The impact of pH and calcium on the uptake of fluoride by tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.).

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) accumulate large amounts of fluoride (F) from soils containing normal F concentrations. The present experiments examined the effects of pH and Ca on F uptake by this accumulating plant species.

Methods

The effect of pH was assessed in two experiments, one using uptake solutions with different pHs, and the other using lime, as CaO, applied to the soil. The effect of Ca was examined by analysing F concentrations in plants supplied with varying amounts of Ca, as Ca(NO3)2, either in uptake solutions or through the soil.

Key results

F uptake was highest at solution pH 5.5, and significantly lower at pH 4.0. In the soil experiment, leaf F decreased linearly with the amounts of lime, which raised the soil pH progressively

SUBMITTER: Ruan J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4242264 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature