Growth and zinc accumulation in spinach

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Abstract
Zinc accumulation in spinach (Spinacea oleracea L. cv. Verbeterd Breedblad), especially in the leaves, has been studied in plants grown on nutrient solutions. The extent of accumulation depends on, but is not proportional to the external zinc supply. Zinc uptake by water flow does not account for the concentrations observed in the various plant parts. The relative accumulation rate is related to the relative growth rate, but depends also on leaf position and leaf age.The data suggest that the midribs act as sinks for the nutrient solution, whilst the leaf blades in turn act as sinks for the midribs. We suggest that strong binding of zinc occurs to specific organic compounds in the cell, thus, diminishing the concentration of the free zinc ions in the biological tissue.