GROWTH AND MOLYBDENUM CONCENTRATION OF BURLEY TOBACCO AS INFLUENCED BY POTASSIUM, MOLYBDENUM, AND CHLORIDE IN TRANSPLANT FERTILIZER SOLUTIONS

• Published in: Canadian journal of plant science 1983-04, Vol.63 (2), p.531-538
• Main Authors: EIVAZI, F., SIMS, J. L., CASEY, M., JOHNSON, G. D., LEGGETT, J. E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0008-4220; 1918-1833
• DOI: 10.4141/cjps83-063

Burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. ’Ky 14’) was grown in greenhouse and field experiments at Lexington, Kentucky, on Maury silt loam soil (Typic Paleu-dalf) during 1979 and 1980. The purposes of the investigation were to evaluate the effect of liquid fertilizer (grade 10-34-0) with varying sources and amounts of K on growth and Mo uptake by tobacco, and to obtain information useful in developing a transplant fertilizer solution for tobacco production systems. In the field, plants were set by hand and 175 mL of fertilizer solution were applied directly to the root zone of each plant. An increase in dry weight of 19% over the water control was obtained at 50 days from additions of the N-P solution containing a total of 2.77 kg N and P in 378 L of transplant solution. An additional 19% increase in dry weight above the control was obtained from adding KCl (1.76 kg) and Mo (0.026 kg) to 378 L of the above N-P transplant solution. Application of transplant fertilizer markedly affected the Mo concentration of tobacco. Solutions containing KCl and KH 2 PO 4 resulted in highest plant Mo concentrations and those containing K 2 SO 4 had lowest Mo concentration. In the greenhouse, plant Mo concentration increased as rate of CaCl 2 ∙2H 2 O fertilizer increased and the effect of CaCl 2 ∙2H 2 O was greater at high than low additions of Na 2 MoO 4 ∙2H 2 O fertilizer. The mechanism for the positive effect of chloride salts on Mo uptake by plants is unknown.Key words: Tobacco, fertilizer solution, molybdenum, potassium chloride, transplanting