Effect of pH and Al3+ concentration on growth of spring brewer’s barley
¹ Sanitary Biology and Biotechnology Department, Bialystok Technical University, Wiejska45E, 15-351, Bialystok, Poland; e-mail: lobodat@vp.pl
² Institute of Agriculture, Suwalki Higher Vocational School, Noniewicza 10, 16-400 Suwalki,Poland; e-mail: elzbietawolejko@wp.pl
Abstract:
The aim of the study was to check reaction of spring brewer’s barley seedlings to the pH and aluminium concentration of the growing medium. Seedlings of four cultivars of barley (Madonna, Orthega, Philadelphia and Rasbet) were grown at 4 levels of pH (3, 4, 5 and 6) and under 3 doses of Al3+ (0, 150 and 300 µmol dm-3). Significant differences in dry matter of roots and shoots were found for the studied cultivars and plants grown at different pH and concentrations of Al3+. Cv. Madonna had the highest tolerance to aluminium ions at low pH (3 and 4) of the medium and also the highest chlorophyll content in the leaves among those studied. With an increase of aluminium concentration, phosphorus content in dry matter of the leaves decreased from 0.66% in control plants to 0.52% under 300 μmol Al3+ dm-3 and the magnesium content decreased from 0.16% in control to 0.12% under 150 μmol Al3+ dm-3 and 0.10% under 300 μmol Al3+ dm-3.
Key words:
aluminium, chlorophyll, malting barley, pH, RGR