Differential Response of Two Maize Inbreds to Molybdenum Stress

Authors:
  • JBJ. C. Brown
    J. C. Brown
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Abstract
This study was done to determine why Pa36 maize failed to grow and WH maize grew well on acid Bladen soil. The soil is known to be relatively high in Al which often interferes with P uptake and utilization by plants. We were surprised that Pa36 grew so poorly because Pa36 utilized P more efficiently than WH when the two inbreds were subjected to P stress associated with Al toxicity in nutrient solutions. The slight chlorosis and twisting of Pa36 leaves looked very much like cooper deficiency symptoms in barley and wheat, but adding copper to the soil did not correct the symptoms. Spectographic analysis of the plant material showed that Mo concentrations in Pa36 leaves were lower than in those of WH. Adding Mo to the soil corrected the deficiency. The Modeficient Pa36 contained higher concentrations of nitrate than WH, but the nitrate contents of Mo‐sufficient Pa36 and WH were approximately equal. The Mo in the seed could not account for the difference in growth and Mo content of the two inbreds. We conclude that WH has the ability to take up more Mo than Pa36 from the acid Bladen soil.