Growth of Some Range Plant Species in Response To
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Growth of some range plant species in response to boron concentration in a sand culture by Roseann Therese Wallander A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Land Rehabilitation Montana State University © Copyright by Roseann Therese Wallander (1993) Abstract: Under Montana coal mine reclamation guidelines, soil and overburden material that contains more than 5 ug of hot water soluble (HWS) boron (B) per gram is not acceptable material for the plant growth zone. These guidelines are based on the toxicity of boron to crop plants. In the arid and semi-arid western United States native plant species are used for mined land reclamation. Boron toxicity of native species has not been well researched. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of excessive boron on plant species used for mined land reclamation. Atriplex canescens, Elymus cinereus, E. 1anceolatus, Medicago sativa, Melilotus officinalis, Oryzopsis hymenoides, Pascopyrum smithii and Pseudoroegneria spicata were seeded into pots in a greenhouse study. Each species was irrigated with six different boron concentrations (0.25, 1, 5, 10, 20, and 40 ug B mL^-1) in a diluted nutrient solution. Elymus lanceolatus was also seeded in a soil to which boron had been added. Emergence, plant height, aboveground yield, and plant boron concentrations were measured for each species for each boron treatment. Plants were observed for boron toxicity symptoms during the 96 day growing period. Whereas aboveground yield of alfalfa was stimulated by the addition of 1 ug B mL^-1, overall the relative yield of all but one species decreased as boron concentration in the nutrient solution increased. Yield of fourwing saltbush was not significantly reduced by any level of boron concentration. Bluebunch wheatgrass yield was significantly (p<0.05) reduced by 20 ug B mL^-1 in the nutrient solution. Yields of basin wildrye, thickspike wheatgrass, yellow sweetclover, Indian ricegrass, and western wheatgrass were significantly reduced by 10 ug B mL^-1 . Alfalfa yield was significantly reduced by 5 ug B mL^-1. Except for alfalfa, average boron concentrations of plants that correspond with significant yield reduction were higher than boron concentrations reported to cause yield reduction in crop species. Saturated paste extractable and HWS boron concentrations of the soil ranged from 0.6 to 16.0 ug B g^-1. Yield of thickspike wheatgrass grown in soil with 16 ug B g^-1 was not reduced. GROWTH OF SOME RANGE PLANT SPECIES IN RESPONSE TO BORON CONCENTRATION IN A SAND.CULTURE by Roseann Therese Wallander A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment , of the requirements for the degree ' ' " of Masters of Science ' in V ' : Land Rehabilitation MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Bozeman, Montana ... May 1993 La) i i APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by Roseann Therese Wallander This thesis has been read by each member of the thesis committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citations, bibliographic style, and consistency, and is ready for submission to the College of Graduate Studies. "3 A ~ A J /- /? 9 3 Date Chairperson, Graduate Committee Approved for the Major Department 2 lM. Ill ^ Date Head, Major Department Approved for the College of Graduate Studies Date Graduate Dean iii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillm ent of the requirements for a master's degree at Montana State University, I agree that the Library shall make it available to borrowers under rules of the Library. I f I have indicated my intention to copyright this thesis by including a copyright notice page, copying is allowable only for 4- scholarly purposes, consistent with "fair use" as prescribed in the U.S. Copyright Law. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this thesis in whole or in parts may be granted only by iv ACKNOWLEDGMENT The Reclamation Research Unit at Montana State University supplied the materials and laboratory space for this research project. I thank my committee Frank Munshower, Dennis Neuman* Bill Inskeep, and Doug Dollhopf for their guidance with this project. V TABLE OF CONTENTS • . Page APPROVAL .......................................... ..................... .... ............................. .... ii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO U S E ..................... ........ i i i ACKNOWLEDGMENT ".......................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES . ..................... .. .... ..... , . vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT ........... ................. ............. x INTRODUCTION. ..............................................................................................! I REVIEW OF LITERATURE . ..................... ........... 3 Boron in plants ....................... 3 Boron -in s o i l s ........................ 8 Boron in primary minerals ............... 8 Factors which influence available boron in soils .... 9 Boron adsorption in soils ....... ............................. » 11 Other elements that may influence boron in soils . 13 Boron assessment in soils and plants .................................. 13 Perennial, non-crop species response to boron ............................. 14 Nutrient solution culture ................. .................................................. 21 MATERIALS AND METHODS................ ................................ , 23 Sand culture .,...■........................................ ................................. 23 Soil c u l t u r e ............................................. .... .26 Measurements..................................................... .......................... 27 Statistical Design ......................................................... 28 RESULTS .......................................................... .... ..................... ......................... 30 Sand culture . ......................... ............................. 30 Atriplex canescens. .. .. 30 Elymus cinereus . 34 Elymus lanceolatus .. ...... ......... 36 Medicago sativa . : . ,. ....... 39 Melilotus officinalis . ... ......................... 44 . Oryzopsis hymenoides ^ . .............. 46 Pascopyrum sm ithii .................. .48 Pseudoroegneria spicata ..... , .... 54 Soil culture . ......................... 56 ETymus lanceolatus ................... 56 Comparison of species ....................................................... 62 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................ 64 REFERENCES CITED .................................................................... 66 Vi TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Page APPENDICES ......................... .... ............................. ............ 74 APPENDIX A Nomenclature of plant species cited in the . text .......................................................................... 75 APPENDIX B Measurements ..................... ..... 78 APPENDIX C Boron injury symptoms . .; . 88 v ii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Species used in the sand culture study. .................... 24 2. Hoagland's nutrient solution. .............................................. 24 3. Measured boron concentrations in the nutrient solutions. 25 4. Extractable boron concentration of soil. ............................. 27 5. Treatment means of A trip le x canescens grown in sand culture. ................................................................................ 31 6. Treatment means of Elymus cinereus grown in sand culture. 35 7. Treatment means of Elymus lanceolatus grown in sand culture............................................................................ ................................. 38 8. Treatment means of Medicago sativa grown in sand Culture. 42 9. Treatment means of Melilotus officinalis grown in sand culture....................................................... 45 10. Treatment means of Oryzopsis hymenoides grown in sand culture............................... 49 11. Treatment means of Paseopyrum sm ithii grown in sand culture.......................... 52 12. Treatment means of Pseudoroegneria spieata grown in sand culture. ............................. .... ......................... .... 55 13. Treatment means of Elymus lanceolatus grown in s o il. 58 14. Summary of analysis of variance across all species. ..... 62 15. Summary of yield reduction for all species........................ 63 16. Nomenclature of plant Species cited in the text ....... 76 17. Measurements of A trip le x canescens grown in sand culture. ...................................................................... 79 18. Measurements of Elymus cinereus grown in sand c u l t u r e . .................... 80 19. Measurements of Elymus lanceolatus grown in sand culture....................................................... 81 20. Measurements of Medicago sativa grown in sand culture. .............................................. 82 viii LIST OF TABLES - Continued Table Page 21. Measurements of Melilotus officinalis grown in sand culture. .............................................................................. 83 22. Measurements of Oryzopsis hymenoides grown in sand culture........................................... 84 23. Measurements of Pascopyrum sm ithii grown in sand culture. ..................................... 85 24. Measurements of PseudorOegneria spicata grown in sand culture........................................................................................................