Effects of CO2enrichment, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization during the nursery period on mineral composition of celery

Abstract

Abstract This experiment aimed at determining the effects of pretranspianting nutritional conditioning (PNC) on celery elemental composition at planting and harvest time. Celery seedlings (Apium graveolens L. cv. Florida 683) were fertilized with complete nutrient solutions at 3 concentrations of urea nitrogen and 3 concentrations of phosphorus in factorial combination, both with or without atmospheric CO2 enrichment. They were then planted in a muck soil and harvested at the end of July. CO2 enrichment decreased N, P, K, Mg and B concentrations in seedling shoot. It reduced N and K and increased Mg, but had no effect on P, Ca and B concentrations in roots. Nitrogen fertilization increased N concentration in shoot and roots but decreased P, K and Ca concentration in roots. The low urea‐N level resulted in low shoot P concentration. Phosphorus fertilization increased P concentration in seedling shoot and roots but depressed K in shoot. Maximum Ca and Mg concentrations in shoot were measured at low P fertilization. At harvest, shoot N concentration was found to have increased linearly with the P fertilization rate provided during seedling preparation. Therefore, PNC can modify the nutritional status of celery plants not only at planting time but also for the entire growing season.