Variation in nitrogen and mineral composition in populations of prairie grass ( Bromus unioloides H.B.K.)

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Abstract
Twelve lines of prairie grass ( Bromus unioloides H.B.K.), most of them selected for high yield of foliage, were measured for concentrations of 15 major and minor elements in the harvest of foliage taken during spring growth. Significant differences (about twofold) between lines were obtained in the concentrations of sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, phosphorus, iron, manganese, zinc, iodine, and silicon, but not for potassium, chlorine, total nitrogen, nitrate‐nitrogen, and copper. A significance test was not obtained for selenium. There were significant negative regressions of element concentration, on dry weight of foliage harvested, for calcium, magnesium, total nitrogen, and phosphorus. When the 12 populations were compared for total amounts of these elements present in the harvested foliage, they differed significantly only for sodium and phosphorus. The organic anion content, as measured by the total cation minus anion content for the major inorganic elements, was very low in all lines. In the second experiment 129 lines of Bromus species, mostly prairie grass, were measured twice for magnesium content, as spaced plants. Both harvests, in spring and summer respectively, gave a significant twofold variation in line means. The linear regression of magnesium content on harvest dry weight was not significant in either season. The summer levels of magnesium averaged 18% higher than those in spring, and the correlation coefficient between spring and summer levels in a plant was significant but low.

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