THE LOSS OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MATERIALS FROM ABOVE-GROUND PLANT PARTS, WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO DECONTAMINATION OF PARTS UTILIZED FOR FOOD. Progress Report

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4785393

Tukey, Jr, H B

Loss of plant metabolites by leaching of the foliage was investigated. Sr/sup 90/ was found in potato tubers following contamination of the foliage. It is shown that Sr/sup 90/ was leached by rain and deposited in tubers following root absorption of the leachate. Losses of Ca, Mg, P, K, Sr, S, and Rb from a large diversity of plant species were determined by radioisotopic and flame photometric techniques. The results eraphasized that leaching is apparently a wide-spread phenomenon in nature. Leaves of the many plant species are being examined anatomically to determine if any correlation exists between leaching and a particular type of leaf morphology. Plants of Chrysanthemum morifolium were leached throughout a 16-week period to determine whether changes in physiological age and morphological development had any effect on leaching. The change from vegetative to reproductive state and the development of flowers seemed to have no effect on the rate of leaching. However, when plants were injured by cold, losses of all 5 nutrients increased markedly. The nutrition of plants prlor to and during the leaching period influenced the amount of nutrient loss. Using ion exchange and chromatographic techniques, the leachate from young leaves was characterized. (M.C.G.)

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-014386
• OSTI ID: 4785393
• Report Number(s): TID-15368
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ABSORPTION
AGE
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CALCIUM
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CONTAMINATION
ION EXCHANGE
LEACHING
LEAVES
MAGNESIUM
METABOLISM
NUTRITION
PHOSPHORUS
PHOTOMETRY
PHYSIOLOGY
PLANTS
POTASSIUM
POTATOES
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOISOTOPES
RAIN
ROOTS
RUBIDIUM
STRONTIUM
STRONTIUM 90
SULFUR
TEMPERATURE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TUBERS