Response of narrow-leafed lupins to cobalt application in relation to cobalt concentration in seed

Abstract

The effect of cobalt concentration in seeds on the response of narrow-leafed lupins to applied cobalt was examined in a glasshouse experiment. As seed cobalt concentrations increased from 6 to 400 in ng/g, the magnitude of the response to applied cobalt in both shoot weight and nitrogen concentrations in shoots decreased. However, even with a concentration of 400 ng/g, there was still a 10% increase in shoot weight with cobalt application. Cobalt concentrations shoots were a poor indicator of the adequacy of cobalt supply.