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The Role of Mycorrhizae in the Interactions of Phosphorus with Zinc, Copper, and Other Elements¹

ABSTRACT

Mycorrhizae increase the uptake of Zn and Cu by many plants, but mycorrhizal activity is suppressed by P fertilization. Soybean (Glycine max Mer.) and two lines of corn (Zea mays L.) were used to determine if this mechanism is a major cause of P-induced Zn and Cu deficiencies. Shoot dry weights and concentrations or total uptake of P, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, K, Ca and Mg were determined for mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants given 0, 25, 75, or 200 ppm P. Phosphorus fertilization significantly reduced Zn and Cu concentrations in mycorrhizal soybeans, but concentrations in nonmycorrhizal treatments were not affected. Concentrations of Zn and Cu in mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal corn were reduced by P fertilization, but the reduction for mycorrhizal plants was significantly greater than the decrease for nonmycorrhizal plants. Reductions in Zn and Cu concentrations in nonmycorrhizal corn were the result of a dilution effect and could be attributed to increased plant size rather than increased P fertility per se. The concentrations of the other analyzed elements were all affected by P level and/or mycorrhizal condition. In general, mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal dry weights and element concentrations converged as soil P was increased. Patterns of response to P and mycorrhizae differed slightly between corn lines, and such differences were marked for certain elements when corn was compared with soybean.

¹ Contribution no. 1064, Dep. of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania Agric. Exp. Stn. Authorized for publication 6 Feb. 1979 as Journal Series Paper no. 5673.

² Instructor, Professor of Agronomy, and Professor of Plant Pathology, respectively, The Pennsylvania State Univ., Univ. Park, PA 16802.

Received for publication February 13, 1979. Accepted for publication May 21, 1979.