Abstract
Apple seedlings (Malus domestica Borkh.) were grown at high (256 mg L−1) and low 32 mg L−1) Ca concentration in Long Ashton nutrient solutions at 8, 12, 16 and 20 °C root temperature. Top and root dry weight of seedlings increased as temperature increased. Leaf Ca, K and Mn concentrations increased with root temperature from 12 to 20 °C. Leaf Zn concentration decreased over the same temperature range at low solution Ca concentration, leaf Mg concentration was lowest at 16 °C while leaf Fe was unaffected by temperature. In further experiments, seedlings were grown at 12 and 16 °C root temperatures at five concentration ratios of Ca:K (4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4) and five concentration ratios of K:Mg (17:1, 10:1,4:1,2:1 and 2:3) in nutrient solution. Seedling growth was higher at 16 °C and varied inversely with K:Mg ratio but was unaffected by Ca:K ratio. Leaf Ca concentration increased with temperature regardless of nutrient solution composition. Leaf K concentration increased with temperature over the range of Ca:K ratios but not over the range of K:Mg ratios. Leaf Mg concentration was unaffected by temperature. These data show that leaf Ca, Mg and K concentration increase in response to their respective availabilities in solution, being most pronounced for Mg and least for Ca.Key words: Apple seedlings, root temperature, nutrient solution, leaf Ca, Mg and K, Malus domestica
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