Skip to main content

How does water-stressed corn respond to potassium nutrition? A shoot-root scale approach study under controlled conditions

Publication ,  Journal Article
Jordan-Meille, L; Martineau, E; Bornot, Y; Lavres, J; Abreu-Junior, CH; Domec, JC
Published in: Agriculture (Switzerland)
January 1, 2018

Potassium (K) is generally considered as being closely linked to plant water dynamics. Consequently, reinforcing K nutrition, which theoretically favors root growth and specific surface, extends leaf lifespan, and regulates stomatal functioning, is often used to tackle water stress. We designed a greenhouse pot-scale device to test these interactions on corn (Zea mays L.), and to analyze their links to plant transpiration. Three levels of K nutrition were combined with two water-supply treatments. Shoot and root development and growth were continuously measured during a 60-day-long experiment. Individual plant transpiration was measured by weighing pots and by calculating water mass balances. The results showed that, although K deficiency symptoms resembled those caused by water shortage, there was no advantage to over-fertilizing water-stressed plants. K failed to decrease either the transpiration per unit leaf surface or to improve water use efficiency. The link between K nutrition and plant transpiration appears solely attributable to the effect of K on leaf area. We conclude that K over-fertilization could ultimately jeopardize crops by enhancing early-stage water transpiration to the detriment of later developmental stages.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Agriculture (Switzerland)

DOI

EISSN

2077-0472

Publication Date

January 1, 2018

Volume

8

Issue

11

Related Subject Headings

  • 3004 Crop and pasture production
  • 3002 Agriculture, land and farm management
  • 0701 Agriculture, Land and Farm Management
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Jordan-Meille, L., Martineau, E., Bornot, Y., Lavres, J., Abreu-Junior, C. H., & Domec, J. C. (2018). How does water-stressed corn respond to potassium nutrition? A shoot-root scale approach study under controlled conditions. Agriculture (Switzerland), 8(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8110180
Jordan-Meille, L., E. Martineau, Y. Bornot, J. Lavres, C. H. Abreu-Junior, and J. C. Domec. “How does water-stressed corn respond to potassium nutrition? A shoot-root scale approach study under controlled conditions.” Agriculture (Switzerland) 8, no. 11 (January 1, 2018). https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8110180.
Jordan-Meille L, Martineau E, Bornot Y, Lavres J, Abreu-Junior CH, Domec JC. How does water-stressed corn respond to potassium nutrition? A shoot-root scale approach study under controlled conditions. Agriculture (Switzerland). 2018 Jan 1;8(11).
Jordan-Meille, L., et al. “How does water-stressed corn respond to potassium nutrition? A shoot-root scale approach study under controlled conditions.” Agriculture (Switzerland), vol. 8, no. 11, Jan. 2018. Scopus, doi:10.3390/agriculture8110180.
Jordan-Meille L, Martineau E, Bornot Y, Lavres J, Abreu-Junior CH, Domec JC. How does water-stressed corn respond to potassium nutrition? A shoot-root scale approach study under controlled conditions. Agriculture (Switzerland). 2018 Jan 1;8(11).

Published In

Agriculture (Switzerland)

DOI

EISSN

2077-0472

Publication Date

January 1, 2018

Volume

8

Issue

11

Related Subject Headings

  • 3004 Crop and pasture production
  • 3002 Agriculture, land and farm management
  • 0701 Agriculture, Land and Farm Management