Differential absorption of anions by varieties of cotton.

Abstract

Earlier studies1 have shown that the Egyptian and Upland types of cotton are differentiated with respect to certain physico-chemical properties of the leaf tissue fluids, such as osmotic concentration, specific electrical conductivity and hydrogen-ion concentration.2 The higher specific electrical conductivity of the tissue fluids of the Egyptian, as compared with the Upland type of cotton, evidences for the absorption from the soil and the retention in solution of electrolytes as an important factor in the determination of the higher osmotic concentration of the Egyptian type. Analyses have shown3 that the chloride content is far higher in the Egyptian type.We now note that these two types (closely enough related that at least first, second and third generation hybrids may be secured) are also characterized by differential absorption of sulphates.Table I shows the mean chloride and sulphate contents of two series of about seventy analyses each on plants of Lone StarUpland and Pima Egyptian cotton growing...