On (20th August 2019), (Prof. Jehad Abbadi) published a new study in (Journal of Plant Nutrition) titled (Mechanisms of potassium uptake efficiency and dynamics in the rhizosphere of safflower and sunflower in different soils). The article aimed to (study potassium uptake efficiency and its dynamics in the rhizosphere of safflower and sunflower when grown in different soils “sandy and loamy” under semi-controlled conditions). The results of this study demonstrated that (Plant species vary in their K use efficiency under different conditions using various strategies. Uptake efficiency depends on plant and soil parameters. Mechanisms related to plant include increasing some traits (root length, specific root density, root-shoot ratio, and K influx) and decreasing others (root diameter, shoot growth rate, and shoot demand on roots). The ability of the crop species to increase K solubility in the rhizosphere (K intensity and capacity) and to deplete more soil solution and extractable K are considered as mechanisms of K uptake efficiency in terms of soil parameters. Under suboptimal K supplies safflower had higher agronomic K efficiency than sunflower in both soils indicated by a greater relative biomass. Safflower had higher relative root length, higher specific root density, thinner roots, but less root shoot ratio in both soils. K influx was similar in both species in loamy soil and safflower was inferior in sandy soil. Although safflower had slower shoot growth rate it had higher shoot demand on root because of the less root length and not having higher K influx. Safflower had similar ability to deplete soil solution in sandy soil and was inferior in loamy soil. Safflower depleted less extractable K from the rhizosphere in both soils as compared to sunflower. Safflower could be considered more efficient than sunflower at suboptimal K supply in sandy and loamy soils in terms of plant parameters and non-efficient in terms of soil parameters. Using different measures of uptake efficiency parameters to differentiate plant species and genotypes to superior and inferior could be in some cases misleading).
For more information about the study, please contact the main author at (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or the scientific research office at (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
