Effect of Magnesium on Manganese Uptake and Growth of Rubber Trees

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) and Manganese (Mn) are essential nutrient for rubber plant growth. Most of rubber trees are planted in acid soils. These soils have insufficient Mg but Mn greatly dissolved that may affect to rubber plant growth. The study was conducted to investigate effect of Mg on Mn uptake and growth of rubber trees. Rubber tree sapling was planted in plastic pot. The experimental design was factorial experiment in CRD with three replications. The treatments included two factors with three rates of Mg supply as kieserite viz. 0, 2 and 10 cmolc Mg kg-1 and two rates of Mn as Manganese sulfate viz. 0 and 50 mg kg-1. The result showed that Mn concentrations and their uptake in all parts of rubber trees decreased when applying Mg. Magnesium concentrations increased with increasing of applied Mg while Calcium concentrations in shoot decreased. When applying Mg 10 cmolc kg-1, Potassium concentration decreased and shoot and root were stunted. Applying Mn 50 mg kg-1 did not affect rubber tree growth compared with the control.