Abstract
ONE result of the continued use of sprays containing toxic inorganic constituents may be the accumulation in the soil of substances deleterious to plant growth. Of practical interest, therefore, are experiments described by N. F. Childers1, who found that the presence of sodium arsenate in the soil had a stimulating effect on 'Delicious' apple seedlings when the concentration was not more than 20 parts per million. Between 60 and 160 parts per million, toxic effects were apparent, and if the concentration was more than 100 parts per million the seedlings died. Equivalent amounts of arsenic in the form of lead arsenate were less toxic, and lead chloride even at 160 parts per million exerted no deleterious effect. More carefully controlled experiments with plants in gravel culture showed that 20 parts of arsenic per million of culture solution stimulated the growth of apples and of rye but depressed the growth of grapes. Both apples and grapes were tolerant of 200 parts of lead per million of solution and both showed a progressive decrease in growth as the copper content of the solution rose from 10 to 30 parts per million.
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References
Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., 38, 157 (1941).
Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., 42, 275 (1943).
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Toxic Spray Substances and Plant Growth. Nature 155, 523 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1038/155523a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/155523a0
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