Influence of iron and pH on the yield and iron, manganese, zinc, and sulfur concentrations of carrots grown on sphagnum peat soil

Abstract

In two greenhouse experiments, sphagnum peat, adjusted to various pH levels, was used to study the effect of various levels of Fe on the growth of carrots (Daucus carota L., var. sativa D.C.). The Fe was added to the medium as sequesterine 330 chelate. Maximum carrot root and top tissue yields were obtained at soil pH 6.6 and 7.1. At soil pH 5.2 and 7.8 the yields were in the intermediate range. The yields were low at pH 4.3, 4.5 and 8.1 and at pH 8.4 the carrots did not grow. The chlorotic symptoms on carrot leaves, accom-panied by reduced yields, were associated with 39 to 82 ppm Fe and > 332 ppm Mn in the leaf and were likely due to Mn toxicity. Toxic levels of Mn in tissue were found even at soil pH 8.1 and were associated with reduced carrot yields. The leaf tissue concentrations of Fe and Mn decreased as the pH of soil increased; however, at pH 5.2, 7.8, and 8.1 the tissue Mn concentration increased. The added Fe had no effect on the Fe concentration but decreased the Mn and Zn concentration of leaf tissue and increased carrot root yields. There was a significant interaction between added lime and Fe, whereby the decrease in leaf tissue Mn concentration and increases in root yields with added Fe were much greater at pH 4.5 and 5.2 than at pH values of 6.6 and 7.8. The S concentration in the leaf tissue decreased with added Fe and lime. The leaf tissue Zn concentrations of 184 to 490 ppm and S concentrations of 0.32 to 0.63%, as found here, are considered to be high but not in the toxic range.