Abstract
Mineral nutrients play important roles in the growth and metabolism of Ephedra intermedia, and are affected by soil factors. Fifteen elements were measured from wild E. intermedia as well as their growing soils using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy to investigate the influences and characteristics of herb elements. The pH, cation exchange capacity, humus and soil mechanical composition were also determined in rhizosphere soils. Results showed that E. intermedia stems contained high N, low P concentrations in macronutrients and high Fe in micronutrients, and enriched N, S, Cl, P and Sr from soils. The 15 herb elements were affected by one or more soil factors, and K, P, Zn, Fe and Mn were important soil elements that influenced the mineral accumulation of E. intermedia. This study was useful for the artificial cultivation of wild E. intermedia.
Highlights
Mineral nutrients play important roles in the growth and metabolism of Ephedra intermedia, and are affected by soil factors
The cation exchange capacity (CEC) was the supreme quantity of cations at a certain soil pH level[39] and contributed to the soils’ potential information to adsorb or release c ations[19]
Phosphorous, potassium, copper and molybdenum in E. intermedia were influenced to a greater extent by soil elements than other elements
Summary
Mineral nutrients play important roles in the growth and metabolism of Ephedra intermedia, and are affected by soil factors. The 15 herb elements were affected by one or more soil factors, and K, P, Zn, Fe and Mn were important soil elements that influenced the mineral accumulation of E. intermedia. Soil type and composition influence the physiological processes of mineral nutrient adsorption, distribution and accumulation of p lants[20,21,22,23]. We (1) measured 15 mineral nutrient concentrations in the dried herbaceous stem of E. intermedia and its growing soil; (2) determined soil pH, CEC, humus, sand, silt and clay concentration; (3) investigated the characteristics of elements in E. intermedia and soil samples; (4) studied the relationship between plant elements and soil factors and (5) revealed the important soil factors influencing mineral accumulation in E. intermedia
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