Concentrations of natural stable cs in organs of blueberry bushes grown in three types of soils treated with acidification or fertilization

Abstract

In blueberry culture, when sulfur and NH 4+ and K fertilizers are applied to soils, radiocesium in the soils may be released into the soil solution, absorbed by roots, and then translocated to fruit. We reanalyzed data from our previous experiment to evaluate soil factors affecting the concentration and total amount of natural stable Cs in blueberry organs and its translocation to fruit. During a 2-year pot experiment, 4-year-old rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton ‘Onslow’) were grown in three soils (Andosol, Cambisol, and Fluvisol) with or without soil treatment (acidification, NH 4+ and K fertilization, or combined acidification-fertilization treatment). We measured the concentrations of 13 elements (N, Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, and Cs) in samples of the soil solution and the blueberry fruit, leaves, branches and stems, and roots, as well as the pH of the soil solution. Acidification, fertilization, and combined treatment increased the Cs concentration in the soil solution within each soil. On the other hand, the Cs concentration in the whole bush was not changed significantly by any soil treatment. The Cs concentration in fruit, leaves, and branches and stems was significantly negatively correlated with concentrations of Na, Mg, K, and Ca in the soil solution. Among the three soils, the concentrations of these basic cations were lowest in the soil solution of the Cambisol. The fruit Cs concentration in the Cambisol did not change significantly with any soil treatments. In contrast, in the Andosol and Fluvisol, the fruit Cs concentration was significantly decreased by both acidification and fertilization. The whole-bush Cs content did not differ significantly among the soil treatments, whereas the percentages of Cs in fruit and roots depended greatly on the soil treatment within each soil, although the distribution trends relative to the control were opposite for fruit and roots. Our results suggested that the soil treatments to increase the concentrations of soil basic cations could reduce the rate of transfer of Cs to fruit and thereby contribute to a reduction in the Cs concentration in fruit, but not the whole-bush Cs content.