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Determination of the Copper²⁺ Activity Required by Maize Using Chelator-Buffered Nutrient Solutions

Dep. of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521

Rufus L. Chaney

USDA-ARS Soil Microbial Systems Lab., Beltsville, MD 20705

Jay S. Angle

Dep. of Agronomy, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Hydroponics is a useful method to study micronutrient deficiencies in plants. Problems in using this method to study Cu deficiencies are: (i) control of Cu supply to induce any degree of deficiency is difficult, (ii) purification of reagents is required to induce severe deficiency; and (iii) when chelators are added to induce Cu deficiency, the chelators may inactivate Fe, making Fe unavailable to plants. Mild to severe Cu deficiencies were induced in maize (Zea mays L.) without the purification of reagents using chelators HEDTA [N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine triacetate] with and without BPDS (4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthrolinedisulfonic acid) to bind and inactivate Cu. GEOCHEM-PC was used to calculate the quantity of free and chelate-bound Cu. A wide range in leaf and root Cu concentrations was observed from plants grown in HEDTA solutions with calculated solution Cu²⁺ activities of 10^–15.4 to 10^–12.4 M. The calculated Cu²⁺ activity associated with a 20% reduction in yield was 10^–14.5 M (control plants yielded 15 g dry matter at 18 d). Solutions containing HEDTA with BPDS and the lowering of nutrient-solution Ca concentrations were evaluated as means of inducing severe Cu deficiency. Maize grown in BPDS-added solutions were severely stunted regardless of Ca treatment, and had significantly lower shoot Cu, Mn, and Fe concentrations than those found in other treatments. Results indicated Cu availability to maize was controlled by Cu²⁺ and not Cu⁺ activity. HEDTA, especially in combination with BPDS, can effectively induce Cu deficiency and supply adequate Fe to maize.

Contribution from the Dep. of Agronomy, Univ. of Maryland.

Received for publication September 4, 1990.

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