Phosphorus nutrition of jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) seedlings - Use of bark for diagnosing phosphorus deficiency

B. Dell, S. Jones, S. A. Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Effects of calcium phosphate supply on plant dry matter and phosphorus concentrations of parts of jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) seedlings grown in a lateritic topsoil from the jarrah forest were examined in two glasshouse trials. Phosphorus deficiency depressed root and shoot dry weights and severely deficient leaves were smal and purple with prominent red major veins. Phosphorus deficiency severely reduced stem phosphorus levels (0.5% to 0.02%, experiment 1). Phosphorus concentrations were higher in bark than wood and the amount of phosphorus in the bark was sensitive to stem age and phosphate supply. Phosphorus adequate plants had bark phosphorus concentrations in the range 0.2-0.9% compared to <0.1% in deficient plants (experiment 2). Jarrah leaves accumulated dry matter up to 80 days after expansion and some leaves exported phosphorus during this period. Bark analysis may therefore be preferable to leaf analysis for detecting phosphorus deficiency in this species.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)369-379
Number of pages11
JournalPlant and Soil
Volume97
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 1987

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