Physiological and ecological studies on the oestrogenic isoflavones in subterranean clover (T. subterraneum L.) IV. Effects of zinc deficiency in clover seedlings.

Abstract

Results of a glasshouse experiment, conducted on an acutely zinc-deficient soil, are presented.

At day 29, the cotyledons and unifoliate leaves of zinc-deficient plants showed higher isoflavone concentrations, and markedly higher total isoflavones per leaf, than did those of plants supplied with zinc. At day 47, however, when the "little leaf" condition was well advanced in the zinc-deficient plants, trifoliate leaves of the deficient plants were lower in isoflavone levels (and especially in isoflavones per leaf) than those of normal plants.

The patterns of isoflavone distribution correspond with, and are thought to result from, effects of zinc deficiency in the seedling stage on photosynthetic accumulation in plant parts.

It is considered that zinc deficiency in the field is unlikely to affect the incidence of "clover disease".