Effects of controlled levels of sulfur dioxide on the nutrient quality of western wheatgrass and prairie June grass

Book · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6847137

Schwartz, C C; Lauenroth, W K; Heitschmidt, R K

Effects of low level (0, 2, 5, and 10 pphm) sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) fumigation on nutrient quality of western wheatgrass and prairie June grass were investigated. Analyses indicated significantly higher levels of sulfur on fumigated vs. control plots. Accumulation rates of sulfur in tissues were greatest in the high treatment (0.0022%/day) followed by the medium (0.0015%/day) and low (0.0002%/day) treatments. Concentrations of sulfur in control plants did not change with time. Ash concentrations paralleled sulfur concentrations and major increases in ash content of plant tissue were attributed to the increased levels of sulfur. Crude protein levels varied seaonally, regardless of fumigation level, with the highest concentrations in May and the lowest in August. There were significantly lower levels of crude protein on treatment plots fumigated for 2 years compared to controls. This significant reduction was attributed to SO/sub 2/ fumigation. Cell-wall constituent analysis indicated SO/sub 2/ fumigation did not measurably alter the fiber content of plant tissue. Digestion of dry matter was significantly higher on treatments fumigated for one year than those fumigated for two years. In general, digestion of dry matter paralleled crude protein concentrations. 24 references, 4 figures, 5 tables.

• OSTI ID: 6847137
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ASHES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CEREALS
CHALCOGENIDES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FUMIGANTS
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
NONMETALS
NUTRIENTS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
PLANT TISSUES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
RESIDUES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
TISSUES
TOXICITY
WHEAT