Concentration and accumulation dynamics of non-essential microelements in winter barley

On a chernozem soil with lime deposits and a low level of background pollution, a field NPK fertilisation experiment was set up to examine the concentration and accumulation dynamics of a number of non-essential elements (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Pb, Se, Sr) in the aboveground parts of winter barley during the vegetation period. The plant samples, which consisted of the whole aboveground part of 4-metre rows, were generally taken every ten days, on a total of seven occasions, in the tillering, shooting, heading, flowering, milky ripe and fully ripe phenophases. The plant analyses were carried out using an ICP instrument. On the basis of the results the following conclusions could be drawn on the relationship between the given soil, die chemical elements and winter barley. The concentrations of Al, Cd, Co, Cr and Sr declined by 50-70% from tillering to full maturity, and that of Se from shooting to maturity, partly as the result of dry matter accumulation. The maximum Pb concentration was measured at the beginning of the generative phase, when the plant had the greatest leaf area. At the end of the vegetation period, as expected due to the chemical nature of the elements, with the exception of Sehigher concentrations of all recorded in the vegetative part, the straw. The accumulation of the elements gradually rose, for Cd practically up to full maturity, for Co and Al until milky ripeness, for Cr, Sr and Pb up to flowering and for Se up to shooting, after which element losses were recorded. The dynamics of accumulation was of the clement loss reflux type, with the exception of Cd. At harvest the greater part of the accumulated Cr and Se was located in the grain, and that of Sr, Cd, Pb and Co in the straw, while Al was found in approximately equal proportions in the grain and straw. - As the dry matter mass increased, mineral fertilisation led to a significant rise in the accumulation of all the elements examined in the majority of the samples, compared to the unfertilised absolute control.