EFFECTS OF NITROGEN ON GROWTH AND ASH CONSTITUENTS OF ANANAS COMOSUS (L.) MERR.

Abstract

A comosus grown in solution cultures supplied with 140.0 mg. or 2.8 mg. of nitrogen per liter either as nitrate or ammonium produced, after one year's growth, greater weights in the high- than low-nitrogen cultures. Nitrogen absorption from nutrient solutions was approximately five times greater for the high- nitrogen (140.0 mg.) than low-nitrogen (2.8 mg.) cultures in both series. Total ash content per plant was higher in the high- nitrogen cultures of the nitrate series and in the low-nitrogen cultures of the ammonium series than in the competing cultures. Potassium values per plant were approximately the same for the high-nitrogen and low-nitrogen cultures in the nitrate series, but in the ammonium series they were approximately 92.0% greater for the low-nitrogen cultures. Calcium values per plant were greater for the high- than low-nitrogen cultures in the nitrate series, but in the ammonium series it was 1.475 times as great for the low- as for the high-nitrogen cultures. Phosphorus content per plant was 1.81 and 1.72 times greater for the high- than low-nitrogen cultures in the nitrate and ammonium series, respectively. Iron content per plant was greater for the cultures in the nitrate than ammonium series. [From authors' summary.]