Wednesday, November 15, 2006
285-28

Assessing Whole Plant Mineral Nutrients Partitioning in Concord Grape (Vitis labruscana Bailey).

Suphasuk Pradubsuk, Joan R. Davenport, and Kelly Whitley. Dept of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State Univ, N Bunn Rd, Prosser, WA 99350

Understanding how grape vines store nutrients in permanent tissue, how much nutrient vines absorb from soil, and how nutrients are partitioned and redistributed throughout the plant is critical to the development of sound nutrient management practices. This study was initiated to investigate uptake and redistribution of macro and macro nutrient in whole Concord grape plants. The study was conducted in 41 year-old Concord vineyard located at Prosser, WA (lat 46o15’59” N, long 119o44’4” W). Four whole plants of Concord grapes were chosen randomly throughout a 1.5 acre block and excavated at key growth stages through harvest. Tissue fractions were weighed to determine for biomass and analyzed for total N, C, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, S, Zn and B. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for soil plant available nutrients at each sampling time. Changes in biomass and nutrient concentrations of different tissue fractions among different growth stages were interpreted into pattern of nutrient partitioning and uptake.  This presentation focuses on seasonal changes in representative plant nutrient distribution in grape.