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Soil Oxygen Contents and Ion Uptake by Corn¹

ABSTRACT

A method was developed to maintain the oxygen content of soil air in pots at different levels by means of a controlled diffusion technique.

The yield of plant tops and roots was reduced by low soil oxygen contents. Decreasing the soil oxygen contents also reduced the percentages of K, Mg, P, and N found in the plant tops, while the percentage values for these elements in the roots increased. These results indicated that low soil oxygen may affect the translocation of ions from the roots to the tops more than absorption of these elements from the soil.

Elements other than potassium, particularly phosphorus, were of importance in explaining reduced yields with low soil oxygen contents.

When gaseous diffusion between soil and the atmosphere was eliminated after a period of normal plant growth, the percentages of K and Ca in the tops were reduced while the percentages of these elements increased in the roots. Again, the data indicated a translocation effect resulting from poor aeration.

¹ Journal paper No. 2-55 of the Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. published with permission of the director.

² Instructor, Assistant Professor and Professor, respectively, Ohio State University and Agr. Exp. Sta. The senior author is now Soil Scientist, Soil and Water Conservation Research Branch, A.R.S., U.S.D.A., Beltsville, Md.

Received for publication June 22, 1955.