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Redistribution of Nutrient Elements in Corn (Zea mays L.): I. N, P, K, Ca and Mg Redistribution in the Absence of Nutrient Accumulation after Silking¹

ABSTRACT

The redistribution of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg by corn from its vegetative parts to the developing ear was measured. This was accomplished by comparing a set of plants grown outdoors and harvested approximately 12 days after silking with a similar set of plants whose nutrient supply was cut off at the same time but which were allowed to grow to maturity. The increase in dry weight of ears between the first and second harvest was 174 g. The mean ear weight of the plants comprising the second harvest was 219 g.

Chemical analysis of the various plant parts permitted a measure of the losses and gains of mineral elements from the first to second harvests. Of the total present in all vegetative plant parts at harvest 1, the following percentages of the various plant nutrients had moved out of the vegetative parts by harvest 2: N, 65%; P, 76%; K, 23%; Ca, 0%; Mg, 45%: If all the plant nutrients redistributed from the vegetative parts between harvest 1 and 2 moved to the developing ear, the following percentages of the nutrients in the mature ear were supplied by the redistribution process: N, 97%; P, 116%; K, 180%; Ca, 0%; and Mg 133%.

¹ Part of a thesis submitted by the senior author in partial fullment of the requirement for the M.S. degree. Contribution by the Agronomy Department, Univ. of Kentucky Agr. Exp. Sta., Journal Article 66-3-88, in cooperation with the Div. of Agr. Development of the Tennessee Valley Authority and published with the approval of the Experiment Station Director and TVA. Presented by the senior author before Div. S-4 of the Soil Science Society of America, Aug. 25, 1966, Stillwater, Okla.

² M.S. graduate assistant and Associate Professor of Agronomy, respectively, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington.

Received for publication August 22, 1966. Accepted for publication December 5, 1966.