biologia plantarum

International journal on Plant Life established by Bohumil Němec in 1959

Biologia plantarum 48:133-136, 2004 | DOI: 10.1023/B:BIOP.0000024290.38546.8a

Influence of Acidity on Growth and Biochemistry of Pennisetum clandestinum

M. Sidari1, M.R. Panuccio1, A. Muscolo1,*
1 Department of Agrochemistry and Agrobiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University "Mediterranea" of Reggio Calabria, Gallina di Reggio Calabria, Italy

Hydroponics were used to study the impact of acidity on growth, nutritive properties and metabolic changes in kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst). Four treatments (pH 6.0, 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0) were compared for effects on biomass, leaf and root length, crude protein, amino acid content and key enzymes of sugar metabolism. Reduction in biomass, root and leaf length, amino acid contents, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and pyruvate kinase (PK) content was observed only at pH 3.0, in association with increased leaf proline content. Kikuyu grass is able to grow normally under mild acidity (down to at least pH 4.0).

Keywords: amino acids; enzymes; proline; sugar metabolism
Subjects: acidity, hydroponics; amino acids; glucokinase; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; growth analysis, plant development, biomass and yield enhancement; hydroponic and soil cultures, growth rate; kikuyu grass, acidity, hydroponics; malate dehydrogenase; nutrient medium, Hoagland and Arnon; Pennisetum clandestinum; phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase; phosphoglucoisomerase; proline, acidity, hydroponics; pyruvate kinase; soluble acid invertase; sugar metabolism, acidity

Published: March 1, 2004  Show citation

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Sidari, M., Panuccio, M.R., & Muscolo, A. (2004). Influence of Acidity on Growth and Biochemistry of Pennisetum clandestinum. Biologia plantarum48(1), 133-136. doi: 10.1023/B:BIOP.0000024290.38546.8a
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