Changes in Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus Content of Wheat Seedlings During Germination and Early Stages

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Abstract
Wheat seedlings, between the age limits in which they are generally used for experimental purposes, differed in composition from the stock seed from which they were obtained. They either lost or gained K and N depending upon their age and the conditions under which they were grown, but changed little in P content. Three or four days after germination the N content of the wheat seedlings was about 10% greater than that of the stock seed, the latter being selected when spread to germinate on perforated floating aluminum disks in a dense continuous layer. The losses were due to leaching and the gains were due chiefly to the absorption of the materials leached from the ungerminated seed. The ungerminated seed consistently lost more K, N, and P than did the seedlings. The results, however, do not settle the question as to whether sterile seed may be naturally deficient in these elements. It is recommended that in plant nutrition studies the seedlings with which the experiments are started rather than the stock seed from which they are grown be used as a standard of comparison.

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