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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #120981
Title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHOSPHORUS AND ZINC FERTILIZER LEVELS AND PHYTIC ACID CONTENT IN PHASEOLUS VULGARIS SEED

Author
item CICHY, KAREN - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
item MORAGHAN, JOHN - N DAKOTA ST UNIVERSITY
item GRAFTON, KENNETH - N DAKOTA ST UNIVERSITY
item Hosfield, George

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Phytate is the major storage form of phosphorus in legume seeds. With six phosphate groups, the phytate molecule has the ability to bind divalent cations such as potassium, calcium, and zinc, and store them in a stable environment until needed for seed germination. In humans, phytate is considered an antinutrient because it can pass undigested through the digestive tract and limit the bioavailability of cations attached to it. A relationship also exists between phosphorus and zinc in bean plants, such that high levels of phosphorus in the soil can cause zinc deficiency symptoms in the plant. This study was conducted to determine the effect of phosphorus and zinc fertilizer levels on phytic acid content in navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seed. Two genotypes were used in this study. 'Voyager' is zinc efficient and can grow in soils with low available zinc without showing zinc deficiency symptoms. 'Albion' is zinc inefficient and, ,thus, shows zinc deficiency symptoms when grown in low zinc soils. 'Voyager' and 'Albion' were grown in the greenhouse each with 15 fertilizer treatment combinations. Three levels of phosphorus (0, 60, 120 mg P kg-1 soil) and five levels of zinc (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 mg Zn kg-1 soil) fertilizer were used. Phytic acid was extracted from bean flour with hydrochloric acid and was measured by HPLC. The results indicated that in each variety, phytic acid levels increased as added phosphorus increased. Phytic acid level decreased as added zinc increased. The phytic acid levels were similar for both varieties regardless of the treatment.