Effects of fertilization, irrigation and crop rotation on the transition and toxic element uptake of corn

Abstract

The effect of fertilization (NPK), irrigation and crop rotation on the transition and toxic element contents of maize (Pannónia hybrid) were studied. In the course of a field plot experiment, samples were taken at four growth stages. After wet digestion, plant samples were analyzed by ICP spectrometer. The effect of fertilization on the zinc, copper, manganese, iron and nickel content and that of irrigation on the copper, zinc and aluminium content are shown in this study. We observed the interrelationship between zinc and copper content and fertilizer rates in early phenophases. At the harvest stage the zinc content was the lowest with triculture. In latter stages the effect of crop rotation on the copper content was increasingly obvious. Fertilizers increased the manganese, iron and nickel content significantly in young plants. The manganese content of young plants was lowest with monoculture and highest with triculture. The nickel content of plants was lowest with triculture. The effect of irrigation was influenced by the crop rotation in the case of zinc, copper and aluminium content, but it affected the element content significantly only in 5-and 10-leaf stages.