Growth Behavior, Nitrogen-Form Effects on Phosphorus Acquisition, and Phosphorus–Zinc Interactions in Brassica Cultivars under Phosphorus-Stress Environment

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) interact both in plants and soils and hence may affect the availability and utilization of each other. To investigate P and Zn nutritional status and P–Zn interactions, two genetically diverse Brassica cultivars classified as P tolerant (Brown Raya) and P sensitive (Sultan Raya) were grown in a sand-based pot culture. Jordan rock phosphate (RP) and monocalcium phosphate [Ca(H2PO4)2] were used as P sources, and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) or nitrate (NO3 --) only were used as nitrogen (N) sources. Two Zn levels [0.25 (low Zn) and 2.5 (high Zn) mg zinc sulfate (ZnSO4·5H2O) kg−1 sand, respectively] were applied along with recommended doses of other essential nutrients in the culture media. Cultivars differed significantly for their response to added P for biomass accumulation, but Zn supply had little effect. Cultivar Brown Raya had greater P uptake and P-utilization efficiency (PUE) than Sultan Raya under a P-stress environment, irrespective of Zn and N supply. Zinc supply had little effect on tissue P concentration and P uptake per unit of root dry matter (RDM) in either cultivar, irrespective of N supply. An increase in P supply caused a significant reduction in specific Zn uptake (Zn uptake per unit of RDM; SZnU) and tissue Zn concentration of both cultivars. The reduction in tissue Zn concentration cannot be ascribed entirely to a dilution effect. Zinc concentrations and uptake by P-efficient cultivar Brown Raya were significantly lower and more sensitive to P uptake than those of P-sensitive Sultan Raya cultivar. It is suggested that high PUE may depress plant Zn uptake and therefore cause a reduction in Zn concentration of Brassica grown in low-P and possibly low-Zn soils. In NH4NO3 nutrition, plants had significantly lower cation concentrations compared to NO3 -- nutrition only. Brown Raya consistently had lower cation concentrations than Sultan Raya under P stress. The differences in cation concentrations decreased with increased P availability, but Zn supply had no significant effect. In Brown Raya, the ratio of potassium in roots to shoots was always greater than in Sultan Raya. This suggested that lower cation concentrations in Brown Raya were due to root carboxylate exudations, which in turn were related to better P acquisition and PUE under insufficiently buffered P-stress environment.