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The Effect of Magnesium upon the Growth and the Phosphorus Content of Soybean Plants¹

ABSTRACT

An investigation was made of the effect of magnesium upon the growth, the phosphorus absorption and translocation, and the cation content of soybean plants. The plants were grown in sand culture in the greenhouse, and the main treatment consisted of removing magnesium from the nutrient medium for various periods during the life cycle of the plants.

The removal of magnesium from the nutrient medium for any of seven different periods of 21 to 121 days during the life of soybean plants reduced growth, but its absence early in the life of the plant caused a greater reduction than its absence later in life.

Omission of magnesium from the nutrient solution did not retard phosphorus absorption but did have a significant effect upon the movement and final location of phosphorus in the plants. The chemical composition of the component parts of the mature plants revealed that the magnesium deficient plants contained a higher percentage of phosphorus in the vegetative organs and a lower percentage in the seeds than normal plants. A definite positive relationship existed between the magnesium and phosphorus content of the seed, and a definite negative relationship between the content of these two elements in the leaflets. This finding offers support to the theory that magnesium may function as a carrier of phosphorus in plants.

The magnesium deficient plants absorbed slightly larger amounts of calcium and potassium on a percentage basis.

¹ Journal Paper No. 772, Purdue University Agr. Exp. Sta., Lafayette, Ind. Contribution from the Department of Agronomy. Part of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by the senior author. This investigation was supported in part by the International Minerals and Chemical Corp. Presented before Div. IV, Soil Science Society of America, Dallas, Tex., Nov. 18, 1953.

² Assistant Professor of Agronomy, Iowa State College, and Associate Professors of Agronomy, Purdue University, respectively.

Received for publication February 25, 1954.