Soil and foliar zinc biofortification of broccolini: effects on plant growth and mineral accumulation

Rivera-Martin, Angelica; Broadley, Martin R.; Poblaciones, Maria J.

Abstract

© 2020 CSIRO. Millions of people have Zn-deficient diets, so Zn-biofortified crops could prevent such deficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of agronomic Zn biofortification of broccolini-a new hybrid crop variety derived from a cross between kalian cabbage and broccoli. Plants were grown in pots using a Zn deficient soil. Four fertiliser treatments were tested: (1) control (2) soil application of 5 mg ZnSO4•7H2O kg-1 soil (3) foliar application at the early flowering stage of 0.5% (w/v) ZnSO4•7H2O (4) combined soil and foliar treatments. Florets were harvested in four sequential harvests. There was a decrease in both growth and leaf composition of Zn, Ca, Fe and Mg. Soil Zn application increased floret production. There were increases in the Zn concentration stem+leaves and florets of 12- and 2.5-fold in foliar and soil+foliar treatments respectively. PA:Zn molar ratios decreased under both foliar and soil+foliar treatments. Boiling reduced Zn concentration by 40%, along with a decrease of other mineral nutrients. A soil+foliar treatment can increase both plant growth and Zn concentration in broccolini, and boiled 100 g portion of biofortified florets fertilised at rates in this study would deliver ∼49 mg Zn, a 46% increase than in the non-biofortified broccolini.

Citation

Rivera-Martin, A., Broadley, M. R., & Poblaciones, M. J. (2020). Soil and foliar zinc biofortification of broccolini: effects on plant growth and mineral accumulation. Crop and Pasture Science, 71(5), 484-490. https://doi.org/10.1071/cp19474

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 26, 2020
• Online Publication Date: May 13, 2020
• Publication Date: May 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Apr 17, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: May 1, 2020
• Journal: Crop and Pasture Science
• Print ISSN: 1836-0947
• Electronic ISSN: 1836-5795
• Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 71
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 484-490
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/cp19474
• Keywords: Agronomy and Crop Science; Plant Science
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4300994
• Publisher URL: https://www.publish.csiro.au/cp/CP19474