Studies on the variation of macro nutrient level uptake of maize plants stem with age
Egwaikhide, P.A.; Odilora, C.A.; Akporhonor, E.E.
Journal of Food Technology 3(3): 350-352
2005
Document Number: 260074
Variation of macronutrient level uptake of maize plant stem was studied at three different stages of growth namely; 30, 45 and 60 days after planting. The physico-chemical characteristics of the soil supporting the growth were determined by standard methods described in the literature. Results obtained in this study show that the soil was slightly acidic and sandy loam in texture. The exchangeable potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) in the soil had the mean values of 0.18 meq/100 g, 1.00 meq/100 g and 0.20 meq/100 g soil, respectively. The effect cation exchange capacity of the soil had a mean value of 1.64 meq/100 g soil. The exchange acidity content had a mean value of 0.10 meq/100 g soil while the carbon content was (0.078%). The soil contained low levels of nitrogen (N) (0.076%) and phosphorus (P) (4.41 ppm), respectively. The levels of N, P and K in the stem were found to decrease from second to the third stages of growth while there was slight increase for N and P from the first to the second stages of growth with K level remaining constant within period. There was a decrease in the levels of Ca, Na and Mg in the stem from the first to the second stages of growth, which tended to increase again for only Ca and Mg during the final stages of growth.