DISTRIBUTION OF ELEMENTS AMONG INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE ORCHARD GRASS SHOOT AND INFLUENCE OF TWO FERTILITY LEVELS

Abstract
A clonal line of orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) was fertilized during early spring of 1972 with a fertilizer consisting of a mixture of KCl, MgSO4, K2HPO4, CuSO4, ZnSO4, and MnSO4. At mid-anthesis, shoots from unfertilized and fertilized plants were separated into the inflorescence and the individual leaf blades, leaf sheaths, and internodes. Tissues were analyzed for elements to ascertain distribution in the individual shoot parts and whether differential accumulation occurred among shoot parts with fertilization. No significant difference existed between unfertilized and fertilized plants in dry matter (DM) yields of comparable shoot parts or in length of the inflorescence or internodes. Fertilization with K, Cl, S, P, Mg, Zn, Mn, and Cu increased the concentration of these elements more in one plant fraction than in another, except for P and Cu. Concentrations in the inflorescence were not influenced by fertilization, except for an increase in Zn and Mn. With fertilization, largest increases in concentrations of Cl and Zn occurred in the total leaf blades, in the total internodes for K, and in the total sheaths for Mg. Increases in S and Mn were similar in both the total leaf blades and sheaths. Concentrations of N were increased in all plant fractions of fertilized plants, even though N was applied uniformly to all plants, presumably because S was applied in the mineral mixture. Highest concentrations of K, S, Mg, Cu, N, Ca, Fe, and Al in both unfertilized and fertilized plants occurred in the total leaf blades. Highest concentrations of Cl and Mn occurred in the total leaf sheaths and for P, Zn, and B in the inflorescence. Concentrations of Ba were similar in each of the plant fractions. Elemental distribution among the leaf blades, leaf sheaths, and internodes of the shoot are discussed.