Journal
CROP JOURNAL
Volume 9, Issue 2, Pages 249-256Publisher
KEAI PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.cj.2020.10.005
Keywords
Antagonism; Functional replacement; Magnesium; Potassium; Synergy
Categories
Funding
- National Key Research and Development Program of China [2016YFD0200901, 2016YFD0200305]
- Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [KJQN201514, KYZ201625]
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This review summarizes the interactions between potassium and magnesium in plants, focusing on their root uptake, root-to-shoot translocation, and distribution. The antagonistic effect of potassium on magnesium is stronger, highlighting the importance of balanced use of potassium and magnesium fertilizers for sustaining high plant-available magnesium and alleviating potassium-induced magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium (Mg) affects various critical physiological and biochemical processes in higher plants, and its deficiency impedes plant growth and development. Although potassium (K)-induced Mg deficiency in agricultural production is widespread, the specific relationship of K with Mg and especially its competitive nature is poorly understood. This review summarizes current knowledge on the interactions between K and Mg with respect to their root uptake, root-to-shoot translocation and distribution in plants. Their synergistic effects on certain physiological functions are also described. The antagonistic effect of K on Mg is stronger than that of Mg on K in root absorption and transport within plants, indicating that the balanced use of K and Mg fertilizers is necessary for sustaining high plant-available Mg and alleviating K-induced Mg deficiency, especially in plant species with high K demand or in high-available-K soil. The relationship between Mg and K in plant tissues may be antagonistic or synergistic depending on plant species, cell type, leaf age, source- and sink organs. There are synergistic effects of K and Mg on photosynthesis, carbohydrate transport and allocation, nitrogen metabolism, and turgor regulation. Definition of optimal K/Mg ratios for soils and plant tissues is desirable for maintaining proper nutritional status in plants, leading to a physiological state supporting crop production. Future research should concentrate on identifying the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between K and Mg in a given physiological function. (C) 2020 Crop Science Society of China and Institute of Crop Science, CAAS. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
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