Plant Growth and Phytic Acid Accumulation in Grain as Affected by Phosphorus Application in Maize (Zea mays L.).

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of phosphorus (P) nutrition on phytic acid accumulation in grains measured by plant growth and P, Ca and Mg and phytic acid concentrations in maize (Zea mays L.) grown with increasing amounts of P fertilizer. Phosphorus was applied as fertilizer at three levels : 10^<-2> (1P treatment), 2×10 ^2 (2P treatment) and 4×10^<-2> (4P treatment) kg m^<-2> of P_2O_3 as superphosphate. Total plant dry weight, grain yield, total P concentration in the plant and grain, and phytic acid concentration in the grain were increased with increasing P levels. Positive relationships between the concentrations of total P and phytic acid concentration in the grain were observed. The percentage of phytic acid P concentration to total P concentration in the 1P treatment was 38%, and that in the 4P treatment was 58%. The P absorbed was mainly distributed in the grain. The amount of P translocated to the grains was higher in the 4P treatment than in the 1P treatment. These results suggested that grain yield and phytic acid synthesis in grains are regulated by altering the P status of plants.