Growth response of cabbage plants to lithium, sodium, and rubidium under water culture conditions

Abstract

Abstract Cabbage (B. oleracea L. var. capitata L.) plants wore grown for 79 days in cuture solutions obtaining 4 levels of lithium, 0, 0.1, 1. 10 mel) sodium (0, 0.2. 2, 20, or rubidium , 0, 0.05, 0.5) combined with a low or high supply of potassium(0.2 or 2 mcf/l, and the effects of the cations supplied on the growth and ration composition of the plants were studied. The total dry weight of the plants decreased at higher levels of the cations, especially Li in the culture solution, concurrent with an increaie in the contents of each cation in the plants. The decrease in the dry weight at higher levels was smaller in the high K supply, than in the low supply, causing a decrease in the contents of the cations. The critical contents of Li, Na, and which resulted in a 50° decrease in the dry weight or inner leaves due to excess injury were estimated to be about 0.07, 2.5, and 3.0% on a dry basis in the outer leaves and 0.05, 2.0, and 3.0% in the roots, respectively, regardless of the K supply.