YMB + P (range in R2 values among 8 sampling events: 0.71-0.91 for petiole sap nitrate, 0.35-0.78 for YMB + P total N). For the fertiliser application strategy, 60% of N was applied pre-fruitset and 40% after. Sap nitrate concentrations associated with 95 and 100% of maximum marketable fruit yield increased from BD (5010-6000 mg/L spring, 4980-5280 mg/L autumn) to FA (6220-7065 mg/L spring, 555M000 mg/L autumn). After FA, the range progressively decreased to 1640-2800 and 520-1220 mg/L at FS, for spring and autumn, respectively. It was concluded that petiole sap nitrate was a better indicator of plant N status and yield response than total N concentration in dried YMB + P for capsicum in subtropical Australia. A critical petiole sap K concentration (corresponding with maximum yield and at which no yield response to K addition was measured) of >4800 mg/L was proposed by correlating sap K with yield responses.

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1127-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Victor de Oliveira Ferreira ◽  
Roberto Ferreira Novais ◽  
Bruna Maximiano Médice ◽  
Nairam Félix de Barros ◽  
Ivo Ribeiro Silva

The use of leaf total nitrogen concentration as an indicator for nutritional diagnosis has some limitations. The objective of this study was to determine the reliability of total N concentration as an indicator of N status for eucalyptus clones, and to compare it with alternative indicators. A greenhouse experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design in a 2 × 6 factorial arrangement with plantlets of two eucalyptus clones (140 days old) and six levels of N in the nutrient solution. In addition, a field experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, consisting of two seasons, two regions, two young clones (approximately two years old), and three positions of crown leaf sampling. The field areas (regions) had contrasting soil physical and chemical properties, and their soil contents for total N, NH+4-N, and NO−3-N were determined in five soil layers, up to a depth of 1.0 m. We evaluated the following indicators of plant N status in roots and leaves: contents of total N, NH+4-N, NO−3-N, and chlorophyll; N/P ratio; and chlorophyll meter readings on the leaves. Ammonium (root) and NO−3-N (root and leaf) efficiently predicted N requirements for eucalyptus plantlets in the greenhouse. Similarly, leaf N/P, chlorophyll values, and chlorophyll meter readings provided good results in the greenhouse. However, leaf N/P did not reflect the soil N status, and the use of the chlorophyll meter could not be generalized for different genotypes. Leaf total N concentration is not an ideal indicator, but it and the chlorophyll levels best represent the soil N status for young eucalyptus clones under field conditions.


1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 401 ◽  
Author(s):  
DO Huett ◽  
G Rose

The tomato cv. Flora-Dade was grown in sand culture with 4 nitrogen (N) levels of 1.07-32.14 mmol L-1 applied as nitrate each day in a complete nutrient solution. The youngest fully opened leaf (YFOL) and remaining (bulked) leaves were harvested at regular intervals over the 16-week growth period. Standard laboratory leaf total and nitrate N determinations were conducted in addition to rapid nitrate determinations on YFOL petiole sap. The relationships between plant growth and leaf N concentration, which were significantly affected by N application level, were used to derive diagnostic leaf N concentrations. Critical and adequate concentrations in petiole sap of nitrate-N, leaf nitrate-N and total N for the YFOL and bulked leaf N were determined from the relationship between growth rate relative to maximum at each sampling time and leaf N concentration. YFOL petiole sap nitrate-N concentration, which can be measured rapidly in the field by using commercial test strips, gave the most sensitive guide to plant N status. Critical values of 770-1 120 mg L-I were determined over the 10-week period after transplanting (first mature fruit). YFOL (leaf + petiole) total N concentration was the most consistent indicator of plant N status where critical values of4.45-4.90% were recorded over the 4- 12 week period after transplanting (early harvests at 12 weeks). This test was less sensitive but more precise than the petiole sap nitrate test. The concentrations of N, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in YFOL and bulked leaf corresponding to the N treatments producing maximum growth rates are presented, because nutrient supply was close to optimum and the leaf nutrient concentrations can be considered as adequate levels.


1976 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gupta ◽  
M. C. Saxena

SummaryLeaf samples were collected, at weekly intervals, throughout the growing season, from potato (Solanum tuberosumL.) plants supplied with varying amounts of nitrogen (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg N/ha) and analysed for total N. Application of nitrogen increased the N concentration in the green leaves at all stages of growth. There was a significant curvilinear relationship between the final tuber yield and the total N concentration in the leaves at 48–90 days after planting in 1968–9 and at 79–107 days after planting in 1969–70. The N concentration at 70–90 days after planting was consistently related to the final tuber yield in both years. Thus this period was ideal for assessing the nitrogen status of potato plants. The critical concentration of total nitrogen generally decreased with advance in age. It ranged from 4·65% at 76 days to 3·30% at 90 days during 1968–9, whereas in 1969–70 it ranged from 4·20% at 79 days to 3·80% at 93 days. During the period from 83 to 86 days the critical percentage was around 3·6% in both the years.


HortScience ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 1244-1251 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bar-Tal ◽  
B. Aloni ◽  
L. Karni ◽  
J. Oserovitz ◽  
A. Hazan ◽  
...  

Blossom-end rot (BER) is one of the major physiological disorders of green-house bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The objective of the present work was to study the effects of the solution N concentration and N-NO3: N-NH4 ratio on fruit yield and the incidence of BER and other fruit-quality traits of greenhouse-grown bell pepper in a Mediterranean climate. Three experiments were conducted: Expt. 1 included five total N concentrations (0.25 to 14 mmol·L-1, with a constant N-NO3: N-NH4 ratio of 4); Expt. 2 included five treatments of different NO3: NH4 molar ratios (0.25 to 4, with a constant N concentration of 7 mmol·L-1); and Expt. 3 included three treatments of different NO3: NH4 molar ratios (1.0, 3.0 and 9.0, with a constant N concentration of 7 mmol·L-1). Plants were grown in an aero-hydroponics system in Expts. 1 and 2 and in tuff medium in Expt. 3, in greenhouses in Israel. The optimal values of N concentration for total fruit yield and for high fruit quality (marketable) were 9.3 and 8.3 mmol·L-1, respectively. The total and high-quality fruit yields both increased with increasing N-NO3: N-NH4 ratio in the range studied. The total and high-quality fruit yields both decreased sharply as the NH4 concentration in the solution increased above 2 mmol·L-1. The increase in the NH4 concentration in the solution is the main cause of the suppression of Ca concentration in the leaves and fruits and the increased incidence of BER. The occurrence of flat fruits also increased with increasing NH4 concentration in the solution.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert R. Coltman ◽  
Stacy A. Riede

`Celebrity' tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were grown in peat–perlite under greenhouse conditions in two experiments with five levels of K (25, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg·liter–1) in irrigation waters. In both experiments, aqueous petiole sap K concentrations (milligrams K per milliliter) were monitored weekly with colorimetric paper test strips. Variation in petiole sap K concentrations among plants was low among three-plant replicates (cvs of 9% to 11%). Petiole sap K concentrations varied considerably from week to week, but remained relatively constant over time at levels determined by external-feed K concentrations. Petiole sap K levels and marketable-fruit yield increased quadratically with increasing external K concentrations. Maximum yields were produced with 190 to 200 mg K/liter in external-feed solutions. Maximum marketable yields of ≈2.75 kg/plant occurred with =5.9 mg K/ml in petiole sap. Quick petiole sap K tests appear to be suitable for assessing the K status of greenhouse tomatoes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Galanti ◽  
Alyssa Cho ◽  
Amjad Ahmad ◽  
Javier Mollinedo

Nitrogen (N) management in macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) orchards is an important concern for growers. Leaf tissue analysis is the accepted method for determining N status in macadamia; however, this process is expensive and time-consuming. The chlorophyll meter has been used in other crops to estimate N status in plants through estimation of the amount of chlorophyll in leaf tissue. The use of the chlorophyll meter in two macadamia cultivars (Kakea and Kau) at two locations in Hawai’i (Kapa’au and Pahala) and five time periods (12 Apr. 2017, 13 June 2017, 15 June 2017, 18 Dec. 2017, and 20 Feb. 2018) was assessed. Leaf samples were collected based on a tissue-sampling protocol, chlorophyll meter (SPAD) values were collected, and leaves were analyzed for total N concentration. Data were analyzed statistically using linear regression. Leaf tissue N concentration had a positive monotonic relationship to SPAD values for both macadamia cultivars, both locations, and all sampling periods. The sampling period of Apr. 2017 for ‘Kakea’ macadamia had the greatest R2 value for the linear regression at 0.85. The Feb. 2018 sampling period had an R2 value for the linear regression of 0.74. ‘Kau’ macadamia had the greatest R2 value for the linear regression of 0.24 in the Dec. 2017 sampling period. The slopes of the two macadamia cultivars for June 2017 were different from each other, suggesting that N recommendations need to be customized for specific macadamia cultivars if sampled in summer. The chlorophyll meter can be used for general estimation of tissue N in macadamia. Additional methods need to be considered and researched to refine procedures for direct estimation of total N concentration when using the chlorophyll meter.


1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
NA Maier ◽  
AP Dahlenburg ◽  
TK Twigden

This paper describes the derivation of critical total nitrogen (N) concentrations in youngest fully expanded blades (YFEB), to assess the N status of onion crops. Five rates of N, from 0 to 390 kg/ha, were applied in randomised block experiments to cv. Cream Gold at 2 sites in 1988 and 1989. YFEB were sampled 5 times between the 3- and 9-leaf stages (41-108 days after the 'hook' stage). Marketable yield significantly (P<0.01) increased as the rate of N increased at both sites. Nitrogen rates required for 95% of maximum yield were 230 and 210 kg/ha at sites 1 and 2, respectively. Sensitivity of YFEB total N concentrations to variation in N supply depended on sampling time. For example, at site 2, the increases in total N concentrations due to application of N ranged from 6.3% at 42 days to 36.3% at 93 days. Because of low sensitivity, sampling at the 3-leaf stage may be too early to detect N deficiency reliably. Mean � s.e. increases in total N concentration were 30.6 � 6.1 and 20.3 � 4.9% at sites 1 and 2, respectively. At early sampling times the relationships between relative marketable yield and total N concentration showed a marked Piper-Steenbjerg effect. Critical total N concentrations derived from these relationships decreased from 3.7-40% at 41-42 days to 1.8-1.9% at 106-108 days. This decrease highlights the importance of carefully defining sampling time to ensure correct interpretation of plant test data.


HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter C. Andersen ◽  
Fred M. Rhoads ◽  
Steven M. Olson ◽  
Brent V. Brodbeck

`Colonial' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were grown on raised beds with black polyethylene mulch, drip irrigation, and preplant-N rates of 0, 67, 134, 202, or 269 kg·ha-1. Petiole sap was collected 7 and 13 weeks after transplanting. Concentrations of NO3-N, free amino acids, total amino acids, and total-N (the sum of NO3-N and amino acid-N) were examined as functions of the rate of N fertilization. Also, each of these compounds was used as an independent variable as a predictor of fruit yield. Seven weeks after planting, the concentrations of NO3-N and 15 of 18 of the free amino acids were correlated with the rate of N fertilization, but concentrations of bound or total amino acids were not. The amount of NO3-N accounted for 37% of the total-N in the 0 kg·ha-1 treatment, and up to 83% in the 202 kg·ha-1 treatment. NO3-N was highly correlated with total-N for both nonhydrolyzed and hydrolyzed sap (R2 = 0.98). Thirteen weeks after transplanting, neither the concentration of NO3-N nor that of amino acids, other than asparagine, glutamine, and proline, were significantly related to the rate of N fertilization. On both dates, concentrations of glutamine plus glutamic acid were correlated with rate of N fertilization whether expressed as absolute values or as percentage values. N fertilization rate and the concentration of NO3-N or total-N were related to total fruit yield (R2 = 0.69 to 0.74), and marketable fruit yield (R2 = 0.78 to 0.82). N-fertilization rate and petiole sap concentrations of NO3-N or total-N were also correlated with the N contained in total or marketable yield. Petiole sap variables measured 13 weeks after transplanting were not significantly correlated with fruit yield or the quantity of N contained in the fruit. Free, bound, or total amino acids in petiole sap were not as well correlated with fruit yield parameters as were N-fertilization rate, NO3-N, or total-N in petiole sap.


HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 592f-593
Author(s):  
Nicole L. Shaw ◽  
George J. Hochmuth ◽  
Steven A. Sargent ◽  
Ed A. Hanlon

`Camelot' bell pepper was grown in a N fertigation study on sandy soil using polyethylene-mulched and fumigated beds. Portions of N (0%, 33%, 67%, 100% of total season N) were applied at bed formation. The remaining N was injected weekly into the drip irrigation system. Total N application treatments were 64, 128, 192, and 256 kg·ha–1. Early and total-season marketable fruit yields increased linearly with N rate. Preplant fertilizer proportion did not influence early yields, but late and total-season marketable fruit yields decreased linearly as preplant fertilizer proportion increased. Petiole sap NO3-N concentration increased with increasing N rates, but decreased linearly as preplant fertilizer proportion increased. Petiole sap NO3-N concentrations fell below critical levels for all N rates and preplant fertilizer proportions early in the season. Whole-leaf N concentrations were higher than critical values (>40 g·kg–1) throughout the season. Preplant fertilizer proportion had a significant linear effect on whole-leaf N concentrations for all sampling periods. Petiole sap was better correlated to yield data than whole-leaf N.


1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 887 ◽  
Author(s):  
CMJ Williams ◽  
NA Maier

Four field experiments were carried out during 1992-93 (sites 1 and 2) and 1993-94 (sites 3 and 4) to assess the effects of nitrogen (N), at rates up to 600 kgha, and potassium (K), at rates up to 300 kgha, on total N, nitrate-N and K concentrations in petioles of the youngest fully expanded leaves (P-YFEL) of Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera). The experiments were located in commercial plantings in the Mt Lofty Ranges, South Australia. Plant samples were collected at 2-4-week intervals from 4 to 28 weeks after the plants were transplanted. Temporal or seasonal variation, and the effects on concentrations of total N, nitrate-N and K of sampling leaves next in age (YFEL-1 to YFEL+2) to the index leaf, were also studied. Total N concentration in P-YFEL was more sensitive to variations in N supply than nitrate-N at all sites. Total N and nitrate-N concentrations in petioles also varied with the age of the leaf sampled. Total N concentrations in petioles of leaves sampled 4-16 weeks after transplanting decreased with increasing leaf age. In contrast, nitrate-N concentrations in petioles sampled 4-8 weeks after transplanting increased with leaf age. Potassium concentrations in petioles did not vary consistently between leaves of different age. From 4 to 6 weeks after transplanting, relationships between total N or nitrate-N concentrations in P-YFEL and relative total yield were not significant (P>0.05), therefore, critical concentrations could not be determined. Linear and quadratic models were used to study the relationships between total N and nitrate-N concentration in P-YFEL and relative total yield during 8-28 weeks after transplanting. Total N concentrations accounted for a greater amount of variation in relative total yield at 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 and 28 weeks after transplanting compared with nitrate-N. Coefficients of determination (r2) were in the range 0.52-0.93. Relationships between nitrate-N concentration in P-YFEL and relative total yield were only significant 8, 10, 14 and 16 weeks after transplanting and 9 values were in the range 0.49-0.82. Critical concentrations for total N decreased from 3.13-3.44% at 10 weeks to 1.22-1.38% at 28 weeks after transplanting. This decrease highlights the importance of carefully defining sampling time to ensure correct interpretation of plant test data. Potassium concentrations also decreased between 4 and 28 weeks after transplanting. Critical concentrations were not determined for K, because the crops at all sites did not respond significantly (P>0.05) to applied K. Based on sensitivity (as indicated by the range in tissue concentrations in response to variations in N supply) and on the correlations between total N and nitrate-N concentrations and relative total yield, we concluded that total N was better than nitrate-N as an indicator of plant N status and yield response of Brussels sprouts. We suggested that growers sample P-YFEL several times during the growing season, starting 10 weeks after transplanting. Plant analysis can be used to monitor N status and to detect N deficiencies which may arise during the growing season of Brussels sprouts which may be up to 9 months duration. Growers can adjust their fertiliser N program to ensure deficiencies are quickly corrected.


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