COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF PLANT GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION IN RELATION TO WATERLOGGING: XIV. IRON, MANGANESE, CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATIONS IN LEAVES AND ROOTS OF GEUM RIVALE L. AND G. URBANUM L. GROWN IN WATERLOGGED SOIL.

Geum rivale L. and G. urbanum L. were grown in drained, continuously flooded or transiently flooded compost for 21 weeks. Leaf and root material harvested after this time was analyzed for Fe, Mn, Ca and P. Mn and Fe concentrations in roots and leaves of both species were increased by flooding. Higher Fe concentrations accumulated in the roots, while Mn was present in roughly equal concentrations in both roots and leaves. Leaf Ca concentration of both species was higher than that of roots. Although Ca concentrations were significantly higher in G. rivale than in G. urbanum, there were no readily interpretable effects of waterlogging. P concentration was decreased in leaves and increased in roots of flooded G. urbanum, although there was much less effect of flooding on P concentration in G. rivale. Fe may be precipitated by phosphate in G. urbanum roots, but this may lead to P deficiency in shoots and roots, resulting in poor growth of this species in waterlogged soil. A different mechanism of Fe immobilization is likely to occur in G. rivale, which does not result in phosphorus deficiency.