Potassium Deficiency Symptoms Research Articles

Influence of Dietary Potassium on Chick Growth, Food Consumption and Blood and Tissue Composition

DIETARY potassium levels of 1,700 (Ben Dor, 1941) and 2,000 to 2,400 p.p.m. (Gillis, 1948) have been reported as necessary for maximal growth in White Leghorn chicks. Leach et al. (1959) found that male, broiler-type chicks required 2,000 p.p.m. potassium to prevent excessive mortality and 3,000 p.p.m. for optimum growth. The potassium requirement of the chick has been shown to be influenced by growth rate (Burns et al., 1953), protein and energy content of the diet (Leach et al., 1959) and by the phosphorus content of the diet (Gillis, 1948).Potassium deficiency symptoms in the young chick have been reported by Gillis (1948) to include retarded growth and feed consumption, weakness, loss of use of legs and excretion of large amounts of ureates. Death was preceded or accompanied by tetanic seizures in which the muscles were unable to relax. It was reported that the chick maintained an active interest in…

Potassium Depletion in Lactating Dairy Cows

A change-over feeding experiment involving eight individually fed lactating dairy cows was conducted to study potassium deficiency symptoms in lactating cows. Potassium deficient (0.06% and 0.15%K) and potassium adequate (0.80% K) rations were tested and responses to both compared. The deficient animals showed a marked decrease in feed intake, symptoms of pica, loss of hair glossiness, decreased pliability of hides, significantly lower blood plasma and milk potassium, and higher hematocrit readings. A relatively greater decrease of potassium concentration in milk over blood plasma was observed when the deficient ration was fed. Higher and significantly inverse relationships between potassium and sodium content of the milk when fed the deficient ration in contrast to the adequate ration were indicated. The reduced potassium and simultaneous increase in sodium elimination through milk probably helped the animal maintain a higher level of tissue potassium. Total cationic concentrations (K+ + Na+ + Mg++) in milk, blood plasma, and whole blood remained essentially the same, during both periods.

Differing efficiencies of potassium utilization in strains of Snapbeans,Phaseolus Vulgaris L.

The capacities of sixty-six strains of snapbeans to grow in potassium-deficient media were compared in nutrient culture experiments. Marked differences were observed, particularly in the severity of potassium-deficiency symptoms. From this initial screening, two of the most efficient strains and three of the most inefficient were selected for detailed nutritional and genetic studies. The unusual capacity of some strains to produce normal growth under potassium deficiency was not due to greater seed size or to greater size and competitive ability of the root systems. Marked differences in the strains persisted even when grown in separate culture tanks and with differences in seed content of potassium compensated for in the total potassium supply. Variations in efficiency of potassium utilization were not associated with higher levels of potassium in efficient plants, and they did not appear to be associated with substitution of sodium for potassium. The importance of this investigation in indicating the possibilities for developing strains and varieities of crop plants particularly adapted for low-fertility soils or other unusual nutritional environments is discussed briefly.

MINERAL NUTRITION OF CACAO (THEOBROMA CACAO L.).COMPARISON OF PLANT GROWTH AND NUTRIENT CONTENT OF LEAVES OF SIX C.R.I. VARIETIES GROWN IN OPTIMUM AND DEFICIENT CONDITIONS IN SAND CULTURE

The early growth of six cacao varieties important in the breeding program of the Cocoa Research Institute was investigated in sand cultures supplied with optimum and deficient levels of plant nutrients. The varieties tested were the Amazon selections Nanay (Ny) and Parinari (Pa), West African Amelonado (A), and their hybrids, NyA, PaA, and NyPa. Varieties Ny, NyA, and NyPa had similar growth patterns and were the fastest growing; varieties PaA and Pa were similar and the next best; and A was the slowest growing. In the control solutions variety Pa was larger than variety A, but in all deficient nutrient treatments except the calcium-deficient one, the two varieties grew to equal size.Nutrient levels in the leaves did not vary greatly between varieties, and apparently were not correlated with plant growth. The larger, more vigorous varieties had a higher percentage of small lateral absorbing roots than did the less vigorous varieties.The Amazon varieties Ny and Pa grew significantly less in the potassium-deficient nutrient solution than did the Amelonado variety A when compared with their controls. In addition, the symptoms of potassium deficiency exhibited by the Amazon varieties were more severe than those of the Amelonado variety.

Body Potassium Content in Obese Subjects and Potassium Depletion During Prolonged Fasting

Serum potassium levels of the starving obese subjects studied decreased only slightly and did not necessarily mirror tissue depletion. Renal potassium loss was variable in different subjects. Losses were high during the first three weeks, decreasing gradually, but complete renal conservation could not be attained regardless of the length of the starvation period. During this initial phase of the starvation period, potassium could not be liberated from catabolized protein in quantities sufficient to prevent tissue depletion, but definite clinical symptoms of potassium deficiency did not develop. Urinary potassium to nitrogen ratios varied greatly. The highest ratios (4:1) were observed in patients who had not received potassium supplements; the lowest ratios, based on balance data, occurred in those patients who had had a preliminary adaptive period on a low calorie diet and were given potassium supplements during starvation. Total body K40cannot be used as a measure of body potassium in obese subjects unless a graduated correction factor based on the degree of obesity is employed. Applying this factor, most obese subjects are found to have increased body potassium.

Powdery mildew of tobacco (Erysiphe cichoracearum DC.)

SUMMARYPercentage germination, and growth of hyphae from single conidia of Erysiphe cichoracearum DC., were measured on leaf discs from topped and intact tobacco plants, grown in aerated nutrient solutions consisting of basal medium plus large or small amounts of potassium. The effect of supplying sodium was also studied. Discs were incubated on water and on 10% sucrose solution. Changes in free amino nitrogen and carbohydrate in comparable uninfected leaf discs, before and after incubation, were also measured.Potassium deficiency resulted in more free amino nitrogen and soluble carbohydrate and less insoluble carbohydrate, per cm.2 of leaf. Spore germination was not greatly affected by treatments, though it was usually less on discs from potassium‐deficient leaves. The pathogen grew slower on potassium‐deficient leaf discs, whether they were incubated on water or on sucrose.Incubating discs from some leaves on sucrose, compared with water, gave greatly increased sugar content and less fungal growth; discs from other leaves had a much smaller increase in sugar, and hyphal length was similar to that on discs incubated on water.Sodium, when potassium was scarce, increased potassium deficiency symptoms, free amino nitrogen and sugar content, and resistance to powdery mildew.

Balance between Potassium and Phosphorus in the Nutrition of Barley

Potassium-deficient barley accumulates the amines agmatine and putrescine, the latter of which is known to produce necrotic spots on the leaves in some seasons. The severity of potassium deficiency symptoms is strongly influenced by the external level of phosphorus. An experiment was conducted in water culture, using two-week-old barley to discover whether amine accumulation was similarly affected. Four levels of potassium —1/64, 1/6, 1/4, and 1/1 of full supply—were combined factorially with the same levels of phosphorus, the diagonal in this design being a series of ‘balanced’ solutions in which potassium and phosphorus were present in the same ratio as in the full nutrient. The plants were sampled three times during the ten-week period of growth, and the form of the results was similar each time. Whenever potassium was reduced, putrescine content rose above normal, but for large amounts of putrescine to be accumulated, phosphorus supply had to be in excess of potassium. The highest levels of agmatine were also found where potassium was low and phosphorus in excess, but significant accumulations also developed whenever phosphorus was low relative to potassium, that is, where high levels of potassium were observed in the plants. Since agmatine and putrescine are very closely related biochemically and together make up 90 per cent of the amine content of barley, the influence of potassium and phosphorus on their summed content was considered. Potassium was found to have the dominant effect: at any one level of phosphorus supply, the summed content was minimal at the highest level of potassium, and reduction in potassium always increased it. The effect of phosphorus depended on the degree of imbalance between potassium and phosphorus in the nutrient. High summed contents were found where either potassium or phosphorus was present in excess, and minimum content was found where the levels were balanced. There were significant partial correlations between summed amine content and the potassium and phosphorus contents of the plants. The high significance of correlations between amine content and the proportion of dead and moribund shoot material suggested that amine accumulation might be partly responsible for the rapid death of the leaves of the deficient plants as well as for the production of necroses, which are only limited in area.

Molybdenum Content of Corn Plants Exhibiting Varying Degrees of Potassium Deficiency

Leaves from corn plants exhibiting symptoms of potassium deficiency contain considerable concentrations of molybdenum. Applications of potassium fertilizer corrected the deficiency, and a significant reduction in the molybdenum content of the leaves occurred. This inverse relation between potassium and molybdenum has not been reported previously.

Molybdenum Content of Corn Plants Exhibiting Varying Degrees of Potassium Deficiency

Leaves from corn plants exhibiting symptoms of potassium deficiency contain considerable concentrations of molybdenum. Applications of potassium fertilizer corrected the deficiency, and a significant reduction in the molybdenum content of the leaves occurred. This inverse relation between potassium and molybdenum has not been reported previously.

Effects of Gibberellic Acid on Soybeans Grown at Different Levels of Nitrogen, Potassium, or Phosphorus

Nutrient experiments, in which various concentrations of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus were supplied, indicated that the pale-green color of plant tissue induced by applications of gibberellic acid (GA) could not be counteracted by increasing the available concentration of any of these elements singly. Characteristic chlorosis of the lower leaves was exhibited by those untreated and GA-treated plants receiving the low level of nitrogen. Typical potassium deficiency symptoms developed only in the GA-treated plants. These symptoms were slower to appear and less severe as the concentration of potassium applied to GAtreated plants increased. The amount of phosphorus in plant tissue was slightly less in GA-treated plants as compared to untreated ones receiving the same concentration of the element. The uniform pale-green color of GA-treated plants was not identical with characteristic deficiency symptoms of any of the three elements varied in this investigation.

Effect of Various Levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium on Seed Production and Germination of Matthiola incana

An inbred line of ever sporting Matthiola incana (L.) R. Br. was used to test the effects of three levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on seed production. The nutrient levels established did not produce extreme deficiencies or severely limit the growth of the plants. N2 resulted in the tallest plants, averaging 11.8 cm taller than N1 and 4.7 cm taller than N3. Plants deficient in potassium or on a high ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus to potassium showed typical potassium-deficiency symptoms at the time of flowering. The differences in number of seed from the low, medium, and high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium considered separately and in interaction were highly significant. The highest number was obtained from a high level of potassium and low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Medium and high levels of nitrogen resulted in more vigorous growth with lower seed production than the low level of nitrogen. The number of seed per flower showed the same response as the number of seed ...

Effect of Potassium & Other Univalent Cations on Activity of Pyruvate Kinase in Pisum sativum

Potassium is a major component of both plant and animal organisms, yet information on the role of this element in metabolism is limited. A compilation (1) of the inorganic composition of many plant species reveals that a major portion of normal leaves contain from 1 to 4 % K+ on a dry weight basis. Potassium deficiency symptoms are noted when the K+ contents of leaves range from 0.1 to 1.3 % of their dry matter. There are many general statements (3) to the effect that K+, Na+, and other ions that are present in biological materials in high concentrations function in the osmotic regulation of tissue fluids. Undoubtedly this is an important role of the so-called bulk ions, but relatively recent biochemical investigations (3) have provided convincing evidence that a series of enzyme systems require K+, NH4+ or Rb+ for activity and that the concentration of these ions needed for maximum reaction velocities is in the same range as the concentration of K+ in normal biological materials. Pyruvate kinase was one of the first enzyme systems shown to require a univalent cation. Initial experiments by Boyer, et al., (2) and further investigations by Lardy and Ziegler (6) and Kachmar and Boyer (5) provided evidence that either K+, NH4+ or Rb + was essential for the activity of pyruvate kinase from animal sources. Sodium ions activated the enzyme slightly and Li+ and Ca++ were inhibitory. Miller and Evans (9) demonstrated that pyruvate kinase from a series of higher plants also require K+, NH4+ or Rb+ and that a concentration near 0.04 N was necessary for maximum reaction velocity. Several attempts have been made by the author to determine the effect of K+ deficiency in higher plants on pyruvate kinase in tissue extracts. In all cases, crude extracts of the species investigated contained an active phosphatase which catalyzed the hydrolysis of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). The enzymic cleavage of the substrate for pyruvate kinase has prevented an accurate determination of the activity of this enzyme. McCollum, et al. (8) also have observed appreciable phosphatase activity in their investigations of the pyruvate kinase in higher plant species. A possible means of inhibiting certain plant phosphatases is suggested by the work of Spencer (10) who found that low concentrations of molybdate inhibited the hydrolysis of a series of phosphate esters by an acid phosphatase from tomato. Phosphoenolpyruvate was not used as a substrate for the phosphatase in Spencer's investigations. The purpose of the experiments reported here was to develop procedures that will allow valid pyruvate kinase assays in crude extracts of higher plants and to determine the effect of a range of K + and other univalent cation concentrations in nutrient media on the pyruvate kinase activity of cell-free extracts of the pea plant.

SOME EFFECTS OF FERTILIZATION ON THE YIELD, BOTANICAL AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF IRRIGATED GRASS AND GRASS-CLOVER PASTURE SWARDS

In an irrigated pasture experiment on Vancouver Island, on a soil deficient in available nitrogen and potassium but apparently containing sufficient available phosphorus, calcium and magnesium for adequate plant growth, an irrigated Ladino clover-grass mixture greatly outproduced a grass mixture on a forage, protein and mineral nutrient yield basis. In order to attain even a moderate yield with a grass mixture, heavy fertilization with nitrogen and potassium was necessary. Nitrogen fertilization was not essential to high yields with the Ladino clover-grass mixture. Nitrogen fertilization tended to decrease the per cent Ladino clover and the protein and calcium content in the clover-grass forage and increased the protein content of the grass herbage. The calcium content of the grass herbage was decreased by nitrogen fertilization. The phosphorus and magnesium contents of the clover-grass and grass herbage were not appreciably altered by nitrogen fertilization. Decreasing the time interval between nitrogen applications resulted in a more even production of dry matter over the growing season but did not increase the total seasonal yield. Potassium fertilization increased the yield of both mixtures and increased the per cent clover in the grass-clover sward. Multi-annual potassium applications were required for the elimination of plant potassium deficiency symptoms and the applied potassium was quickly absorbed by the plants. Grass herbage contained more potassium, slightly more phosphorus and less calcium, magnesium and nitrogen than grass-clover herbage.

Mineral deficiency symptoms of the oil palm

Young oil palms in sand culture experiment developed symptoms of nitrogen, potassium and magnesium deficiencies involving a homogeneous yellowing, a marginal yellowing and an orange chlorosis respectively. All these deficiencies resulted in poor growth and a reduced root development. A further experiment showed that Little Leaf Disease was caused by boron deficiency. Magnesium and potassium deficiency symptoms were also induced in this experiment. Sulphur deficiency symptoms, consisting of a yellowing of the young leaves, an interveinal chlorosis and necrosis, were induced in a factorial sand culture experiment and a second missing element trial. Insufficient available nitrogen, potassium, magnesium and boron all have an adverse effect on the production of inflorescences.

The relative proportions of the chloroplast pigments as influenced by different levels of iron and potassium supply

1. Potato plants were grown in pot sand cultures at different levels of iron and potassium supply. Plants grown at the lowest level of iron developed iron deficiency chlorosis and potassium deficiency symptoms when maintained at the lowest level of potassium but not at the highest level. 2. Rapid procedures were developed for the extraction and estimation of chloroplast pigments from small samples of lamina—usually less than 1 g of fresh material. 3. The expression of pigment content on an area basis gave results which were in better agreement with visual observations than those expressed on either fresh or dry weight basis. 4. Both iron and potassium additions increased the chloroplast pigment content. Leaves exhibiting iron deficiency contained reduced quantities of all pigments per unit area of lamina. 5. A linear relationship existed between chlorophyll and carotene, chlorophyll and xanthophyll, and carotene and xanthophyll contents. 6. The results suggested that laminae completely deficient in chlorophyll would contain no carotene but might still contain xanthophyll. 7. The relative proportions of chlorophyll, carotene and xanthophyll do not remain constant under varying conditions of iron status. When iron is deficient the proportion of xanthophyll increased in relation to the chlorophyll and carotene contents.

Estudos sobre o «vermelhão» do algodoeiro (III)

In several cotton crops areas of the State of S. Paulo it was observed, during the years of 1948, 1949, and 1951, the appearance of a purple color of the leaves; the color appears in the opening of the bolls and was correlated with a decrease of production. The opinions concerning the cause of such abnormality were very different and sometimes contradictory; certain investigators attributed the disease to insect attack, others to bad climatic conditions whereas others to a potassium deficiency now called fome de potassio (potash hunger); our ideas on the subject is another one. We think that the disease is caused by lack of a suitable supply of magnesium. This opinion is largely based on the syntomatology found in the literature. To study the problem, several experiments were carried out, namely: 1. pot experiments using soil collected in areas where the disorder had appeared; 2. pot experiments controlling the water supply; 3. sand culture experiments omitting either potassium or magnesium; 4. leaf analysis of plant matrial collected troughout the Piracicaba County; 5. plot experiments with the varieties Texas, Express, and I.A. 817 Campinas. The first four experiments were discussed elsewhere. To study the point 5 an experiment was carried out, with the following treatments : 1 - NPKCaMg (no K added) - Mg supplied as MgSO4 (a soluble form); 2 -NPKCa (no Mg added); 3 -NPKCaMg (complete) - Mg supplied as MgSO4; 4 - NPKCaMg (complete) - Mg supplied as dolomitic limestone (a slightly soluble form) as a rate 2.5 higher than in the treatment 1 and 3. Organic matter as cottonseed meal was applied in the proportion of 500 kg per hectare. The experimental design was randomized blocks with 4 replications and the results can be summarized as follows: 1 the I.A 817 variety was the most strongly affected by the physiological disorder, with severe decrease in yield; 2. the disease occurred more frequently in the minus magnesium treatment; 3. dolomitic limestone is so effective as magnesium sulfate in the control of the disease as well in the raising of the yield; 4. in the minus K treatment it was observed a marked occurrence of the typical symptoms of potassium deficiency (cotton rust); 5. magnesium was actually, in the experimental conditions the responsible for the purple color (vermelhao) of the cotton leaves.

EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM ON CHLOROPHYLL, ACIDITY, ASCORBIC ACID, AND CARBOHYDRATES OF ANANAS COMOSUS (L.) MERR

A study concerned with the effects of iron on chlorophyll, acidity, ascorbic acid, and carbohydrate fractions of Ananas comosus was reported in a previous publication (35). Also, the effects of different amounts of potassium on growth and ash constituents of the same plants were reported in a former paper of this series (36). This study is concerned with the effects of potassium on chlorophyll, acidity, ascorbic acid, and different carbohydrate fractions of the same plants. The literature pertaining to the effects of potassium on chlorophyll emphasizes the fact that potassium deficiency may cause chlorophyll breakdown with the subsequent development of brown spots and leaf necrosis comparable to those observed in A. comosus. Wall (46) has recognized in tomatoes two types of potassium deficiency symptoms : the first stage marked by a stunted, hard, yellow plant was associated with a high carbohydrate content; and the second, in which the carbohydrate content had greatly diminished, the plant began to grow, turned green, became soft, and at the same time the lower leaves commenced to die progressively up the stem. Richards and Templeman (31) claim that symptoms of potassium deficiency in barley may either be a light yellow color of leaves associated with succulence and rapid death of the leaves or a dark green associated with white or brown spots on the leaves. According to Rohde (32), leaves of plants adequately supplied with potassium are yellowish green, while those deficient in potassium are deep green and contain more chlorophyll. No yellow color was observed in the leaves of A. comosus supplied with the low amounts of potassium indicated in this study, but instead a deep green color with a few brown spots and leaf tip necrosis was extensive in old leaves. Our information pertaining to the effects of potassium on ascorbic acid is meager. However, ascorbic acid and total carboxylic acid reserves were closely associated with the chlorophyllose tissues of the plant (35, 37, 39). Comparable relationships between ascorbic acid and chlorophyllose tissues were shown by Giroud (6, 7, 8) for other plants. Ascorbic acid, according to Guha and Ghosh (11), is synthesized in Phaseolus mungo from mannose by an enzyme at pH 5.8 but not at 7.4. Ascorbic acid in the fruit of A. sativus, a synonym of A. comosus (L.) Merr., described as a reducing factor first by Szent-Gy?rgyi (42), was reported to occur in fair concentrations ? Published with the approval of the Acting Director as -Technical Paper no. 161 of the Pineapple Research Institute, University of Hawaii.

Composition of the Tomato Plant as Influenced by Nutrient Supply, in Relation to Fruiting

1. Tomato plants were grown through the fruiting stage under greenhouse conditions in soil, sand, and large-scale water cultures, with nutrient solutions of varying composition. 2. The composition of the fruit with respect to constituents derived through absorption by roots was, in contrast to the modifiable composition of foliage, on the whole little affected by the kind of nutrient medium in which the plants grew. The composition was also not found to be materially altered in water-culture experiments in which the total concentration and relative proportions of nutrients were varied. Marked reduction was found in the potassium or phosphorus content of fruit developed on plants grown in a potassium- or phosphorus-deficient nutrient solution. 3. On a percentage dry-weight basis the concentration of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and nitrogen was markedly lower in the fruit than in the leaf, and the relative proportions of these nutrients were strikingly altered. 4. The manual removal of flowers in plants grown in a complete nutrient solution resulted in distinct alterations in growth, shown by thickening of stems and leaves, proliferation of new growing points at the leaf axils, and emergence on the stem of rootlike structures. Defloration was found to be associated with marked accumulation of starch in all tissues and of sugars and organic nitrogen in the stems and petioles. However, defloration was not found to influence materially the composition of foliage with respect to phosphorus, calcium, or magnesium. The potassium content of the petioles was higher in the fruitful plants, but no marked difference was found in the potassium content of leaf blades. 5. Defloration of plants kept in a potassium-deficient nutrient solution delayed the onset of potassium-deficiency symptoms and was associated with a higher potassium content in the young leaves of the deflowered than in the fruitful plants. The otherwise low potassium content of leaves showed an increasing upward gradient as contrasted with a downward gradient in plants grown in a complete nutrient solution. Downward calcium and magnesium gradients found in plants grown in complete nutrient were also found in leaves of potassium-deficient plants, but the latter had a higher content of these elements in the fruitful than in the deflowered plants. 6. Defloration of plants kept in a phosphorus-deficient nutrient solution delayed the onset of phosphorus-deficiency symptoms and was associated with a higher phosphorus content in the young leaves of the deflowered plants. The otherwise low phosphorus content of leaves from all phosphorus-deficient plants, whether fruitful or deflowered, showed-in contrast with the control plants-increasing upward gradient. 7. Several general considerations are given on the relation of the external nutrient supply and fruiting to the distribution of nutrients within the plant.