Partitioning of shoot and root dry matter and carbohydrates in bean plants suffering from phosphorus, potassium and magnesium deficiency

TLDR: In primary (source) leaves, but not in trifoliate leaves, concentrations of reducing sugars, sucrose and starch were also differently affected by low nutrient supply.

Abstract: The influence of varied supply of phosphorus (10 and 250 mmol P m -3 ), potassium (50 and 2010 mmol K m -3 ) and magnesium (20 and 1000 mmol Mg m -3 ) on the partitioning of dry matter and carbohydrates (reducing sugars, sucrose and starch) between shoots and roots was studied in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants grown in nutrient solution over a 12 d period. Shoot and root growth were quite differently affected by low supply of P, K, and Mg. The shoot/root dry weight ratios were 4.9 in the control (sufficient plants), 1.8 in P-deficient, 6.9 in K-deficient and 10.2 in Mg-deficient plants. In primary (source) leaves, but not in trifoliate leaves, concentrations of reducing sugars, sucrose and starch were also differently affected by low nutrient supply