Interrelation of Chemical Elements Content in Plants underConditions of Primary Soil Formation

doi:10.4236/ojss.2011.11001

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Open Journal of Soil Science

2011. Vol.1, No.1, 1-7

Interrelation of Chemical Elements Content in Plants under

Conditions of Primary Soil Formation

Vladimir Mukhomorov, Liudmila Anikina

Agrophysical Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Email: vmukhomorov@mail.ru

Received May 25th, 2011; revised June 18th, 2011; accepted June 24th, 2011.

It is presented the results of a long-term and intensive experiment, which models the processes of primary soil

formation under controlled agro-ecosystems. The influence of mineral substrate transformation is analyzed on

the content of chemical elements in plants tomato, and wheat. For the first time have been established dynamic

synergistic and antagonistic interrelations between the chemical elements in a various bodies of the plant (roots,

reproductive bodies, stems, and leaves). Using methods of the theory of information was revealed dynamics of

collective state of chemical elements in the plants. It is shown that the collective states of the chemical elements

which defined by the information function is strictly differentiated for different plant bodies, and have hierarchic

order. We analyzed the following chemical elements Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, K, P, S, Cl, Na, Mn, Zn.

Keywords: Chemical Elements, Dynamics, Synergism, Antagonism, Information Function, Hierarchic Order,

Soil Formation, Mineral Substratum

Introduction

The problem of accumulation of chemical elements and their

relationships to each other in plants has been paid much atten-

tion. A series of fundamental studies (Vernadskii, 1922; Poly-

nov, 1956; Aristovskaya, 1980) dealt with the problem of the

close association between the chemical elements composition

of plants and the soils. In this paper first analyzes the dynamics

of chemical elements in plants under conditions of intense

transformation of the root-inhabited media.

It is performed a complex experiment accordance to an in-

tensive and prolonged cultivation of plants of spring wheat and

tomato on the granular mineral substrate (granite crushed rock

and zeolite). The experiment demonstrated that the controlled

agroecosystem is an intensive biogenic and physicochemical

weathering of minerals and the formation of soil like bodies.

Such processes involving root systems of plants simulate evo-

lutionary processes of the first stages of soil formation under

natural conditions. The most important consequence of this is

increased activity of multiple biochemical processes of ex-

ogenous transforming rocks into soil-like bodies. These pro-

cesses are accompanied by accumulation of organic matter in

the root-inhabited media (RM), a change in its fractional com-

position, specific and numerical composition of the microbiota

community (Ermakov et al., 2001; Ermakov et al., 2007). These

processes occur simultaneously and in close synchronous inte-

raction. Controlled agro-ecosystems can significantly accelerate

the natural processes of soil-forming bodies. When evolutio-

nary pedogenesis is undergoing profound changes in the condi-

tions of weathering of mineral substrate. They are accompanied

by changes in the mineral composition of soil solution and mi-

neralization of organic matter of the root-inhabited media. This,

in turn, leads to variations of chemical elements in plant tissues.

As is known, the chemical elemental composition of plants

differs significantly from the composition of rocks. This causes

the plants to look for ways to self-sufficiency of chemical ele-

ments and to adapt to the peculiarities of geochemical envi-

ronment. This adaptation is reflected in the existence of links in

the content of chemical elements in plants, that is, leads to syn-

ergism or antagonism. These interactions are due to the ability

of a chemical element to inhibit or stimulate the absorption of

other elements by plants. This problem is of interest both from

theoretical and practical points of view. Identification of dy-

namic relationships allow the development the methods of ele-

mental composition regulation for agricultural production in

high farming.

Materials and Methods

Tomato plants (cultivar Ottawa-60) and spring wheat (cultivar

Siete Ceros) were grown on the granite rubble for 23 vegetations

under controlled conditions. In addition, we cultivated tomato

(for 12 vegetations) and spring wheat on the zeolite for 11 vege-

tations. First tomato plants were grown from 1 to 12 of vegeta-

tions. After cultivation of tomato we were cultivated spring wheat

from 13 to 23 vegetations. It was found that the intensive exploi-

tation of mineral substrate leads to the accumulation of organic

matter. Organic matter contains in its composition of physiologi-

cally active compounds, which can inhibit plant growth, as well

as reduce the activity of rhizosphere microflora. In the experi-

ment method of acid-base regeneration of mineral substrate (two

versions) was used. Acid-base regeneration can effectively re-

move some organic matter components and thereby improve the

trophic conditions of plant growth (Ermakov et al., 1987). Expe-

rience on the granite ruble was carried out for three variants: the

test experiment and subject to the controlling factor (the ac-

id-base mineral substrate for regeneration of the two variants).

For the zeolite, we performed only test experiment.

In the scheme of experiment we included the following va-

riants: variant 1 (tomato) and variant 4 (wheat). In these expe-

V. MUKHOMOROV ET AL.

riments, after each growing season, we removed the roots of

plants, compost mineral substrate for 20 - 30 days, and then

perform a complex acid-base working (regeneration 1). Com-

plex acid-base regeneration is 0.01 n H2SO4 acid treatment of

mineral substrate. Then, a water rinse of the substrate and

processing of mineral alkali KOH of concentration of 0.05 n. In

variants 2 (tomato) and 5 (wheat) additionally performed an

acid-base treatment of mineral substrate, with the roots of

growing plants: the flowering phase and the phase of fruit set

(regeneration 2). Test experiments were 3 (tomato) and 6

(wheat). In these variants, we performed only cleaning and

composting roots mineral substrate.

In the experiment were used luminaries based on DNaT-4

sodium lamps with a solid-state heat-absorbing colour filter.

The intensity of the radiation stream corresponded to 100 ±

10 W/m2 in the photosynthetically active radiation region. The

photoperiod was 16 h/day with growth length of 75 days.

Analysis of the elemental composition of plant ash after each

growing season we made using X-ray fluorescent analyzer A-30.

Studies have included investigations into the ash composition

and the percentage of plant tissues (roots, stems, leaves, fruits

and grains) of the chemical elements Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, K, P, S,

Cl, Na, Mn, Zn after each vegetation.

Results and Discussion

Experimental data were obtained for the chemical ele-

ments composition of plant tissues which for the first time

have allowed to analyze quantitatively the dynamics of the

chemical elements interrelation in various of plants organs

under conditions of an evolutionary primary soil formation. It

was found that the relationship between the chemical ele-

ments can be accompanied by a change of direction relations

in the opposite direction to those elements, but in other parts

of plants.

Let’s show it, on an instance of interrelation dynamics of the

silicon content and the potassium content in the roots and re-

productive bodies of plants. It is known, that the potassium is

most consumables by plants and its role in plants is multifunc-

tional. In recent years significantly increased interest (Samso-

nova, 2005) in the role of silicon in plant life as a factor in

boosting crop yields. This chemical element has an impact sti-

mulating influence on development of the root system, leaves

area, growth rate of plants, their dry weight. However, in the

scientific literature practically there is no information on inter-

relation of silicon content (percent to ash) with other elements

in plants. We established that in the plants root tomato and

spring wheat the interrelation of the elements Si and K is anta-

gonistic for 23 vegetations (Figure 1(a)). At the same time for

reproductive bodies this interrelation is synergetic (Figure 1(b)).

Cultivation of a tomato on zeolite keeps qualitatively these

interrelations, but results in appreciable quantitative difference

in comparison with the results that obtained at cultivation of

plants on the crushed granite. The use of zeolite synergistic

relationship intensifies. (an angle of slope of the trend line is

more (Figure 1(b)), than for granite).

There is little information about the relationship of chemical

elements manganese and magnesium, both among themselves

and with other elements in plants. No experimental data on the

dynamics of their content in different plant bodies. The interre-

lations of chemical elements Mn and Mg in roots and reproduc-

tive bodies of a tomato for all variants of experience are pre-

sented in Figure 2. For these elements the dynamics of anta-

gonism is kept during all experience for roots, and reproductive

bodies of the plants.

As statistical analysis has shown the influence of the com-

plex acid-base regeneration of mineral substrate on interrelation

of the elements Mn and Mg is insignificant. Indeed, for example,

a comparison of variances 2

S and 2

S by Fisher test for

variants 2 and 3 leads to a much smaller critical values: F = (S2

/S3)2 = 1.06 <12,12;0.95

F= 2.7. Hence, the action of complex

regeneration is not effective. This conclusion is valid for all

paired interactions between the chemical elements. We found

that the difference between variants 1, 2 and 3 is statistically

insignificant (the similar conclusion would hold for spring

wheat). At the same time the cultivation of tomato on the zeo-

lite leads to a statistically significant difference from the re-

sults of crushed granite. However, it may be noted that the

slope of the trend lines for zeolite and crushed granite about

the same.

(a) (b)

Figure 1.

Antagonism of potassium and silicon contents in root tissues (a) and

synergism these elements in tissues of the reproductive bodies (b) of

tomato. Crushed granite: ● - tomato; test experiment; trend ——; □ -

spring wheat; test experiment; trend – · –. Zeolite: -tomato; trend · ·

· ·. o -pring wheat; trend – – – . Here and below: for crushed granite

experimental data are resulted only for odd growth periods; zeolite

present experimental data for life cycles from first to twelfth.

(a) (b)

Figure 2.

Antagonism of magnesium and manganese content in root tissues (a)

and reproductive bodies (b) of the tomato. Crushed granite: ● - test

experiment, trend —— ; ◊ - variant 1, trend – · – ·; □ - variant 2, trend

· · ·. Zeolite:



- tomato, trend — — —.

V. MUKHOMOROV ET AL. 3

In contrast to roots and reproductive organs of plants, we

found synergism of manganese and magnesium in the stems and

leaves. Also there are changes in the direction of the dynamic

interactions silicon and potassium. In the roots of plants, this

relationship is antagonistic. At the same time, relationship for

fruits and grains is synergistic between silicon and potassium

(Figure 1). This result does not confirm opinion that chemical

elements Mg, Ca, and P are principal antagonistic elements with

respect to absorption of many other chemical elements.

Methods of regeneration of the mineral substrate have little

effect on the dynamics of synergism and antagonism of the

chemical elements.

It was found that the relationships between the chemical

elements might have specific difference. We have analyzed the

dynamic synergistic and antagonistic relationships of among all

the chemical elements. Table 1 summarizes the relationships of

chemical elements in different bodies of tomato and wheat

plants. In most cases, these relationships are the same. However,

for some pairs of chemical elements there are species differ-

ences. Let's show it on an example of interrelation of zinc and

magnesium in fruits of a tomato and wheat grain. Figure 3(b)

shows that the content of magnesium in the tomato fruit has a

synergetic relationship, whereas for the grain of wheat that

interrelation is antagonistic. We found similar species differ-

ences for some of the other chemical elements, for example,

phosphorus, and potassium (Table 1). For tomato fruit the in-

terrelation is a synergetic, whereas for the grain of wheat the

interrelation is antagonistic. At the same time, the relationship

of these elements in plant stems changes direction. For tomato

relationship is antagonistic, and for wheat relationship is syn-

ergetic. The nature of these specific distinctions remains the

same for all variants, does not depend on the mineral substrate,

control factor (that is regeneration) and of the temporary factor,

i.e. the number of vegetation.

Table 1 includes the relationships between matched chemical

elements only in the same plant bodies. However, the experi-

mental data allow us to establish the dynamic relationships

between the chemical elements in different plant bodies. First

of all, between the roots and reproductive bodies. Identifying

these relationships makes it possible to control the chemical

composition of the reproductive bodies. It is important for ob-

taining high-quality vegetable production. Figure 4(a) shows an

antagonistic relationship between the content of magnesium in

the reproductive bodies of plants and silicon content in the roots.

Increase of the silicon content in the roots of plants leads to the

decrease of magnesium content in the reproductive bodies. It is

possible to note, that for crushed granite the range changing of

the silicon content in roots of spring wheat and a tomato is in

the same interval of values approximately. For the tomato cul-

tivated on zeolite the saturation of reproductive bodies by

magnesium is descended at the greater in comparison with sili-

con content in the roots for crushed granite. Practically silicon

in plant roots for all chemical elements is the antagonist to

chemical elements in reproductive bodies, except for manga-

nese (Figure 4(b)). This relationship does not change over the

entire observation period, does not depend on the mineral sub-

strate and the botanical plant species. It may be noted that for

granite rubble the range of change of silicon content in the roots

of wheat and tomato is located approximately in the same range

of values. For zeolite this range differs markedly and magne-

sium saturation of reproductive organs occurs at the higher

silicon content in the roots.

As results of experiment have shown the same chemical

element may have the characteristics of synergetics and the

antagonist. Figure 5 shows the dynamic relationship between

the content of phosphorus in the roots of plants and content of

manganese and calcium in the reproductive bodies. Phosphorus

is antagonistic to the content of manganese in tomato fruits and

grain of wheat. At the same time increasing the phosphorus

content in the roots increases the calcium content in fruits of

tomato and wheat grain. The potassium contents in the tomato

fruits three times is more, than in roots of the plant. The con-

tents of silicon in the roots of plants are ten times more, than in

reproductive bodies. These relationships do not depend on the

type of mineral substrate, the botanical species of plants, me-

thod of regeneration and number of vegetation.

Using statistical methods, we were able to group chemical

elements according to their content in various plant bodies of

four homogeneous nonoverlapping groups (Mukhomorov et al.,

2009). According to an analysis of the groups composition

(a) (b)

Figure 3.

(a) Synergism of the magnesium and manganese content in tissues of

the tomato stems. Crushed granite: ● - test experiment, trend —— ; ◊ -

variant 1, trend – · – ·; □ - variant 2, trend - - - - -. Zeolite :



- to-

mato, trend — — — . (b) Interrelation of zinc and magnesium content

in tissues of reproductive bodies of the tomato and spring wheat.

Crushed granite: ● - tomato, test experiment, trend ——, □ - spring

wheat, test experiment, trend — — — . Zeolite:  - tomato, trend · · ·

· ·. o – spring wheat, trend – · – · – ·.

(a) (b)

Figure 4.

(a) Antagonism of silicon and magnesium contents in tissues of the

reproductive bodies and roots. Cruched granite: ● - tomato, test expe-

riment; trend —— ; □ – spring wheat, test experiment; trend – · – ·.

Zeolite:



- tomato, trend – –. (b) Synergism of silicon and manga-

nese contents in tissues of reproductive bodies and roots. Crushed gra-

nite. ● - tomato, test experiment; trend —— ; □ - spring wheat, test

experiment; trend – · – ·. Zeolite:



- tomato, trend — — —.

V. MUKHOMOROV ET AL.

Table 1.

Synergism and antagonism of chemical elements in plant tissues of a tomato (the first column) and spring wheat (the second column). The first line-roots, the

second line-reproductive bodies, the third line-leaves, the fourth line-stems*). For leaves of spring wheat the experiment was not carried out.

Ca Mg S P Cl K Na Mn Zn Fe Si

*) -antagonism of chemical elements; + synergism of chemical elements; × the interrelation is not found.

(a) (b)

Figure 5.

(a) Antagonism of manganese and phosphorus contents in tissues of the

reproductive bodies and roots. ● - tomato, test experiment; trend —— ;

□ – spring wheat, test experiment; trend – · – ·. Zeolite:  - tomato,

trend · · ·. ○ – spring wheat, trend — — . (b) Synergism of calcium and

phosphorus contents in tissues of reproductive bodies and roots.

Crushed granite: ● - tomato, test experiment; trend ——; □ - spring

wheat, test experiment; trend – · – ·. Zeolite:  - tomato, trend · · ·. ○

– spring wheat, trend — —.

doesn’t depend on the number of life cycles and the experiment

variant. It is established (Ermakov et al., 2006) that between the

chemical element contents in different parts of plants has a

cause-and-effect correlated relationships. Therefore, it is im-

portant to know the collective state of the chemical elements in

various plant tissues. Balance and harmonicity of chemical

elements collective state in plants is the main condition for their

normal growth and development. V. I. Vernadsky (1922) have

repeatedly drawn attention to the unknown role of specific ra-

tios of chemical elements in living matter. The study of bio-

geocenoses always been of considerable scientific interest.

Currently these studies have gained great practical importance

in connection with the ecological problems of the environment.

An important direction of solution of this problem is the search

of values (or descriptors) that characterize the multicomponent

system as a whole.

In this work we fulfilled the analysis of the dynamics of col-

lective (common) state of chemical elements using the methods

of an information theory. An integral index of the collective

state of multicomponent systems and, in particular, of chemical

elements composition of plants tissues is the information func-

tion (entropy). Information approach has been used repeatedly

V. MUKHOMOROV ET AL. 5

in ecology as a measure of diversity of multicompo-

nent ecological communities (Mc Arthur, 1955; Lurie, 1983).

Information function H of a finite ensemble of heterogenous

objects belonging to one set can be written in the following

form:



Htp p





. This function characterizes the de-

gree of structuredness or organizations of the relative content of

n elements of the set under the additional conditions: 0 ≤



pt ≤ 1,





; pi is the number of realizing ith event.

Here we used the combinatorial approach of A. N. Kolmogorov

(1987). 1, 2,, 23t are the number of the vegetations

(growth periods). The values of pi are determined by the results

of the experiment to study of the ash chemical elements com-

position. Such realization of the method is similar to B. B. Po-

lynov's (1956) approach that determines the contents of weight

parts of chemical elements of ashes. The information approach

allows us to obtain a holistic view on the evolutionary pheno-

mena on the basis of knowledge about the structure of corre-

lated multi-component systems. Quantitative characteristics of

the measures of the multi-component systems are conditional

and unconditional information functions. Methods of informa-

tion theory allow us to obtain new non-trivial knowledge about

the dynamics of inter-related multi-component systems.

Information function is an integral indicator of a dynamical

multi-component system. This function describes a structure,

diversity and the information content of the system. It is found

statistically significant sequence information functions for dif-

ferent plant bodies. For example, for tomato (mineral sub-

strate-granite crushed stone) averaged over all variants the se-

quence of information functions the following: H(roots) =

1.72 > H(leaves) = 1.62 > H(stems) = 1.50 > H(reproductive

bodies) = 1.31 nat. It is important to emphasize that a determi-

nistic non-random sequence of inequalities is preserved for the

long- term experiment for tomato and wheat. The sequence of

inequalities does not depend on the type of mineral substrate

(Figure 5) and the number of vegetation, although the content

of elements in plants can significantly change due to changes in

the trophic conditions (Mukhomorov, Anikina, 2009). We have

restricted only eleven vegetations. This makes it possible to

compare the results of an experiment for granite crushed rock

and zeolite. Figure 5 shows that the information content in the

roots is most, and in the reproductive organs it is minimal. He-

terogeneity of the chemical element contents in the reproduc-

tive organs is maximal, and at the roots is minimal. If pi is mi-

nimally differ from each other, then it leads to an increase in the

informative function. That is, it leads to an increase in disorder

and structural homogeneity. The long-term exploitation of min-

eral substrate leads to an increase in the differences in the hete-

rogeneity of the element content in the bodies of plants. At the

same time the structural heterogeneity of the roots is reduced.

Structural instability of the elemental composition of leaves,

stems and reproductive organs is directed towards the increase

of structuredness or structural heterogeneity (Figure 5). In this

case, the values of probabilities





p at the most differ from

each other. Thus the elemental chemical composition of the

roots, leaves, stems, fruits and grains correspond to different

levels of structural organization. This structural organization

does not depend on the type of mineral substrate, number of

vegetation, botanical plant species and method of the regenera-

Table 2.

Information functions (in nat) for bodies of plant. Experiments 1- 6 are situated in accordance with reduction of a formed organic matter.

Tomato. Crushed granite

Variant Roots Leaves Stems Reproductive bodies

3 1.72 ± 0.02 1.61 ± 0.01 1.49 ± 0.05 1.28 ± 0.06

1 1.74 ± 0.02 1.63 ± 0.02 1.50 ± 0.05 1.32 ± 0.06

2 1.71 ± 0.03 1.62 ± 0.02 1.50 ± 0.04 1.34 ± 0.03

Spring wheat. Crushed granite

6 1.70 ± 0.04 - 1.56 ± 0.05 1.51 ± 0.02

4 1.73 ± 0.04 - 1.58 ± 0.05 1.53 ± 0.03

5 1.75 ± 0.04 - 1.54 ± 0.05 1.51 ± 0.03

Tomato. Zeolite

Test experiment 1.87±0.07 1.60 ± 0.02 1.52 ± 0.05 1.32 ± 0.04

Spring wheat. Zeolite

Test experiment 1.87 ± 0.03 - 1.66 ± 0.05 1.52 ± 0.04

Cucumber

Organic RM 1.67 ± 0.04 - - 1.29 ± 0.03

Granite crushed rock 1.88 ± 0.03 - - 1.37 ± 0.03

Regenerated crushed granite 1.94 ± 0.03 - - 1.29 ± 0.03

Tomato. RM is polyethylene film

Experience*) 1.69 ± 0.04 1.49 ± 0.03 1.46 ± 0.03 1.18 ± 0.02

Test experiment 1.50 ± 0.03 1.48 ± 0.03 1.48 ± 0.03 1.10 ± 0.02

*) In a nutrient solution are added 80 mg/L of metasilicate.

V. MUKHOMOROV ET AL.

(a) (b)

13579111315 17 19 21

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

Vegetations

15 16 17181920 21 22 23

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

Vegetations

Figure 6.

The dynamics (trend) of information function H of chemical elements com-

position in tomato roots, reproductive bodies, stems, and leaves tissues

during 11 growth periods: (a) for the tomato cultivated on zeolite, (b) for the

tomato cultivated on crushed granite, (c) for spring wheat cultivated on

crushed granite. Variant – test experiment. (d) for spring wheat cultivated on

zeolite. Variant – test experiment. —— roots, · · · reproductive bodies, – – –

leaves, — · — stems.

tion. Table 2 shows the values of the information function

averaged over all the observations. In this table were added

results of an experiment on the cultivation of cucumber plants.

In addition to Table 2 shows the results for the cultivation of

tomato plants on plastic film under controlled conditions. The

sequence of inequalities for the informative function keeps in

these cases.

Peculiarities of the chemical composition of plants is shown at

its comparison with the chemical composition of mineral sub-

strate after intensive operation. From the experiment should be,

that the plants do not only control their own elemental content,

but using the root system of influence on mineral substrate,

transforming it. For example, for tomato (test experiment; gra-

nite crushed rock) values of information functions have the fol-

lowing sequence: H(roots) = 1.72 > H(5) =1.51 > H(4) = 1.44 >

H(3) = 1.42 > H(2) = 1.18 > H(1) = .93 nat, here 1 is the chemi-

cal composition of the initial granite crushed rock, 2 is the

chemical composition wash-out with the surface of granite

crushed rock 15 vegetations, 3 is the chemical composition of

organomineral film on the surface of the rubble after 23 vegeta-

tions, 4 is the chemical composition wash-out with the surface

rubble after 23 vegetations, 5 is the chemical composition of the

surface of the melkozem after 23 vegetations. This sequence of

inequalities indicates that under the intense action of the root

system of plants and organic matter mineral substrate is trans-

formed. This result confirms the conclusion V.I. Vernadsky

(1922) about the active geochemical role of plant vital functions.

The evolution of elemental content of mineral substrate, the

available plants are shown from structured status to the chaotic

state.

Conclusion

The extensive experimental material on dynamics of loca-

lization and interrelation of chemical elements in various

bodies of plants under conditions of primary soil formation is

obtained. The executed researches reflect a number of impor-

tant features of interaction of plants and inert mineral sub-

strates. The results of this work show that various plants bo-

dies in different ways with the chemical elements under con-

ditions of a long and intensive exploitation of mineral sub-

strates. The content of chemical elements in plants varies in a

complicated way. For example, the dynamics of synergism of

chemical elements in the same organs of plants can be con-

trasted dynamics of antagonism in other organs of plants. At

the same time, the collective states of chemical elements in

the various plants bodies are subject to strict rule, which does

not change under conditions of mineral substrates transforma-

tion. Such research has a practical value, aimed at rational use

of the land and balanced mineral nutrition of plants. These

studies promise a purposeful change of elemental chemical

content in the plants, as well as the production of high-quality

agricultural products. This is important in conditions of

man-caused pollution of the environment and intensive

chemicalization of agriculture.

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