The Expression of Interionic Relationships in Pinus elliottii

The effects of factorial combinations of N, P and Mg on some of the interrelationships among nutrient ions as they occurred in seedlings of slash pine were investigated. In similar studies, true interactions have not always been differentiated from apparent interactions, the result of comparing foliage concentrations in plants with widely divergent growth rates. To prevent this, nutrient solutions were formulated to produce conditions ranging only from slight deficiency through luxury consumption. This relatively narrow range of nutrition allowed actual interactions to be separated from those changes in foliage concentration that are primarily a result of large differences in growth.The needles were analyzed for total and soluble N and total P, K, Ca, Mg and Na. Each level of each nutrient variable had a significant effect on the concentration of 1 or more dissimilar elements. The familiar depressive effect of N on foliar P was observed; however this relationship was shown to be primarily the result of growth dilution rather than anion antagonism. Increased Mg did antagonistically reduce the uptake of Ca and, generally, K. Increments of P not required for growth stimulated uptake of N, Ca, Mg and K. No relationship was found between Mg supply and P accumulation.