Root growth and micronutrient uptake by common bean as affected by liming

Abstract

Despite the intense search for information about productive potential of common bean in response to soil liming, little is known concerning specific cultivar root system growth and micronutrients absorption. Therefore, a greenhouse study to evaluate the effect of root growth, as affected by soil liming, on micronutrients uptake by bean cultivars was carried out. The experimental design was completely randomized block, in 4x4 factorial scheme, with four levels of lime (0; .59; 3.8; and 4.48 t ha^-) and four bean cultivars (Campeão , Carioca, FT-Bonito, and Pérola), and four replications. When lime was absent, Perola was the cultivar showing the highest Cu, Fe, and Zn absorption capacity. When lime was applied, Carioca was the cultivar displaying the highest concentrations of Cu, Fe, and Zn in the plant aerial part. Under conditions of high availability of micronutrients in the soil, the bean plants of all cultivars were found to reduce their efficiency in converting absorbed micronutrients in plant dry matter. Additional keywords: Phaseolus vulgaris, cultivars, liming, root system, micronutrients.