Seed yield, oil and phytate concentration in the seeds of two oilseed rapecultivars as affected by different phosphorus supply

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted for studying seed and oil yield, P uptake and phytate concentration in the seed of two oilseed rape cultivar s (Brassica napus L. var. Oleifera, cv. Bristol and cv. Lirajet), grown on a soil substrate at different levels of plant available phosphorus (6, 19, 31 and 106 mg P-CAL kg(-1) soil, resp.). All other nutrients were maintaine d at a high level. At maturity, seed yield and seed quality were investigat ed. An increase in the phosphorus soil supply resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) increase in seed and oil yield, oil and P concentration of the seed s, and P transported to the seeds. The phytate-phosphorus concentration ran ged from 0.5 to 6.9 g kg(-1) in the seeds and from 0.9 to 12.8 g kg(-1) in rapeseed meal. Insufficient P supply resulted in a reduced concentration of phosphorus and phytate in the seeds. Significant interactions between the factors cultivar and P supply were found for the traits seed yield, oil yie ld, and P-harvest index. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .