S. Rahman et al., SALINITY INDUCED EFFECTS ON THE NUTRIENT STATUS OF SOIL, CORN LEAVES AND KERNELS, Communications in soil science and plant analysis, 24(17-18), 1993, pp. 2251-2269
The effect of salinity in inducing soil macro and micronutrient defici
encies that can decrease crop growth was evaluated in a com (Zea mays
L.) field located in east central Wyoming. In this study water soluble
Na was found to be a better predictor of salinity than pH and other c
ations. Soil saturated paste extracts had electrical conductivities th
at were negatively correlated with soil total K, Cu, Fe, and Mn. Total
N, NO3-N, PO4-P, Zn, pH, and water soluble Na, Ca, and Mg of the soil
were positively correlated with EC. Significant positive relationship
s existed between soil EC and N, P, Mo, and Zn, and negative relations
hips with K, Cu, Fe, and Mn of com leaves and kernels. Concentrations
of nutrients in the kernels were positively correlated with correspond
ing nutrient concentrations in the leaves and with AB-DTPA extractable
soil nutrients. The analysis of variance of EC data indicated that so
il samples possessing high salinity were higher in pH and contained si
gnificantly higher soluble Na, Ca and Mg, total N, NO3-N, PO4-P, and Z
n and significantly lower Mn compared to samples having low salinity.
The kernel weight per cob and plant height were significantly reduced
as salinity increased.