376 Mineral Nutrition of Plants 



The data obtained by Wall (59) on potassium shortage of the tomato 

 plant (Table XI) agree with those of Richards and Templeman in 

 Table IX in regard to the disproportionate increase in amino acids and 

 maintenance in protein content. They differ from those of Gregory and 

 Baptiste (Table X) in showing both an increase in total carbohydrate 

 and the relatively increased content of reducing sugars. Wall pointed 



TABLE XI 



Effect of Potassium Deficiency on the Protein and Carbohydrate Content of 



the Tomato Plant* 



Plant Part 



Deficiency/Control Ratio: Potassium 



Soluble 

 Organic-N 



Protein-N 



Reducing 



Carbo- 

 hydratef 



Leaves 

 Upper 

 Lower 



Mean 



Stems 

 Upper 

 Lower 



Mean 



1.86 

 1.98 



1 .92 



1 .90 



1.56 



r -73 



1. 16 



0.87 



1 .02 



1 -37 



1 .04 



1 .21 



1.03 



3-93 



2.48 



0.69 

 1. 16 



°-93 



0.87 

 2.85 



1.86 



0.72 

 0.55 



0.64 



*Computed from data ot Wall (59) 

 fSugars plus starch 



out, therefore, that the evidence favored potassium participation in 

 protein formation, since proteolysis does not ordinarily occur in the 

 presence of adequate sugar. 



In these experiments sugars and carbohydrates were higher in the 

 lower parts of the plant, while amino acids and protein tended to be 

 greater in the younger tissues. The nitrogen differences were slight, 

 however. 



The experimental results of Sideris and Young have interested the 

 writer for they afford a comparison between the effects of ammonium 

 and nitrate nitrogen on potassium deficiency. The analytical results 



