MAIN LIBRARY-AGRICULTURE DEFT

Bulletin No. 124. Dec. 1917

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT
STATION,

GOVERNMENT OF FORMOSA.

On the Growth

of
the Rice Plant.

BY

SHINKICHI SUZUKI.

Errata.

Page

line

for

read

i

3

perfecture

prefecture

I

ii

mach

much

I

ii

research

research

I

6 from bottom

iu the growth

in its growth

2

»5

(\.P. 25-28,

(V. P. 21)

2

8 from bottom

weight

Weight

3

4

weight

Weight

3

6

461. 78

461. 68

4

5

increnses

increases

4

6

stem

stems

4

IO

befor

before

7

i from bottom

stem

stems

13

4 from bottom

earier

earlier

M

13

date

data

14

I from bottom

Oct. 39

Oct. 30

15

16

vsry

very

i?

3 from bottom

17. 60

I7-65

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7 from bottom

5 A A

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6 from bottom

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21

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protein

28

15

65. 72

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29

3

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204"-2O5°C

32

12

colled

collected

35

14

rathar

rather

36

9 from bottom

Leave

Leaves

36

5 from bottom

84. 6y

34-69

37

5 from bottom

throuh

through

39

7 from bottom

incleasc

increase

40

ii

Tokoku

Tohoku

43

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of

44

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45

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1 gr. gr. gr. gr. gr.

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cake

50

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Craps

crops

55

I

Dry matter

Dry Matter

56

8 from bottom

1-13

1.03

57

10 from bottom

rhe

the

\o/>/

On the Growth

of
the Rice Plant.

Contents.

Page.

Introduction. General scheme of experiments. i

Total weight of the plant when fresh. 2

Amount of water in the plant when fresh. 4

Dry matter content. 8

Protein content. 19

Glucose, saccharose, dextrine and starch contents. 21

Pentosane and crude fibre contents. 36

Inorganic ingredients. 40

4825

On the growth of the Rice Plant.

By
Shinkichi Suzuki.

Rice has been one of the most important economic crops in
Japan. Agricultural Experiment Stations, established in every
pcrfecture of Japan, have, for a number of years, issued reports on
many and varied experiments with this crop. The attention of
agricultural scientists has been given, in no small measure, to the
application of fertilizers and the method of cultivation. Unfortunately,
many of these experiments ended only in the ascertainment of
empirical facts. It is true that mach valuable scientific research,
connected with the cultivation of rice, has been conducted in the
Central Agricultural Experiment Station and in the Agricultural
College, Tokio, yet there still remain many scientific, and likewise
practical questions to be worked out in this Island, where the
tropical climate exercises an important influence on the growth of
the rice plant.

General Scheme of Experiments,

The present experiments were undertaken with a view to
gaining further knowledge of the development and composition of the
rice plant at successive stages in the growth. On April Ist, 1913,
the young plants, that had been grown in a nursery, were transferred
to certain plats, which we will call A, B and fj, at the rate of 10,800
bundles per tan (44,068 bundles per acre, i.e. per 4.0804 tan), each
bundle consisting of five plants. These plants were cultivated in
the usual way, and the manures applied to the three plats were as
follws : —

• • ' * ™

••<

, , , ..... • ,

&!:.

Table 1. Quantity of Fertilizer.

Plat

Fertilizer

per tan

per acre

Soy bean Cake

Kwan

N, 2.5

Ibs.
84.99

A

Superphosphate

P,05, 2.0

68.00

Potassium Carbonate

K2O, i.o

34-00

Ammonium Sulphate

N, 2.5

84.99

B

Superphosphate

P2O6, 2.0

68.00

Potassium Carbonate

K2O, i.o

34-oo

C

None

Plants of normal growth and of equal size were carefully selected
as samples for analysis. Ten to twenty bundles were uprooted at the
desired stages of growth, from each plat, and immediately divided
into botanical parts, so as to obtain their weights in a fresh state.
The preparation of these samples will be described under the heading
"Glucose, Saccharose, Dextrine and Starch Contents", (v. p. 25-28)
All these botanical portions were submitted to a chemical analysis.

Total Weight of the Plant when Fresh,

Arendt and Butschneider observed that the oat- plant reached
its greatest weight at the time of flowering or heading out, as the
following figures show: —

Table 2. Total weight of Oat-plant in a Fresh State.
(Arendt and Butschneider)

Date

per acre

June 19

6,358 Ibs.

June 29

(10 clays)

10,603 »

July 8

(9 „ ) Full bloom

16,623 „

July 28

(20 „ )

14,981 „

Aug. 6

(9 „ ) Full ripe

10,622 „

The submerged rice plant grows in a somewhat different way.
The weight remains about constant after the time of flowering, as
shown in the following tables : —

Table 3, Total weight of Rice Plant in a Fresh State.
( 10 bundles).

Date

Plat A

Plat B

Plat C

April 30 (30 days from transplantation)
May in (10 days)
May 26 (16 days)
June 16 (21 days) Full bloom
July 4 (18 days^ Full ripe

358.28

857-74
2,137.40

3,737-8o
3,448.20

gr.
297-57
7r7-i3
1,941.13

3,079.80
3,186.00

f-'r.
99-66
110.50
262.8O
649.20
667.20

It is clear that variation in weight during maturation depends
upon the increase of dry matter and the loss of water contained in
the plant body. Evaporation from the swamp rice plants, such as
we are experimenting with, may be compensated for by a much
more easy and rapid abso/ption of water than in the case of crops
grown in dry fields e. g. oats. Consequently the oat plant is found
to have a considerable loss of water in the period of maturation,
though the dry matter increases in amount. Thus the weight of the
oat-plant decreases towards maturity, while that of the rice plant
remains about constant during the same period.

Table 4. Weight of the Parts of the Rice Plant in
a Fresh State. (10 bundles)

Plat

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

A

Leaves
Stems gi
Koots
Grain

«'••
201.91

432.69
223.14

PP.

479.01

1,208.01
450.38

533-7°
2,533-70
341.00
329.40

gr.
628.70

gr

309.40
2,092.70
387-80
658-30

B

Leaves
Stems
Koots
Grain

188.34
354-04
IV4-75

420.85
1,058.60
461.78

421.50
1,923.70
422.50

2I2.IO

542.80

255-20
1,886.60
37*-70
672.50

C

Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

35-85
45-87'
38.78

64.50
134-70
63.60

83.20
403.80
103.00

59-20

—

50.70
393-8o
72.60
150.10

The word " stems " in the present paper is used for stems and sheaths.

There is no great difference between the weight of the roots
and that of the leaves in the earlier stages of the plant's growth.
As a rule, the weight of the vegetative parts increases until the time
of flowering, and then begins to diminish ; but the weight of the
grain increnses very rapidly during maturation. This reduction in
the weight of the stem and leaves, which takes place in the period
of maturation, is dependent upon the decrease of dry matter and of
water. The fresh stems have the greatest weight, at every stage
of development, among all the botanical parts of the rice plant, and
its weight increases very rapidly, especially befor the time of heading
out, as is shown in the following table : —

Table 5. Rate of Increase of the Weight in the Parts
of the Rice Plant in a Fresh State.

Tlat

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

Leaves

%
65-3

154-5

i72°5

%

%
IOO.C

Stems

20.7

57-7

121. 1

— .

IOO.O

A

EontS

57-5

116.1

87-9

—

IOO.O

G rain

—

—

5O.O

95-5

IOO.O

Leaves

73-8

164.9

165.2

—

-100.0

Stems

18.8

56.2

IO2.Q

— .

IOC.O

B

Roots

47-0

124.2

"3-7

—

IOO.O

Grain

—

—

3i-5

80.7

IOO.O

leaves

70.7

127.2

164.1

—

IOO.O

S'.cms

1 1.6

34-2

102.5

—

IOO.O

C

Roots

53-4

87.6

141.9

—

IOO.O

Grain

—

—

39-4

IOO.O

Amount of Water in the Plant when Fresh,

The absolute quantity of water contained in the live crop is
greatest at the flowering stage, and then gradually decreases towards
maturity. It may be assumed that the plant needs much water in

the period of vigorous growth, and absorbs a great deal of water
through the roots. Yet it must be borne in mind that a good
quantity of water is produced by dehydration which occurs in the
synthetic process of the higher carbohydrates and protein substances.
Leaves also contain the maximum amount of water at the time of
flowering, and a remarkable decrease of water takes place in them
when the crop is mature. However, it is not certain whether this
marked reduction in the amount of water is due to the more active
evaporation from the surface of the live leaves during maturation, or
to the fact that withered leaves are more abundant in the later part
of the plant's life. The amount of water contained in the stems is
always much greater than that in the leaves, especially at maturity,
for the structure of the stem is such that it retains much water in
its tissues, and prevents rapid evaporation. Both when the grain
is at an early and at a mature stage, the amount of water does not
vary a great deal. Rapid evaporation from the glumes of grain
may take place in the early period of maturation, and on the other
hand the stems may supply sufficient water to compensate for this
loss. In the course of maturation the glumes become hardened, and
this hinders rapid evaporation ; but at the same time the upper
portion of the stems withers to some extent, and thus the transport-
ation of water to the grain is partly checked. Furthermore, the
vigorous synthesis, in the grain, of starch and protain from simpler
compounds results in the production of water. Hence the reason
for there being a fairly constant weight of water in the grain in its
early and in its mature stages becomes clear. The quantities of
water in 10 bundles of rice plants are shown in the following list: —

Table 6. Weight of Water in the Parts of Rice Plant.
(10 bundles)

Plat

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

A

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

gr

709.92

M7-I3
367.18
195.61

gr

1,748.10
348.91
I,OOO.II

399.08

gr

2,818.80
362.50
1,994.00
277.90
184.40

gr

fir.
2,336.10
162.80
1,688.80
307.40
177.10

B

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

577-50
I34-36
289.78
I53-36

1,542.80

295-35
856.30
391.18

2,263.80
278.00
1,459-30
355-70
170.80

—

2,084.60
126.10
1,487.00
293.40
178.10

C

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

89.90
18.27
37-59
34-04

2I2.0O

45-70
III.6O

54-70

477-50
52.80
304.20
85.10
35-40

-

454-20
26.30
322.8O
59-60
45-50

It is well known that the percentage of water in a plant is
highest, as a rule, during the early stage of its growth. The sub-
merged rice plant (grown in a swamp) seems to be more succulent
than cereals that are cultivated in dry fields. The rice crops that
were reaped on April 3Oth, thirty days after transplantation, show
that the well-developed young plant on plats A and B contains about
85 % of water ; and that the rice plant from plat C, which was un-
mamircd, has a slightly smaller percentage of water, probably owing
to its inferior development, Yet from May 10 up to maturity the
percentages of water in these plants are practically equal at the
same stages of growth. Figures are given below : —

Table 7, Percentage of Water in the Fresh Rice Plant.

Date

Plat A

Plat B

Plat C

April 30
May 10
May 26
June 1 6
July 4

%
85.28
82.76
81.80
75-42
67-74

85.17
80-54
79-49
73-54
65-43

"to

80.78

81.36

80.67

73-55
68.06

All the botanical parts of the rice plant also contain a gradu-
ally decreasing percentage of water during the plant's life, with the
exception that there is a slight increasing percentage in the stem at
the time of maturity. This latter fact is. due to the great diminution
in the absolute amount of dry matter and the rather less loss of
water, that takes place in the stems during maturation. The per-
centags of water in the parts of the rice plant, at the different stages
in its growth, are tabulated below : —

Table 8. Percentage of Water in the Parts of the
Fresh Plant.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

A

•/»

%
72.87

%
72.84

67.92

%
63.67

%
52.61

Leaves

B

—

7I-34

70.18

65.96

63.08

49.42

C

71.91

70.68

70.89

63-49

59-3 r

51.88

A

—

84.86

82.79

78.70

81.02

80.70

Stems

B

—

81.85

80.89

75.86

—

78.82

C

84-39

81.95

82.86

75-34

—

81.97

A

—

87.66

88.61

81.50

—

79.26

Roots

B

—

87.78

84-73

84.19

—

78.94

C

85.11

87.78

86.02

82.63

—

82.10

A

55-99

32-48

26.91

Grain

B

54-74

—

26.48

C

59.82

—

30-37

The stems and roots have a larger percentage of water than
the grain and leaves, and their percentages do not decrease very
greatly throughout the plant's life, varying within 10% only. In the
stems the percentage of water is lowest just after the vigorous growth
of the vegetative tissues, though a great quantity of water in the
stems is found at the same stage, (v. Table 6.). Conseqently it is
clear that a much greater amount .of dry matter accumulates in the
stem in the period of flowering. The difference between the per-

8

centagcs of water in the leaves of May 10 and July 4 is about 20%.
This is twice as great as in the case of the stems and roots.
However, it should be borne in mind that the percentage of water
in the leaves at maturity* does not actually represent the water-
content of the live leaves, because many of the old leaves begin to
wither towards maturity. The mature grain has a lower percentage
of water, owing to the great accumulation of dry matter during
maturation.

Dry Matter Content.

The continuous increase in the absolute amount of dry matter,
and also the rate of increase, are shown in the following table : — •

Table 9. Dry Matter of the Rice Plant.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

July 4

Dry Matter in

A

gr.
51.90

jr.
147.82

gr.
389-30

gr.

919.00

£r.
1,121. IO

10 bundles of

B

44-'3

I39-63

398-30

816.00

I,IOI.4O

Rice plant.

C

18.88

2O.6O

50.80

171.70

454.20

Increasing

A

'/»
4.6

%
13-3

3S-o

%
82.6

%
100.0

Rate of Dry

B

4.0

I2.7

36.2

74.1

IOO.O

Matter.

c ! 8.9

9-7

23.8

80.6

IOO.O

A perusal of the above table shows that the increasing rate of
dry matter in the rice plant from the unmanured plat C> is very
different from those of the well developed crops cultivated on plat
A and B, which were treated with fertilizers. For instance, it is
found that the dry matter in the rice plant raised on the nearly
exhausted soil of plat C increases only a very little during the early
part of its life, because the plant tillers very poorly. Consequently
it is clear that the fertility of the soil affects the rate of the accum-
ulation of dry mattar during the plant's life.

Climatic conditions may exert influence on the rate of increase

of dry matter. But before entering into a discussion on this point,
it seems of interest to remark on the relation of climatic conditions
to the length of the plant's life. In the summer of 1914, rice grown
from similar seed was raised both at Taihoku H^Jfc, Formosa, and at
Shidzuoka pjff|^, 119 miles southwest of Tokio, Japan. The number
of days for vegetative growth and maturation are given in the follow-
ing table :--

Table 10. Number of Days for the Plant's Life.

Variety

Place

Days,
transplantation
to heading out

Days,
heading out
to maturity

«• VK

Tankowhoile, 4EEj||4£4S(, Formosan variety.

Shidzuoka

58

46

Taihoku

73

31

Wookoku, ,^ ^5, Fonnosan variety.

Shidzuoka

60

44

Taihoku

78

34

Nakamura, tji Iff, Japanese variety

Shidzuoka

72

Si

Taihoku

65

33

It is noticed in the above table that the length of the periods,
which -the rice crops at both places need for their vegetative growth
and maturation, is very different. Although the kind of soil and
fertilizer and the mode of carrying out the cultivation may have some
influence on the development of the rice plant, they are not of
sufficient importance to affect the length of the plant's life, when the
rice crops are cultivated under normal conditions. Hewever, it is
believed that the temperature during the plant's life exercises a very
important and direct influence on its growth. All these rice plants
at Shizduoka take a greater number of days for their maturation
than at Taihoku. The vegetative development of the Japanese
variety, " Nakamura," cultivated at Shidzuoka, needs a longer time
than at Taihoku, as is very usual when crops of a southern climate

^ The " number of days for the vegetative growth " is used to indicate the period from
transplantation to the heading out of the panicles ; and " heading out " means the stage, at
which about 7<j % of the lice pUnto under consideration produce panicles.

10

are raised in a more northern land. It was described in a previous
publication, viz : A Study of the Rice Plant produced in Formosa,"
S. K. S. Suzuki & Y. Ogata, (Agr. Expt. Stat. Formosa, Report No.
10), how the Japanese varieties, "Shiratama" Q3I and '' Miyako " $j$
take about 73 days for their vegetative growth and 46 days for
maturation, when they are cultivated at Kumamoto ^|^, Japan,
whereas they grow for 68 days and mature for 34 days at Taihoku;
that is, the northern varieties have a shortened period of growth and
maturation in southern climates.

The contrary is the case with the Japanese varieties given in
the above Table 10. The two Formosan crops have a shorter
period for their vegetative growth in Shidzuoka than at Taihoku, and
indeed it seems very probable that these Formosan crops originally
belonged to varieties which were shorter lived. The temperature
at Shidzuoka may be a very important factor in accounting for the
peculiar reaction mentioned, viz : that the vegetative parts of these
Formosan plants grow in a shorter period. Temperature during the
actual crop seasons at both the places are compared in the following
table:--

II

Table 11. Average Temperature (1914).

Month

Taihoku

Soidzuoka

fist ten days.
March J 2nd „ „

'srd,, „

17.2° C- (Transplanted March 18)

2I.01,,

!ist ten days.
2nd „ „
3rd „ „

J9-3° »
22.5° „
2S-3° „

!ist ten days.
2nd „ „
3rd „ „

22.01 „

2S-6a „
0 (Heading out May
24-2 » 30— June 4)

!ist ten days.
2nd „ „
'3rd,,

25-0° „
26.8%,

27-3° ,,

2I.6JC-
21.0° „

23.0° „ (Transplanted Juue 20)

fist ten days.
July j 2nd „ „
<3rd,,

27.5° „ (Matured July i— 8)
27-3° „
28-3° „

25-9° „
25-8',,
25-60 „

!ist ten days.
2nd „ „
3rd „ „

27-4° »
26.0°,, (Heading out Aug. 17)

27-20 „

!ist ten days.
2nd „ „
3rd „

26.0° „
24-5°',,

20.8^ „

/ist ten days.

Oct. J2Ild,, „

' 3rd „ „

19.4° n (Matured Oct. 2)

i7-5°»
16.4° „

It will be noticed from the table that the crops are grown
later in the year in Japan, and that the temperatures during the
period of vegetative growth arc a good deal higher at Shidzuoka,
Japan, than at Taihoku, Formosa. Consequently the Formasan
varieties cultivated at Shidzuoka, where the temperature is higher,
rapidly reach, owing to their special characteristics, the full develop-

12

mcnt of their vegetative organs, and produce panicles early.

Assuming that the nature of the short-life varieties is such
that their vegetative organs develop more rapidly at a higher temp-
erature, as is the case with the Formosan crops when raised at
Shidzuoka ; then if the Japanese short-life crops are cultivated at
Taihoku, the duration of their vegetative growth should be longer
than it is in their original localities. Yet the variety tests conducted
in our 'Station with these kinds of Japanese crops show that their
panicles come out too early and form practically no seed. This
negative result appears to be in contradiction with the characteristics
of the Formosan crops considered as short-life varieties. However,
we may find an explanation in the increasing rate of temperature
at Taihoku. At this latter place, the average temperature in the
middle of March, when the young seedlings are usually transplanted,
is about I7°C., and rises more rapidly than at Shidzuoka. Therefore
the Japanese short-life varieties cultivated at Taihoku, must have, at
a relatively young stage of growth, met with a higher temperature
than that at which, in their original locality, they had become ac-
climatized, so as eventually to produce panicles. Thus at Taihoku
they had too short a period of vegetative growth to yield grain.

Various local crops of the southern part of Formosa were
cultivated at different places in 1908. The dates of transplantation,
heading out, and maturity, are given in the following table : —

Table 12. Number of Days for Vegetative Growth
and Maturation.

Dates

Days

Akow. SJ*

Taihoku

Akow

Taihoku

Variety

(transplanted

(Transplanted

Feb. 10).

April 6)

3-

|

1-s

c

D fe

t/3 0

b f5

ba g

'i "rt

Heading
out

Maturity

Head nig
out

Maturity

> fo>
|l

rt

P ''

h|

Seiyu ffi J|lj

April 17

May 22

June 14

July 15

67

35

69

31

Woolieu ,% )|sj

i, 25

ii 29

„ 16

„ 15

75

34

70

30

Tookow jfj| SB

,i 23

,, 28

>i *5

„ 18

73

35

70

33

Nansipcn $1 f? til)

„ 18

i> 20

ii 14

68

69

30

kokiakhan & $JI Rsfc

» '9

„ 22

,, M

,, M

69

33

69

30

Seiyu $f yft

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32

72

30

Kohikwa /;}£ jjf <$•

ii r9

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69

32

71

26

Woolieu ,% JjfJ

ii 24

JJ

i, 16

12

74 34

71

26

Rokio Jl ii

" 26

„ 29

ii 20

„ 20

76

33

75

30

1 lakkoku £j *£

,, 2'

ii 24

» l6

„ 15

33

71

29

Taiwoo ^ ,Hf

ii 2°

i> 22

,i 17

ii "5

7°

32

72

28

Hakuyo £j ?6j|

ii 30 „ 3i

,i '7

„ is

80

3i

72

28

On the whole these southern local crops have a somewhat
shorter period for their vegetative growth in the northern climate, and
their maturing process is completed in a shorter period than in their
native locality. This might seem to run counter to the general
observation that vegetation matures earier in southern climates. Yet
the fact that the life of the rice plant is shorter in the northern part
of Formosa than in the South, is due lo the temperature during the
actual rice crop season being higher at Taihoku than at Akow, as
shown in the following table : —

Akow, |SJ^, is 245 miles south of Taihoku.

Table 13. Average Temperature in the Rice
Crop Season.

Month

Taihoku

Akovv

February
March
April
May
June
July

20.8' C.
24-3° ,,
26.3° „
27.8' „

(Transplanted)
(Matured)

18.3° C.

22.1° „
25-2° „

(Trnsplanted)
(Matured)

•

As noted before, the length of vegetative growth and matur-
ation may exert some influence on the increasing rate of accumulation
of dry matter during the whole life of the rice plant. Unfortunately
we have not sufficient date to enable us to come to definite conclus-
ions on this subject, but a few facts are given below, by means of
which the increasing rates of dry-matter accumulation in the entire
plant can be compared.

Table 14. Rate of Increase in the Amount of
Dry Matter.

Variety

Date

Days

Amount of
Dry Matter

Rate of
Increase

Tankowhoile, $j[
)^#fil » (Formosan
variety, transplanted
April i, 1913, (Tai-
hoku)

April 30
May 10
May 26
June 16 (Full bloom)
July 4 (Maturity)

30

10

16

21

18

4-3
13.0
35-6_

78.4

IOO.O

*

Bungo, U $,
(Japanese short- life
variety)

June 30
July 14
July 28
Aug. ii (Heading out)
Sept. 30 (Maturity)

9
»4

J4
'4
So

I'er tan
10,608 Kgr.

23»694 „
76,840 „
291.263 „
579.305 „

1.8
4.1

13-3

50.2

IOO.O

*

Kowrimasu, ,fft @,
(Japanesemedium-
life variety)

July H

July 28
Aug. 1 1
Aug 25 (Heading out)
Oct. 13 (Maturity)

23
14
"4
»4
49

34.610 „
123,950 „
39!.645 „

703,579 „
860,910 „

4.0
14.4

45-5
81.7

IOO.O

*

Buzen. ^ (ft ,
(Japanese long-life
variety)

July 14
July 28
Aug ii
Aug. 25
Sept. 8 (Heading out)
Oct. 39 (Maturity)

23

14
H
14
»4

52

24,342 „
100,290 „

328,415 „
532,123 „

787,050 „
744,687 „

3-3
13-5

44.1

7'-5

!o5-7

IOO.O

Jg These three crops were transplanted on the 21** of June, 1901. v. "The Amount of
Nitrogen in the Rice plant in Relation to its growth," by Matzuoko ; Agr. Expt. Stat. Tokio.
Report No. 28-p.i65-

15

The dry matter of the above four varieties increases at nearly
the same rate until five or six weeks from the time of transplantation.
In the next fourteen days, by Aug. iith, the short, medium and long
life varieties reach 50.0,%". 45-5X anc* 44-1% respectively; thus the
increasing rates of the Japanese varieties which were cultivated under
the same climatic conditions, are not very different in this period.
Afterwards, the rates of increase entirely differ from one another,
even under the same conditions, probably according to the peculiarities
of the different varieties. As a rule the rate of increase in the
amount of dry matter during maturation is less rapid than in the
period of vegetative growth, the great increase of dry matter in the
grain being a little more than counteracted by the very considerable
decrease that takes place in the leaves and stems during the period
of maturity. This latter fact was explained in the publication
previously referred to, (v. p. 10).

It is vsry clearly noticed that the rate of increase of dry
matter falls into three distinct periods throughout the rice plant's
life.

I. Period of tillering. The increase of dry matter is very slow
during the time that the plant tillers freely. In this period the
number of panicles may be predicted.

II. Period of vegetative growth, or of increase in height. The dry
matter in the plant body accumulates very rapidly up to the time of
heading out or flowering.

III. Period of maturation. The dry matter in the grain increases
in amount very rapidly, and that in the entire plant has either a
gradual or a rapid increase, according to the particular varieties of
rice plant.

Therefore these three periods, which farmers recognize by their
external appearances, have a very important signification witli regard
to the formation of dry matter in the rice plant.

The Formosan crop has no such conspicuous distinction in the

i6

increasing rate of dry matter, as observed in the case of the Japanese
varieties. However, it is not impossible to discern the same tendency
in the direction of increasing rate. As described above, the Japanese
and Formosan varieties have a somewhat similar rate of increase at
the young stage of their life, yet in later life the Formosan crop
has a very rapid increase in the amount of its dry matter, owing to
the higher temperature and the much shorter period of maturation
than in Japan.

Table 15, Amount of Dry Matter in the Parts of
Rice Plant at Successive Stages of its Growth

Plat

From 10
bundles

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

Entire Plant

cr-
51-99

KT. «r.
147.82 ; 389.30

gf.

919.00

gr. KT.
1,112.10

Leaves

22.63

54.78 130.10

171.20

190.50 146.60

A

Stems

22.00

65.51 207.90

539-70

—

403.90

Roots

7-36

27-53 5I-30

63.10

65.90

80.40

Grain

145.00

—

481.20

Entire Plant

44-13

139-63 i 398-30

816.00

—

1,101.40

Leaves

18.92

53-98

I25-50

M3-50

131.50

129.10

B

Stems

18.87

64.26

202.30

464.40

—

399.60

Roots

6-34

21.39

70.50

66.80

57-40

78.30

Grain

141.30

—

494.40

Entire Plant

18.88

20.60

50.80

171.70

—

213.00

Leaves

7.84

7-53

1 8.80

30.40

31.80

24.40

c

Stems

7.71

8.28 23.10

99.60

—

71.00

Roots

3-33

4-74 8.90

17.90

—

13.00

Grain

23.80 — 104.60

The absolute quantity of dry matter in the entire plant in-
creases throughout its life ; but in the various parts there are some
fluctuations in the amounts at different stages, as the above table
shows. The vegetative organs have an increase of dry matter until
the time of flowering, but in the period of maturation the dry matter
in the stems and leaves considerably diminishes, as the reproductive

organs develop at this stage. It is, therefore, believed that some
reserve materials for the formation of grain are accumulated in the
stems and leaves during the development of these organs. The nature
of dry matter that disappears from these vegetative organs will be
described later.

The amount of dry matter in the roots from plat A increases
throughout the plant's life, but from plat B it decreases from the
time of flowering. The weight of dry matter in the roots from the
unmanured plat C <ilso diminishes at the stage of maturity. Although
it is very difficult to obtain perfect and complete specimens of the
roots, these reductions in amount arc too great to be regarded as
due to errors in the preparation of the samples. However, we can
not decide whether these decreases are due to the destruction of old
roots, or to the translocation of nutrients to other organs.

The percentage of dry matter in the leaves, stems, roots and
grain is given in the following table, to show the relative distribution
at successive stages.

Table 16. Distribution of Dry Matter in the Parts
of Rice Plant.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

Entire Plant

%
1 00.00

%

IOO.OO

IOO.OO

*/o
100.00

__

IOO.OO

Leaves

43-53

37-15

33-42

18.62

— .

13.18

A

Steins

42.31

44.16

53-39

58.72

—

36.31

Roots

J4-'5

18.67

13.18

6.86

—

7-23

Grain

J5-77

—

43.26

Entire Plant

IOO.OO

1 00.00

IOO.OO

IOO.OO

.

1 00.00

Leaves

42.87

38.65

3M9

17-57

—

11.72

B

Stems

42.75

46.02

50-79

56.91

—

36.28

Roots

'4-37

'5-32

17.70

8.18

—

7.11

Grain

J7-32

—

44.88

Entire Plant

100.00

100.00

IOO.OO

IOO.OO

.

IOO.OO

Leaves

41.52

36.80

37-r>3

17.70

—

11.44

C Stems

40.82

40.18

45-38

57-99

— •

33-36

Roots

17.60

23.01

I7-58

10.42

—

6.08

Grain

13.88

—

49.12

It is found in the table that the relative percentage of dry

i8

matter in the leaves and in the stems do not differ much at the
young stage, 30 days after transplantation, but that thence-forward
it becomes greater in the stems, reaching a maximum at the time
of flowering. A remarkable reduction of the percentage in the stems
is noticed at maturity, at which time the grain has the heighcst
percentage. The percentage in the leaves decreases throughout the
development of the rice plant, especially during the period of matu-
ration, just as in the case of the stems. A great reduction in the
percentage in the roots takes place after the time of flowering ; this
means that the roots do not develop so much as the other organs
after the flowering season.

The organic constituents of the dry matter which is formed in
the rice plant, will be explained in the following pages.

Protein Content,

The protein substance in the parts of the rice plant was
estimated by Stutzer's method, with the following results : — •

Table 17. Percentage of Protein Substance in the
Parts of the Rice Plant.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

Tune 16

June 26

July 4

IM

% 0

Entire Plant^

16.15

11.71

5-83

4.86

_

4-32

rs j_

Leaves

23-63

18.94

8.38

.9.19

6.13

4.81

§1 £

Stems

11.19

7-94

4-56

3.00

2.88

2.38

tfi-S1

Roots

8.88

6.63

4-75

4.81

4-25

4.00

A

Grain

6.69

6.31

5-88

r\

{TV

gr

«r

itf

gr

«r

Entire Plant

8.38

17-31

22.70

44-63

48.00

1 al

Leaves

5-31

10.31

10.88

15.69

11.63

7.0O

|'||

Stems

2.44

5-i9

9.44

16.19

—

9-56

4* 2

Roots

0.63

1.81

2.38

3.06

2-75

3-19

Grain

9.69

—

28.25

tfi '~J

Entire Plant

I4.3°2

12.58

6.8 r

4-73

_

4-57

^ vl

Leaves

20.69

19.56

12.19

8.56

5-5o

4.94

ll *

Stems

9-38

8-75

4-T3

2-94

2.25

2-75

r^U-l"

Roots

9.69

7-25

5.06

4-56

3-69

3-63

I

*t| P*

Grain

6-94

—

6.13

u

Entire Plants

6.32

Sir
I7-56

27.12

38-63"

gr

ST.
50.38

'o .2 J3

Leaves

3-94

10.50

'5-25

12.25

7.19

6.38

III

Stems

T-75

5-56

8.31

13-63

—

10.94

e p •—

41-s

Roots

0.63

1.50

3-56

3-oo

2.06

2.8l

Grain

9-75

—

30.25

Entire plant

9-08

6.03

4-55

— '.

5.OO

rt O '-(

rll « iJ

Leaves

23.63 i 14.81

9-75

9.69

5-63

6.13

rj a =

Stems

11.69

6.19

3.88

2-75

—

2-75

w 5

Roots

—

6.69

4-38

4-25

5-44

3-94

&

Grain

6.25

—

6.38

gr.

gr.

at.

sr.

gr.

S-'l'.

M

Entire Plant

M

1.87

3-07

7.82

10.65

Q g U

I-eaves

1.88 1.06

1.81

2.94

I.79

1.50

"S a a

Stems

0.94 0.50

0.88

2.64

—

'•95

Us

Roots

0.31

0.38

0-75

—

0.51

Grain

1.44

—

6.69

20

It was stated in the previous publication (Agr. Expt. Stat.
Formosa, Report No. 10, 1915) that the entire plant contained the
highest percentage of nitrogen four or five weeks after transplantation.
Similarly, in the present axperiments the percentage of protein is
found to be highest at the young stage, and to decline rather rapidly
when the plant begins vigorously to increase its amount of dry matter.
Then, towards the end of maturation, the decrease In percentage is
more gradual. Hence it is clear that the rice plant needs a relat-
ively large quantity of protein substance to produce new culms in
the period of tillering. Consequently, much nitrogenous manure should
be supplied early in the plant's life.

The absolute quantity of protein in the entire plant gradually
increases during the plant's development. The increase of protein,
is not proportionate to the total increase of dry matter, for there is
a production of substances other than protein, which yield a larger
contribution to the increase of dry matter. At a young stage the
increase of protein proceeds more rapidly than that of the other dry
matter ; but in the period of vegetative growth the case is reversed.

The parts of the rice plant have a decreasing persentage of
protein at successive stages of growth. the leaves are always found
to have the highest percentage until the time of flowering, but a
remarkable reduction in percentage takes place during maturation,
owing to the translocation of protein to the stems, as will be des-
cribed later. The decrease of percentage throughout the plant's life
is greater in the leaves than in the stems. And the decrease of
percentage in the roots is very slow after the sudden diminution
which occurs at the young stage of growth, — (the roots have a rather
higher percentage of protein in the period of tillering, new young
roots being produced). The decrease in percentage of protein in
the stems and leaves before the time of flowering, is dependent on
the active production of dry matter other than protein in these
organs, yet the reduction which appears during maturation is chiefly

21

ceuised by the transference of protein from these tissues.

The leaves, stems and grain are rather rich in protein, but
the roots contain a smaller quantity of this nutrient. The absolute
quantity of protein in the leaves is always greater than in the
stems until the time of flowering. However, there is no great
difference between the amounts of protein contained in the stems
and in the leaves, when these vegetative organs reach their full
development. Throughout the plant's life the absolute amount of
protain in the leaves and stems is highest either just before heading
out or at the time of flowering, and then it decreases towards the
plant's maturity, being transferred to the grain. In the period of
maturation the leaves lose a greater amount of protein than the stems,
while the stems lose more starch, as will be seen later. Thus
the stems do not supply so much protein to the grain, as the leaves
do to the stems. Consequently, the leaves may be regarded as the
main reserve organ for protein before maturation, and the stems for
starch. The protein in the roots increases in amount until the time-
either of heading out or of flowering, but remains about constant
during the later part of the plant's life.

Glucose, Saccharose, Dextrine and Starch Contents,

In the present experiments 9 bundles of representative plants-
were uprooted at successive stages of growth. Clear days were
selected for the collection of the specimens, and the work of sampling
in the field was carried out in all cases from 10 : oo to 1 1 : oo A.M.
as it is a well known fact that the amounts of some of the organic
nutrients in a plant vary not a little at different times of day. It
may be interesting to give the results of analysis, which show the
variation of some of the carbohydrates in the leaves of the rice plant
in the morning and in the evening. About a hundred blades of
equally well developed leaves, which' were attached to the third joints
from the top of the stems, were collected at 7:00 A, H and 4:00

22

P. M. on the 29tl1 of May, 1913. They were dried at 7O°C., and
analysed with the following results I—-
Table 18. Carbohydrates in Leaves. (Expressed
as percentage of dry matter).

7 : oo A. M.

4 : oo P. M.

Difference

Glucose

i-54

?
4.26

+ 2-72

Saccharose

2.82

4-43

+ 1.61

Starch

14.72

16.07

+ i-35

Pentosane

18.96

17.01

— «-95

We have no direct proofs which enable us to decide positively,
whether the main cause of the reduction in the percentages of sugars
in the morning, is their transformation into higher compounds, or their
migration from the leaves. The leaves collected in the evening and
on the following morning proved that the weight of dry matter in the
leaves is always greater in the evening than in the morning ; this
means that the migration of soluble nutrients must be more .actively
performed in the night. Therefore, perhaps, the main cause of the
diminution in the percentage of these carbohydrates in the morning is
their translocation from the leaves. Assuming this is the case, then
during the day the formation of glucose, saccharose and starch in
the leaves, exceeds the amount transferred, and this results in the
accumulation of these sugars towards evening. The percentage of
pentosanc is lower at 4:00 P.M., probably owing to a. greater increase
of organic matter other than pentosane. More samples were col-
lected at 5:00 A.M. and at 4:00 P.M., when the rice plant was

fairly mature. Sugars in the fresh leaves were extracted repeatedly

i
by means of warm alcohol, and then inverted into reducing sugars.

The results of analysis are given below:—-

Table 19. Percentage of the Total Reducing Sugars
in the Fresli Leaves of the Rice Plant.

5 : OO A. M.

4 : OO P. M.

Difference

Reducing Sugars(expressed as % age of dry mutter)

4.46

6.47

+ 2.01

Percent of Water in the Fresh Leaves

65.07

64.56

— 0.51

On the other hand, more samples of the same fresh leaves
were dried at 70° C. and analysed with the following results : —

Table 20. Percentage of the Total Reducing Sugar
in the Leaves dried at 70° C.

5 : OO A. M.

4 : 00 P. M.

Difference

Reducing Sugars(exprossed as % age of dry matter)

4.27

5-79

+ i-52

An examination of the above tables shows that a small amount
of the sugars disappear during the drying process at 70° C. Therefore
the analysis of the first sample taken on May 29th might give a
lower percentage of sugars, because it was dried at 70° C.

The qualitative test showed that the fresh rice plant has some
enzymic action, which produces reducing sugars from the starch
solution. Consequently, the fresh samples in the present experiment,
after the separation of the leaves, grain and roots from the stems,
were put in a water oven at 95° C., to check the enzymic action, and
were afterwards dried at 70° C. The dried samples were finely
ground for analysis.

The determination of sugars, dextrine and starch was carried
out as follows. Reducing sugar and saccharose were repeatedly ex-
tracted from the finely ground sample, by applying a sufficient amount
of warm alcohol (96 %\ until the last extract gave no reducing action.
The alcoholic extracts, after evaporation, were reduced to a small
quantity, and were made up to a definite volume by adding water,

and then filtered so as to separate them from the fatty substances
and chlorophyl that were dissolved in the alcohol. An aliquot pare
of the filtrate was taken in order to estimate, with Feh ling's solution,
the reducing sugars, and another part was hydrolised with a dilute
solution of hydrochloric acid to determine saccharose. The sample
treated with warm alcohol for the separation of sugars, was extracted
with cold water to obtain the so-called dextrine, which was then
inverted into reducing sugars. Finally, the same sample, from which
the dextrine had been extracted, was digested with a dilute solution
of hydrochloric acid, to convert the starch into reducing sugars. In
this way the reducing sugars are produced not only from starch, but
from all other hydrolisable carbohydrates which are insoluble in al-
cohol and cold water. The further procedure of analysis was carried
out in the usual way with Fehling's solution.

It is necessary to note here that the roots contain a large
amount of iron, which produces ferrous compound in hydrolysis with
hydrochloric/ acid. The presence of the ferrous compound is easily
recognized in neutralizing the hydrolised solution of the starch from
the roots ; on adding a solution of sodium hydroxide to the hydrolised
solution of starch, the precipitates of ferrous hydroxide mixed with
ferric hydroxide have a dark green appearance. Morison, C. G. T.
and Dayne, H. C., (" Ferrous Iron in Soils," Jour. Agr. Science Vol.
IV. p. 97 — 1914), find that iron compounds m soils yield a large
quantity of ferrous iron when the soils are digested with acid in the
presence of organic matter. It is, therefore, to be expected that
the roots of the rice plant which have a very high percentage of iron,
produce ferrous compounds in digestion with acid. In neutralizing
the hydrolised solution of starch, the ferrous iron is not precipitated
entirely. Thus the reducing sugars, as well as the ferrous salts
contained in the filtrate of the neutralized solution, act on the Fehling

solution. Therefore a little excess of sodium hydroxide is to be

/
added to the hydrolised solusion of starch until no precipitates are

25

given. The filtrate separated from hydroxides of iron is faintly re-
neutralized, and treated with the Fchling solution in the usual way.
The results of analysis af glucose, saccharose, dextrine and

starch are given in the following tables : —
*

Table 21. Glucose.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

Uj

5 8 L

Entire Plant

2.87*

2.14

2-95°

2-75°

_*/0

0.36°

*i 5

Leaves

4-56

1.81

0.79

2.76

2.15

0.58

™* ts S

K $r £,

Stems

2.13

3-09

4.92

3-49

i. 06

0.73

B*E.H

Roots

O.OO

o-59

0.50

1. 12

I.OO

0.33

W CL. W

Grain

0.69

f trace

trace

gr.

gr.

?r.

gr.

gr.

gr

Entire Plant

1.49

3-17

11.49

25.25

—

4-°5

*o c 8

Leaves

1.03

0.99

1.02

4.72

4.09

0.85

3 o 3
0 0 ,£

Stems

0.46

2.O2

IO.22

18.83

—

2.94

4s £ Koots

O.OO

0.16

0.25

0.70

0.65

0.26

Grain

1. 00

trace

trace

rt*3 3

Entire Plant

3-31*

_%

3-58

3-56

_°/0

0.47°

V §o±! Leaves

4-47

3-31

4.16

2.61

1.75 0.67

<S c £ Stems

2.79

2. 2O

4.27

5.03

i-43

0.72

§• jj? £ Roots

1.21

—

o-59

1.28

1.17

o-43

Grain

0.80

trace

O.2O

(4-< r* IT.

Entire Plant

1.46

gr.

gr.
14.26

gr.
29.08

gr.

gr.
5-04

O -t^ D

0.85

1.78

5.22

3-74

2.30

0.86

Stems

0-53

1.41

8.63

23-36

—

2.87

<O £ Roots

O.O8

—

0.4!

0.85

0.67

0.33

Grain

1-13

trace

0.98

rf ^ 53

Entire Plant

— '"

2-43°

2-54°

'/o

2.98

— "

0.48

Leaves

trace

2.23

2.22

2.05

i. 06

1.24

CJ ^*

Steins

trace

3-94

.3-42

4.07

1-27

0.51

0,8 r-

Roots

O.OO

0.47

1.05,

*-l3

0.67

0.73

W a,

Grain

1.03

trace

0.26

C

gr

pr

gr

gr.

gr.

gr.

Entire Plant

O.50

1.29

5-"

—

1.O2

'o-S J

Leaves

trace

0.16

0.4!

0.62

— | 0-30

C 4) ;3

3 o §

0 -j £

Stems

trace

0.32

0-79

4-05

—

0.36

£^

Roots

O.OO

O.O2

0.09

0.2O

—

O.O9

Grain

024

- —

0.27

26

Table 22. Saccharose.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

So,

fl O u

Entire Plant
Leaves

0.83
0.84

1.52
1.40

1.60
0.64

283
1.78

0.74

0.56
0.38

£ 'c £

Steins

1-13

2.IO

2.49

3-91

0.62

o-37

Roots

0.00

0.44

o-45

1.76

0.24

trace

A

grain

0.50

0.91

0.88

C

<«•" en

Entire Plant
Leaves

gr
0-43
0.19

gr
2.25

0.76

6.23
0.83

gr
25-97

3-04

gr
1.40

«r.
6.27

o-55

C O ^

Stems

0.24

J-37

5-i7

21. IO

—

1.49

JJs

Roots

O.OO

0. 12

0.23

I. II

0.15

trace

Grain

0.72

—

4-23

1'jitire Plant

'•77

—

%

4.67

—

0-65

~ «^

Leaves

3.01

—

0.63

2.23

0-54

o-44

111

Stems

I.OO

2.13

—

7-12

2.OI

0.8 1

B

al*

Roots
Grain

O.OO

0-73

o-45

1.47

0.6 1

o-59
0.95

0-45
0.61

c .

Entire Plant

0.76

gr.

gr.

38.10

gr

gr.
7-16

O C)

<y *•*

•*-> 35 ^

leaves

o-57

—

0.79

3.20

0.71

0.56

III

Stems

0.19

1.38

—

33-o6

—

3-23

I y o

Roots

0.00

0.15

0.31

0.98

0-33

o-35

Grain

0.86

—

3.02

s^ ^

(p tuO +-*

5) rt rt

>M ^

Entire Plant
Leaves

Stems

trace
trace

•fo

1.26
0.47

2.66

2. 2O
1.44

3-57

4.41
4.28

5-82

1.89

0-57
1.19

o-45

w |^

Roots

O.OO

0.23

o-34

0.32

0.27

i. 06

C

Grain

1.89

0.84

0.44

gr.

gr

gr.

gr.

gr.

gr

ff

Entire Plant

—

0.26

1.12

7-58

—

1. 21

2 «J

leaves

trace

0.03

0.27

1.30

—

0.29

III

<F H °

Stems
Roots

trace
O.OO

O.22
O.OI

0.82
0.03

5-79
0.05

_

0.32
O.I4

Grain

o-44

—

0.46

Table 23. Dextrine.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

lOitire Plant

O.OO

O.OO

0.92

0.88

—

0.35

•efcj

Leaves

O.OO

O.OO

0.72

0.34

0-43

0.44

ill

Stems

O.OO

O.OO

1.14

1.26

0.49

0.42

ill1

w H< w

Roots

O.OO

O.OO

0.56

0.39

o-34

0.28

Grain

O.OO

0.30

0.40

0.29

A

gr"

gr-

gE

gr.

gr.

gr.

Entire Plant

O.OO

0.00

3-58

8.05

—

3-94

*+* ~ tfi

0 -S _u

Leaves

O.OO

O.OO

o-93

0.58

0.8 1

0.64

•y s ~

III

Stems

O.OO

O.OO

2-37

6.80

—

1.69

41 s

Roots

0.00

O.OO

0.28

0.24

O.22

O.22

Grain

0-43

—

1-39

t/3 *•*-!

Entire Plant

O.OO

0.34

o-59

0.61

—

0.35

* 0 fe

Leaves

O.OO

O.OO

0.79

0.46

0.61

0.28

<£ c £

Stems

O.OO

0.76

0.55

0.76

0.66

0.44

Q^ W ^

x y jb

Roots

O.OO

O.OO

0.37

0.34

. —

O.22

^ Cu

Grain

0.39

0-33

0.31

Entire Plant

O.OO

0.48

2.36

4-95

t*

3.8l

*•'-' c ^
•u u "3

l^eaves

O.OO

O.OO

0.99

0.66

0.80

0.36

sec

IP

Stems

O.OO

0.48

I. II

3-52

—

r-75

<£J S

Roots

O.OO

O.OO

0.26

O.22

—

0.17

Grain

o-55

—

1-53

If: <-J

Entire Plant

-

0.49

0.77

0.77

J'*

0.38

rt O ^,

T) 'y -«

Leaves

0.00

0.47

0.80

o-S7

trace

0-39

« rt "rt
Sg *

Stems

O.OO

0.67

0.88

0.98

O.6l

0.46

I'l'i

Roots

O.OO

0.41

0.48

0.47

0.35

0.31

a

Grain

0.47

trace

o-33

r

V

gr

gr

gr

gr

gr

gr.

Entire Plant

—

0.10

0.39

1.32

—

0.81

p^-i C VJ

Q •!-( O

Leaves

O.OO

0.03

0.15

0.17

—

O.IO

§'C 3
3 •* ^

Stems

O.OO

0.05

O.2O

0.97

—

o-33

4ls

Roots

O.OO

0.02

0.04

0.08

—

0.04

Grain

O.IO

—

0-35

Table 24. Starch.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

S^fc

<u o

Entire Plant
Leaves

14.80

12.02

20.29
17.91

22.97
16.54

26.28
18.67

18.24

39-77

22.04

II ^

Stems

15.20

20.68

26.18

26.08

21.94

21.81

III"

Roots

22.06

24.18

26.34

24.98

24.03

21.00

A

Grain

36.60

58.97

63.38

Entire Plant

gl

7.68

gr
30.00

gr
89.44

241.54

gr

gr.
442.26

°.SJ!

Leaves

2.72

9.81

21.51

31.96

34-74

32.31

Ill

Stems

3-34

13-54

54-42

Mo.75

—

88.09

|w 2

Roots

1.62

6.65

I3-5I

15-76

I5-83

16.88

Grain

53-07

—

304.98

w O .

Entire Plant

—

21-93

22.82

27.07

—

40.71

^ Soil

I-eaves

9.98

16.98

17.94

18.87

21.80

21.12

|«

Stems

22.00

65.72

26.35

26.10

—

23.32

I'll"

Roots

—

23.10

21.32

26.78

—

22.18

B

Grain

^

38.76

60.50

62.83

Entire Plant

gr.
7.98

gr.
30.62

9O.84

220.91

— -

gr
448.43

13 s j§

Leaves

1.89

9.16

22.51

27.07

28.66

27.26

III

Stems

4-»5

16.52

53-39

121.20

—

93. r8

^ ^ ^

Roots

—

4-94

'5-03

17.88

—

I7-36

Grain

54-76

—

310.63

rt° I-

y O

Entire Plant
Leaves

21.50
17.89

19.08
15.48

22.81
19.96

26.34
18.42

—

42.26
19.86

§ g S

Stems

26.54

20.45

23.86

29.12

—

23-13

ll£

Roots

18.30

22.60

26.28

19.48

—

27.80

C

Grain

30.07

—

62.27

gr.

gr.

gr.

gr.

gr.

gr.

Entire Plant

4.06

3-93

"•59

45.22

—

9O.OI

'o sju

Leaves

1.40

1.17

3-75

5-59

—

4-85

3 'S §

Stems

2.05

1-69

5-5i

29.00

—

16.42

i« 2

Roots

0.61

1.07

2-33

3-48

—

3-6i

Grain

7- '5

—

65-I3

29

The reducing sugar in the plant's body of rice is probably
dextrose, its osazonc having crystallized in yellow needles which
melted at 104°— 105° C. The non-reducing sugar crystallized rather
easily from the alcoholic extract, and it is called provisionally, in
the present paper, "saccharose." These sugars and dextrine are
not stored in reserve to such a large extent as are starch, pentosane,
cellulose etc., but are transformed into higher compounds during the
plant's development. Hence a rather small amount of these carb-
hydratcs are found in the entire plant even at maturity, though other
organic substances reach a maximum at this stage. In the later
period of the growth of vegetative organs a very vigorous synthesis
of soluble carbohydrates takes prace, and a great quantity of insoluble
higher carbohydrates accumulate in the vegetative tissues, especially
in the stem.

The leaves and stems contain a very high percentage of soluble
carbohydrates before maturation, but the grain has a very small
percentage. These lower carbohydrates after 'migrating into the
grain, there undergo a fairly complete transformation, and serve as a
store of reserve material for the nutriment of seeds. The absolute
quantity of these sugars in the stems is always greater than in the
leaves. It seems that these soluble substances produced in the
leaves enter the stems and accumulate there,— translocation from the
leaves being more active than transformation in the stems and mig-
ration into the grain.

In comparing the amounts of glucose and saccharose, we find
that the latter sugar is more abundantly stored in the stems at the
time of blossoming and also in the mature grain. W. P. Kelley
and A. R. Thompson, (Hawaii Agr. Expt. Stat Bull. No. 21), obtained
6.53^ of reducing sugar and 10.38^' of saccharose in the stems of
the rice crop collected before the period of flowering. We have no
exact knowledge of the process of formation of higher carbohydrates
from the lower bodies ; however, the greater accumulation of saccha-

rose in the plant organs, where the soluble sugars change very actively
into insoluble nutrients, suggests that in the plant body of rice the
transformation of saccharose into higher compounds does not proceed
so rapidly as does that of glucose. In a similar way, a great deal
of saccharose may be stored in the stems of sugar cane and in the
roots of sugar beet.

In maize just after flowering, the percentage of reducing sugar
exceeds that of saccharose ; yet the latter sugar is found to have a
greater percentage towards maturity. The percentages of these sugars
during the maturation of maize are as follows ;

Table 25. Percentage of Carbohydrates in Maize.
(Portolle, Landw. Versuchsstat. XXXII— 241 — 1885)

Date of Harvest

Fructose

Saccharose

Starch

After (lowering

13.61

12.21

2 7.90

Corn at mealy stage

6.13

8.62

48.88

Corn harden and yellow

2.72

5.83

54-23

When hairs of Corn withered

i-43

2-45

54-87

Full ripe

?

0.04

64.26

It is noticed in T. E. Kcitt's work entitled " Sweet Potato In-
vestigation," (South Carolina Agr. Expt. Stat. Bull. No. 165—29—
1912), that when this crop approaches maturity, there is a similar
relation between the amounts of glucose and of saccharose, as ob-
served in the case of ripening maize. Some results of his analysis
are given in the following table : —

Table 26. Percentage of Glucose and Saccharose
in Sweet Potato

Name of Variety

Date of Harvest

Glucose

Saccharose

Aug. 31—1909

'/'
13-03

%
2.50

Sept. 10 „

11.98

5-73

Pumpkin yam

Sept. 21 „

6.18

8.94

Oct. 10 „

3-95

9-95

Oct, 26 „

4' 50

14.70

Aug. 31— „

8.26

5-5'

Sept. 10 „

9.18

3-51

Purple yam

Sept. 21 „

3-7"

4.76

Oct. 2 „

6.77

5.18

Oct. 10 „

2.76

7-55

Oct. 26 „

4.06

6.50

Aue- s1 ,,

6.87

2.32

-

Sept. 16 „

6.99

8.88

Polo

Sept 21 „

6.07

4.16

Oct. 2 „

4.18

3.06

Oct. 10 „

3-f>4

6.01

Oct. 26 „

3-33

7.61

Aug. 31 „

7.06

5-57

Sept. 10 „

8.26

3-98

Brazilian

Sept. 21 }J

2.61

7.16

Oct. 10 „

3-85

7.70

Oct. 26 „

4.84

8.26

In potato tubers, the percentage of non-reducing sugar always
becomes greater than that of the reducing sugar in the process of
storing starch. This is shown in the following table : —

Table 27. Percentage Of Reducing Sugar and
Non-Reducing Sugar in Potatoes.

(F. Huhngerbuhler, Landw. Versuehsstat. XXX, 381-1886)

Date

Reducing Sugar

Reducing sugcr after Inversion

Starch

June 23

%
6.40

%

56-7 *

June 30

0-33

4-50

61.3

July 7

0.72

4.69

66.3

All these facts favor the view of a slower transformation of
saccharose into higher compounds, although saccharose does not play
the same role in the development of all other plants, as found in
T. Kettt's experiments with the grains of oat-plants, (v. South Carolina
Agr. Expt. Stat. Bull. No. 165).

It is observed in Tables 21 and 22, entitled "Glucose" and
"Saccharose," that the leaves colled between 10 : oo and 11 :oo A.
M. contain a greater amount of glucose than saccharose. This is
probably due to a more active formation of glucose, than to migration
from the leaves. The percentages of these sugars contained in the
leaves in the morning and in the evening, are cited again from Table
18, for ready reference, to show the active production of glucose.

Table 28. Percentage of Sugars in Leaves.

leaves collected at

r\mrr ^

7 -. oo A. M.

4 : oo P. M.

Reducing Sugar

i-S4

4.26

2.72

Saccharose

2.82

4-43

1.61

In the morning the leaves contain a much lower percentage
of glucose than of saccharose. By evening the glucose and the
saccharose have increased by 2.72 % and 1.61 % respectively. The
migration and transformation of these sugars must exert a very
considerable influence on their accumulation in the leaves. It may
be bclieaved that the more active transformation of glucose than of
saccharose in the stems and grain, as described above, is also true

33

of the leaves to some extent ; but assuming that the more rapid
transformation of glucose occurs in the stems, then the leaves should be
expected to supply much glucose for this continous transformation.
Thus, the glucose produced in the leaves must enter the stems more
rapidly than the saccharose does. Accordingly, if the migration and
transformation of glucose contained in the leaves are quicker than
the migration and transformation of saccharose, the greater accumu-
ration of glucose found in the leaves at evening must be due to the
more active production of glucose during the day.

If these sugars exist in a dissolved state in the cell-sap of the
rice plant, the strength of sugar solution at the time of flowering and
at maturity should be as follows : —

Table 29, Sugar Solution in the Plant Body.

Plat

Time of Flowering
; June 16

Maturity ; July 4

Leaves

1.30

0.52

A

Stems

re 94

0.17

Grain

0-54

—

/-tl

Leaves

Jf-35

0.68

B

Stems

i. 60

0.19

Grain

0.66

o-55

Leaves

0.84

0-34

A

Stems

i. 06

0.09

Grain

o.39

2-39

Leaves

MS

0.44

B

Stems

2.27

O.22

Grain

0.50

1.70

It should be borne in mind, however, that these figures are
only approximate, because the method of water estimation gives not
only the total sum of free and combined water in the plant body
but also any substances that are evaporable at 100° C. As explained

34

before, the plant body contains a great amount of water at the time
of flowering. It was, consequently, expected that cell-sap might be
rather dilute at that time. Yet, as a matter of fact, in the leaves
and stems the solutions of these sugars are more highly concentrated
than at maturity, although the plant body contains a less amount of
water at the latter stage. The solution of saccharose in the grain
becomes denser towards maturity, owing to the slower transformation
or the accumulation of saccharose in the maturing grain, from which
much water does not evaporate. Approaching maturity, most of ehe
leaves begin to wither and hence to lose water ; and by the time of
maturity there is but a small amount of water found in them Accord-
ingly, as shown in the above table, the cell-sap in the leaves at maturity
is densely impregnated with these sugars, while a dilute solution is
observed in the stems, which latter contain a large amount of water
and transmit these soluble carbohydrates to the grain.

All the parts of rice plant contain a very small amount ol
dextrine in comparison with the quantity of soluble sugars. At the
young stage of the rice crop dextrine can not be detected, as Table
23, "Dextrine", shows, yet it (dextrine) appears in the various
parts of the rice plant when the absolute amount of dry matter in
the entire plant begins to increase rapidly. The stems at the time
of flowering are found to contain the highest amount of dextrine, and
at maturity dextrine decreases in amount, as do the other soluble
carbohydrates. Therefore dextrine seems to be easily convertible
into higher carbohydrates in the vegetative organs such as the stems
and leaves. However, the accumulation of dextrine takes place in
the maturing grain. It is not possible to ascertain whether this
substance is a compound intermediate between the lower soluble
sugars and the higher insoluble carbohydrates in the plant's body,
or a by-product of the formation of higher compounds from the
sugars.

There is another consideration, viz : that if soluble starch be

35

present in the plant, as is sometimes the case, it exerts a consider-
able influence on the analytical estimates of dextrine, because, what
we call dextrine, in this paper, represents non-reducing carbohydrates
which are insoluble in alcohol of 90 % but soluble in cold water.
Hence it would appear that, from this point of view, the amount
of the so-called dextrine may vary in proportion to the amount
of soluble starch in the parts of rice plant.

The percentage of protein has a gradual decrease throughout
the plant's life, as is shown in Table 17, under the heading "Protein".
On the other hand, the percentage of insoluble starch in the entire
plant rises with the increase of dry matter, and the most active
production of starch takes place in the maturing grain. In the leaves
there is an increasing percentage of starch throughout the plant's life ;
while the percentage of starch in the stems rises rathar rapidly after
the period of tillering, — owing to the vigorous formation of starch in
the stems during the period of vegetative growth, - and declines
during maturation. The roots resemble the stems with respect to
the fluctuations in their percentage of starch.

The absolute quantities of starch contained in the various parts
of the rice plant gradually and steadily increase during the period
of tillering. But afterwards a rapid increase takes place in ths stems
until the flowering stage, while at the same time in the leaves and
roots there is only a slow increase. A large amount of starch dis-
appears in the stems after the time of flowering, at which period the
highest amount of starch is contained in those organs. It is, therefore,
believed that the stems of the rice plant store starch to furnish
carbohydrates for the formation of grain. But the leaves do not
seem to perform a similar physiological function, at any rate to such
a degree that there is a great reduction in the amount of starch in
the results given by analysis. Thus, while a decreasing amount of
starch is found in the stems during maturation, a conspicuous loss c f
protein takes place in the leaves, as previously stated.

Pentosane and Crude Fibre Contents,

Pentosane was estimated by the process of furfurol formation,
being calculated from the phloroglucid. The determination of crude
fiber was conducted according to Wende's method. The results of
analysis at different stages of growth are given in the following
tables : —

Table 30, Pentosane.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

S "3 &

Entire Plant

19.23"

18.64

21.67

19.56°

— . "

17.14°

III

Leaves

16.14

J7-5o

22.32

21.09

22.89

22.68

JJ g s

Stems

20.41

19.17

20.29

19.21

25-35

25.58

8- f JT

Roots

25.06

23-37

25.67

25.28

24-23

20.78

A'

W 5,

Grain

16.59

8-45

7.78

iir.

"V.

gr.

gr.

(M-

gv.

£
"S "* <G

Entire Plant

9.98

27-56

84-37

179.77

—

190.65

Leaves

3.65

9.58

29.03

36.10

43.60

33-24

3 ui 3

Stems

4-49

12.55

42.18

103-67

— .

103.31

1 1 s

Roots

1.84

543

13.16

I5.95

15.96

16.67

ft

Grain

24.05

—

37-43

S 0 ^

Entire Plant

20.82

19.38°

20.06

20.15

_°/0

16.90

•ts 8. 1

If1!

Leaves

16.60

18.60

21.13

21.59

23.78

23.40

1/1 *J C

S 1 ^

Stems

19.71

18.84

18.69

19.71

25.30

25.22

n, *j ^

Roots

—

23.04

22.13

24.72

—

2l.94

w ^

Grain

18.00-

8.89

7.69

._. ,-

ar.

J.T.

»fi

fff«

frr.

"g .-, OT

Entire Plant

—

27.06

79.91

164.45

—

186.16

+J <U ~

c c ^

Leaves

3-14

10.04

26.51

30-98

31.27

30.21

3 d C

2 o S

Stems

3-72

I2.IO

37.80

91-53

—

100.77

l|1

Roots

—

4.92

15.60

16.51

—

17.17

Grain

25-43

—

38-01

3 "S >.

Entire Plant

I7-85*

20.78°

23.09

20.56°

— '

16.29

1 M |

Leave

15-85

I9.I9

20.83

21-73

23.50

20.95

S c £
>i u ^

Stems

17.70

19-45

23.16

19-43

25-84

25-52

3* n 2

Roots

23.12

26.OO

27.88

24.63

25.21

27.24

» • S "

Grain

20.80

9-30

7-57

jrr.

KV.

er.

gr.

gr.

{jr.

t*-i a o

Entire Plant

3-37

4.28

"•73

35-30

84.69

"S "3 C

Leaves

1.24

1-45

3-9*

6.60

—

5-II

1 |J

Stems

1.36

1. 60

5-34

19-35

—

I8.I2

II s

Roots

0.77

1.23

2.48

440

—

3-54

•s

Grain

4-95

7.92

37

Table 31, Crude Fibre.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

3 "8 „

Entire Plant

31.60'

32.52"

30.89°

29.17°

25.61

*rt <U -B
U M -g

ffl -2 §

Leaves

24.91

27.63

30.61

27-05

30.00

26.80

8 a «

SH (D *^

Stems

34-13

34-27

30.13

28.96

38.11

38.19

#i I4

Roots

44-52

38.10

34- 7 1

28.99

35-93

40.66

CL,

Grain

32-52

—

12.19

gr.

gr.

pr.

pr.

gr.

KT

M
*** W

Entire Plant

16.40

48.06

I2O.26

268.03

284.86

III

Leaves

5-63

15.13

39-82

46.30

57.15

39.28

§ ^ §

Stems

7-50

22.45

62.64

156.29

—

1 54-24

«j 's 2

Roots

3.27

10.48

17.80

18.29

23-67

32.69

CJ

Grain

47- r5

—

58.65

* "o ^

Entire Plant

34- 1 5

27.09

30.27

29.8 r

25.16

1 ll

Leaves

30.41

23-99

27.22

28.26

30.15

29.61

8 1 a

>- « >,

Stems

34.81

27.64

30.12

30,00

—

36.92

£ l£

Roots

43-32

33.38

36-17

33- 5 l

34-90

40.58

Grain

29.00

14-45

1 2.O6

2

gr,

gr.

gr.

gr.

B*

gr.

o *-* v

Entire Plant

I-5.07

37.83

120.58

243.22

277.14

d) ^^

til

Leaves

5-75

12.94

34.16

40.55

39-64

38.22

0 fc 3
O u ^3

Stems

6-57

17.76

60.93

I39.32

—

147-53

C 'g O

Roots

2-75

7-13

-^5-49

22.38

2O.O3

3^-77

U

Grain

40-97

—

59.62

%

%

%

%

%

%

en **••

Entire Plant

31-57

28.01

28.98

29.62

—

24.50

tM rt rt

Leaves

27.27

24.81

26.80

26.95

27.99

30.11

U3 -M r*

vac

>-i aj

Stems

31.46

27.82

29.24

28.O2

36.36

38.93

a, 3 >>

X C tj

y 9> *c»

Roots

41.76

33-62

33-13

34-88

32.34

31.61

Grain

35.87

14.62

12.50

^

ft.

BT

gr.

Sri

gr.

gr,

<4-C T t/1

O It CJ

Entire Plant

5-77 '

14.72

50.86

52.18

"c "° ^

Leaves

2.14

1.88

5-03

8.19

— *

7-35

III

Stems

2-43

2.30

6-75

27.90

—

27.64

Roots

1-39

1.59

2-94

6.24

—

4.11

U Grain

8-53

—

13.08

Pentosane and crude fibre constitute a rather high percentage
of the entire plant, even at the young stage, and their percentages
vary in a different manner from those of starch and protein throuhg-
out the plant's life. As described before, starch gradually increases
in percentage throughout the life of the rice plant ; whereas protein
has a gradual decrease after the rather rapid reduction of its percent-
age which occurs cither at an early stage of the plant's life or after

38

the period of tillering. The entire plant contains about twenty
percent of pentosane and thirty percent of crude fibre, from the early
stage of growth until the time of flowering, Later, at the time of
maturity, there is reduction in the percentage of these carbohydrates.
This reduction does not mean that the absolute amount of pentosane
and crude fibre produced in the entire plant diminishes, but that a
considerable production of starch during maturation lowers the percent-
age of these carbohydrates. On the whole, the variation in the
percentage of pentosane throughout the plant's life seems to have a
certain relation to the production of crude fibre. A similar phe-
nomenon is found in the development of some other plants. How-
ever, the amounts of these carbohydrates are not always in the same
proportions : the ratio of pentosane to crude fibre fluctuates from about
$2% to 72%, becoming greater towards maturity.

The percentage of crude fibre in the roots is very high through-
out the plant's life. But the percentage of pentosane, which maint-
ains a high rate till the time of flowering, diminishes at maturity,
owing to a rather large increase of crude fibre ; yet, be it noted, the
absolute amount of pentosane does not decrease during maturation.

The stems are found to have an increase in the absolute
amounts of their pentosane and crude fibre at successive stages of
growth. The percentage of pentosane contained in the stems is
already fairly high in the period of tillering, and drops a little in
the course of development, finally increasing again towards maturity
to a much greater extent than at the stage of tillering. Such fluct-
uations are more clearly observed in the percentage of crude fibre
in the stems. The increase of these carbohydrates at maturity is
caused, in a large degree, by the considerable decrease in the
absolute amount of starch that is reserved in the stems. In a word,
the fluctuations in the percentages of pentosane and crude fibre are
greatly influenced by the amount of protein and starch that are
produced in the stems.

39

Leaves have a gradual increase in the percentage of pentosane
throughout the whole life of the rice plant. The percentage of crude
fibre in the leaves collected from plat A are not identical with those
of, the leaves from plat B. However, a somewhat similar variation
can be traced in their percentages ; that is, the percentage of crude
fibre increases, (though not to so great an extent), when the plant
body is vigorously developing, and slightly decreases during maturation.
Therefore the variations of percentage of crude fibre in the leaves
and in the stems are dissimilar,— (the variation in the stems has been
described above) ; and the differences are largely due to the quanti-
ties of starch that are produced in these organs. Hoffmeister found,
in his investigation on barley and clover, (v. Czapeck : Biochem. d.
Pflanz. I Band, p. 657—1913), that the crude fibre in the stems
increases throughout the life of these plants, and that the leaves lose
a part of this substance towards the end of maturity. In the present
experiments the same fact is noticed in the corresponding part of
the rice plant. From a physiological stand point, it is very interest-
ing to note that the absolute amount of pentosane and crude fibre
in the leaves reaches a maximum at the time of flowering, and
decreases in the later period of maturation. This indicates that a
part of the pentosane and crude fibre in the leaves undergoes a
chemical change towards the end of the plant's life, in spite of the
fact that the carcohydrates, which usually constitute the frame work
of the plant, are considered to be rather stable compounds. The
results of analysis, which show that the stems and roots may either
a slight decrease or a great inclease in the absolute amount of these
carbohydrates at maturity, do not confirm the supposed impossibility
of a transformation of these carbohydrates into other subttances ;
because, if the formation of pentosane and crude fibre takes place
more actively than the catabolic function, analysis should indicate
that there is only an increase of these carbohydrates and never a
decrease. From general physiological considerations, assuming that

40

the catabolic process in the leaves is a predominant factor during
maturation, the decreasing amount of pentosane and crude fibre in
the leaves at maturity signifies nothing but the transformation of
these stable carbohydrates into other substances. It is, therefore,
quite conceivable that the carbohydrates tinder consideration serve
as reserve materials, in certain cases, in the vegetative parts of plant.
Cotyledons of Phaseolus vulgaris were found to have a decreasing
amount of pentosane, when in a state of germination, — i. c. at the
time when the easily convertible reserve materials of the cotyledons
are exhausted in furnishing nutrients for the development of the young
plant, (v. K. Miyake, Jour. Col. Agr. Tokoku, Vol. IV, No. 8—334).
In other words, pentosane is transformed into other substances
when the catabolic action predominates in the cotyledons. It
might be surmised that there is a decrease of crude fibre in the
cotyledons of phascolus vulgaris at the stage of germination, in
which the pentosane is disappearing, as in the case of the leaves of
the rice plant.

The grain has an increasing amount of pentosane and caide
fibre during maturation, while the percentage of these carbohydrates
declines, owing to the increase in the amount of starch and protein.
A greater part of these carbohydrates is used in the formation of
chaff, but not of husked rice, because the latter usually contains about
i.$ % of pentosane and i.o % of crude fibre.

Inorganic Ingredients,

The distribution of inorganic ingredients in the different parts
of the rice plant, and the variation of their absolute amounts, at
successive stages of the plant's growth, will be discussed in the
following pages.

41

Table 32, Nitrogen.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

A

<3 « "S "£ c

^rt „ 0 b

£ 43 ^

w 5, «8

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

3-27'
4-57
2.45

2-54°
3.88
1.88

1.48

1.63
2-34
1.36
0.98

0.87'

i-55
0.58

o-77
1.19

I-I5
0.46
0.71

o-77
0.79

o-43
0.69
i. 06

Amount
of
Nitrogen
in
10 bundles

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

gr

1.70
1.03
o-54

O.I2

3-75

2.12
1.23
0.40

gt

6.36
3-04
2.82
0.50

gr

7.98
2.65

3-13

0.48
1.72

2.19
0.46

tf

o-55

B

1 | |

lsi° *=

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

2-79°
3-95
2.04

1.58

2.18"
3-28

i-53
1.36

1-3*

2.22

0.88
0.92

0.90
1.64

o-59
0.80

1. 21

0.96
0.46
0.66

0.77'
0.86
0.44
0.62
1.03

Amount
of
Nitrogen
in
10 bundles

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

RT.

1.23

0.75
0.38

O.IO

gr.

304
1.77
0.98
0.29

5.20
2.78
1.78
0.64

gr.

7-31
2-35
2-73
o-53
1,70

gr.

1.26

0-37

KT

8-43
i. ii

0.48
5-09

Table 33, Phosphoric acid.

Piat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

0) *-.

V ^ -

Entire Plant

,

0.72

0.72°

0.51'

| | -a

Leaves

—

0-53

0-73

0.46

0.51

0.47

!H Cj U O £

Stems

1.19

o-97

0.8 1

0.63

0.51

0-45

.1 « £?

Roots

0.52

o-35

0.24

0.28

0.25

&• T3

Grain

—

0.62

0.61

cr.l sr.

gr.

gr.

gr.

gr.

« £ JS

Entire Plant

™

1.07

2.8 1

5-65

c 3 -S '•3

3 <_ ,C ^ c

leaves

—

0.29

o-95

o-79

0.97

0.69

0 o CU-~ S
fl £ '-) .Q

Stems

O.26

0.64

1.68

3-40

—

1.82

*3 Q j?

•< rd *"< 0

Roots

—

0.14

0.18

0.15

0.18

O.2O

hM

Grain

—

2.94

IH 0 ' ti

« & ^

Entire Plant

0.61

0.65

0-54

— %

o.S4%

WJ C3 -*_j

Leaves

0.68

0-57

0-55

0-54

—

0.52

J-1 rt U O C

Stems

i. 06

0.77

0.82

0-55

o-47

0.46

x ii x

frj QJ *-<

Roots

—

0.25

0.36

O.2O

0.28

0.24

B- -

CL, rcJ

Grain

0.68

0.61

0.65

.

gr. nr.

ft.

gr.

gr.

pr.

._ w

-w n ^,«

Entire Plant

0.85

2.60

4.41

5-91

5 -S •" ^
i-'S'&sl

E nQ£

Leaves

Stems

0.13
0.20 •

0.31
o-49

0.69
1.66

o-77
2-55

••

0.67
1.84

t- O 73 *J~J

< ??< 0

Roots

— .

0.05

0.25

0.13

0.16

O.I9

AH R

Grain

'

0,96

—

3.21

Table 34. Potash.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

f> *o

Entire Plant

— "

2.35°

~ %

1.68

_

1.36

0) V

*& bjo ij

Leaves

—

2.31

2.84

1.50

i. 06

o-73

£ e £

5 W !».

Stems

3-65

3-°7

2.71

2.18

2-93

2-93

fr g 1"

Roots

—

0.68

—

0-43

0.41

0.39

w o.

Grain

0.60

—

0.40

trr.

jrr.

fir.

IT

gr

gr.

<+-< Ul

Entire Plant

. 3-47

15.48

—

15.14

o s o

"a !c ^

Leaves

—

1.27

3-69

2-57

2. 02

1.07

1^1

Stems

O.8o

2.OI

5.63

11.77

—

11.84

1 fi 2

Roots

—

0.19

—

0.27

0.27

0.31

Grain

0.87

—

1.92

rt i-i

Entire Plant

_ *

2.03

1.85

I.47°

.

MS

_, <U <U

IS M £

& rt rt

Leaves

2.OI

2.03

1.83

1.22

0.76

0.68

""' "S S

u g =

Stems

3-02

2.48

2.29

i-95

2.68

2-44

| g £r

r!l 4) T3

Roots

—

1.22

0.62

0.40

o-37

0.28

r-l O<

Grain

0.62

0.44

o-37

gr.

pr.

gr.

gr

gr.

gr.

° .s Jl

Entire Plant

2.95

7-37

11.96

12.68

"3 ^3 "2

Leaves

0.38

I.IO

2.30

'•75

I.OO

0.88

1 1 1

Stems

0-57

1-59

4-63

9.06

—

9-75

<5 ^ 2

Roots

—

0.26

0.44

0.27

O.2I

0.22

Grain

0.88

1.83

The percentage of nitrogen in the entire plant as well as in its
parts decreases throughout the plant's life. The leaves have always
a higher percentage of nitrogen than the stems, while the latter
organ contains a greater percentage of phosphoric acid and potash
than the leaves. On the whole, all these vegetative parts are very
rich in their percentages of nitrogen at early stages ; but there is a
marked reduction of percentage in the leaves and in the stems of
the mature plant. The roots and grain contain gradually decreasing
percentages of nitrogen. The percentages of nitrogen in the leaves
and in the stems collected from plat A were higher, at the various
stages before flowering, than those from plat B, although both plats
were treated, as far as possible, in a similar manner. Hence, the
physiological functioning in the stems and leaves may be a more
delicate and intricate process than is usually supposed.

43

The total amount of nitrogen in the plant increases up to
maturity, — analysis does not show a loss at any stage of growth, as
some investigators have maintained. . The leaves contain a large
amount of nitrogen until the time of the third collection, which was
carried out just before heading out ; and after this stage the stems
also become rich in nitrogen. Thus it is found that there is not a
similar variation in the amounts of nitrogen in these parts of the rice
plant, — the highest quantity of nitrogen being reached earlier in the
leaves than in the stems. Accordingly, it can be asserted that a more
active movement of nitrogen from the leaves begins before any large
amount of this ingredient in the stems migrates into the panicles.
The nitrogen in the grain increases very rapidly during the maturing
process, reaching about 60 % of the total amount of nitrogen in the
plant ; and in the same period the leaves and stems lose a large
amount of nitrogen, as described before A greater decrease of
nitrogen is noticed in the leaves than in the stems in the period of
maturation. Therefore it is very probable that the leaves transmit
a much greater amount of nitrogen to the stems, than the latter
organs supply to the grain. The roots do not appear to play
an important role in the matter of translocation of the reserved
nitrogen.

The percentage of phosphoric acid at each stage of growth is
always found to be smaller than that of the nitrogen in the corres-
ponding part of the rice plant. Usually there is a decreasing
percentage of phosphoric acid in all parts of the plant throughout its
life. The percentage of phosphoric acid is a little greater in the
stems than in the leaves until the time of flowering, while a greater
percentage of nitrogen is contained in the leaves than in the stems.
However, at maturity the leaves retain a slightly higher percentage
fo phosphoric acid than the stems, owing to the fact that, during
maturation, less phosphoric acid migrates from the leaves. The
roots contain a much lower percentage of phosphoric acid than of

44

nitrogen. The grain contains a fairly constant percentage of phos-
phoric acid after flowering. In 1914 the nitrogen, phosphoric acid
and potash in the grain of the autumnal crop were determined at
successive stages during maturation, with the following results : —

Table 35, Percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphoric acid
and Potash in the Grain.

jj

"E,
£

rt

Nitrogen

Phosphoric Acid

Potash

Headingl After
out flowering

Maturity

Heading
out

After
flowering

Maturity

I leading
out

After
flowering

Maturity

No. i

1.18

I.0f

i. 08°

0-34

0.61

0.63

0-57°

0.31

0.26

» 2

1.19

1.07

1. 10

0.32

0.62

0.65

0.66

0.41

0.26

ii 3

1.17

i. 08

1.16

0.27

0.63

0.65

0.67

o-3

O.22

These figures show that the percentage of phosphoric acid is
much lower at the time of heading out and increases a great deal
up to the time of flowering ; afterwards it remains about constant,
while the percentage of nitrogen slightly decreases, and that of potash
diminishes very markedly. In other words, the amounts of phosphoric
acid and nitrogen increase somewhat proportionally to the increase
of dry matter in the grain, whereas the amount of potash does not.
Hence, it may be presumed that phosphoric acid and nitrogen are
very necessary in the grain from the time of heading out till the end
of maturity, and that potash plays an important part in the early
life of the grain. This leads to the suggestion that phosphoric acid
and nitrogen are stored much more in the seed than in the chaff;
and also that the potash are very necessary for the formation of
chaff, which latter develops when the grain is at a young stage.
This will be explained in detail later.

The total amount of phosphoric acid in the plant increases
slowly at an early stage of growth, and rather rapidly in the later
part of the plant's life. A much smaller amount of phosphoric acid
than of nitrogen is absorbed from the soil, especially in the early
period of growth, as shown in the following table; —

45

Table 36. Amounts of Nitrogen and Phosphoric
Acid in the Entire Plant.

Plat

in 10 bundles

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

JulY 4

A

Nitrogen
Phos. Acid

%
1.70

3-75
1.07

%
6.36

2.81

%
7.98

%
8-53

5-65

B

Nitrogen
Phos. Acid

1.23

3-04
0.85

5.20
2.60

7-31

4.41

8-43
5-91

Thus, it seems that the young rice plant requires a much
larger amount of nitrogen than of phosphoric acid, which latter is
taken from the soil rather actively late in the plant's life. The rate
of the increase of phosphoric acid in the entire plant is lower than
that of nitrogen at each stage, as may be seen from the following
figures : —

Table 37. Rates of Increase in the Amounts of
Phosphoric Acid and Nitrogen

Mat

April 30

.[.May 10

May 26

June 16

July 4

A

Nitrogen
Phos. Acid

%
19.9

44.0
18.9

%
74.6

49-7

%
93-6

%

IOO.O
IOO.O

B

Nitrogen
Phos. Acid

14.6

36.1
14.4

61.7
44.0

86.7
74.6

IOO.O
IOO.O

The stems always contain a larger quantity of phosphoric acid
than the leaves,- but this is not the case as regards the nitrogen,
as stated before. The amounts of phosphoric acid at each stage,
in the stems and in the leaves, bear no definite proportions to the
amounts of nitrogen, though these two ingredients are necessary for
the formation of protein. The amounts of phosphoric acid in these
organs increase till the time of flowering and diminish towards maturity.
A greater reduction in the amount of phosphoric acid during matu-
ration takes place in the stems than in the leaves, while the decrease
in the amount of nitrogen is greater in the leaves. Much phosphoric
acid migrates to the grain in the ripening process, and the mature

4<5

grain contains about S3 % of the total amount of phosphoric acid in
the plant.

The percentage of potash, in the entire plant, decreases
throughout the plant's life, as in the cases of nitrogen and phosphoric
acid. A similar variation takes place in the grain and also in the
roots. In the leaves and in the stems the percentages of potash
fluctuate in a very different manner to those of the nitrogen and
phosphoric acid, which latter decrease at successive stages. The
highest percentage of potash in the leaves is found in the period
between May ioth and May 26th, when the vegetative portions of the
rice plant are in a state of vigorous growth ; afterwards the percent-
age of potash gradually decreases to the end of the plant's life. In
the stems the greatest percentage of potash occurs at an earlier stage
than in the case of the leaves, and decreases until the time of
heading out, owing to the actual amount of dry matter in the stems
increasing more rapidly than potash is stored. On the contrary, in
the later part of the plant's life, the potash in the stems increases
in percentage ; this is not due to any great increase in the actual
amount of potash, but rather to the fact that the dry matter in the
stems decreases in amount. As a rule, the stems contain a higher
percentage of potash than the leaves at each stage, while it is just
the reverse in the case of the nitrogen.

The actual amount of potash varies in a somewhat similar
manner as the nitrogen in the same parts of the rice plant. The
leaves, in which a vigorous formation of protein takes place, contain
a rather large amount of potash, and the stems store the greatest
quantity of potash at any stages of growth. The amonut of potash
in the stems increases till the time of heading out, but it does not
decrease at maturity as in the case of nitrogen, which shows a re-
markable reduction at this stage'. The actual amount of potash in
the roots is very small, not more than 2 % of the total quantity of
potash in the plant. The potash in the stems migrates into the

47

grain during maturation, yet it does not accumulate to such an extent
as the nitrogen and phosphoric acid.

Assuming the total amount of each of these three ingredients
in ,the plant at maturity to be 100, then the mature grain contains
about 15% of all the potash in the plant, 60 % of all the nitrogen
and 53/6 of all the phosphoric acid. Though these figures may be
variable, dependent upon the conditions of cultivation, yet their
relative order as regards amounts, is, in the case of plants of normal
growth, fonnd always to hold good, so far as the author knows.

In this connection, the distribution of these elements amoung
the parts of the grain, that is to say, in the chaff, bran and cleaned
lice, - will be explained. At present it is impossible to discuss this
problem with any great degree of accuracy, because there are not a
sufficient number of reliable analytical data, and moreover because
the perfect separation of the bran (seed-coat) from the cleaned rice
(endosperm) is not, as yet, a practical possibility. However, the
following figures, which are the average percentages of these ingredi-
ents contained in the parts of the grain, may give some general idea
of the distribution, and serve as data towards an eventual solution
of this question.

Table 38. Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash

in the Parts of Grain.
(Expressed as percentage of dry matter)

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

Chuff or Glumes

%

0.47

%
0.16

%
0.36

Bran, containing Seed-coat & Embryo

2.69

4-30

1.66

Cleaned Rice or Endosperm

1.43

0-34

0.16

It is noticed in the above table that the bran contains the
highest percentage of all these ingredients, among which the percent-
age of phosphoric acid comes firsthand that of nitrogen considerably
exceeds that of potash. In the chaff the percentage of nitrogen is

48

highest, and that of potash is much greater than that of phosphoric
acid. The percentage of potash in the cleaned rice is lowest, and
that of nitrogen is much higher than that of phosphoric acid. Thus
these three ingredients, contained in each part of the grain, are not
in any definite proportions, as the following table shows.

Table 39. Proportion of Nitrogen, Phosphoric acid
and Potash in the Parts of Grain.

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

Chaff

IOO.O

34-0

76.6

Bran

IOO.O

!59-9

61.7

Clened Rice

IOO.O

23.8

II. 2

The percentage of chaff, bran and cleaned rice in the dry
matter of the grain were calculated from the results of the experi-
ments carried out in our Station at Taihoku, and they were 27.0^,
5.8 % and 67.2 % respectively. From these figures the plant foods
stored in each portion of the grain were calculated, to show their
distribution among the chaff, bran and cleaned rice.

Table 40. Nitrogen, Phosphoric acid and Potash
in one Kilogram of the Grain dried at 100° C.

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

Chaff

sir.
1.269

%

IO.2

CT.
0.432

X
8-3

gr.

0.972

%
32-3

Bran

1.560

12-5

2-494

47.8

0.963

32.0

Cleaned Rice

9.610

77.2

2.285

43-8

1-075

35-7

Total

12.439

IOO.O

5.211

IOO.O

3.010

IOO.O

The above table shows that the distribution of these ingredi-
ents is very different in the various parts of the grain. For instance,
about 77 % of the total nitrogen in the grain is contained in the
cleaned rice, and a little over 10 % in the bran, and a like percent-
age in the chaff; while 43 % of the total phosphoric acid in the
grain is stored in the cleaned rice and about the same percentage

49

in the bran, but only 8 % in the chaff And in still greater contrast,
about one third of the total potash is accumulated in each of the
parts of the grain. Thus, 10^%" of all the nitrogen in the grain,
8% of all the phosphoric acid, and $2% of all the potash are used
for the formation of the chaff.

The percentages of nitrogen, and of phosphoric acid, and of
potash, in each part of the rice plants from the plats A and B were
compared, and their differences are shown in the following table : —

Table 41. Difference between Percentages of

Ingredients in the same Parts of the Rice Plants obtained

from Plats B and A.

April 30

May 10

Moy 26

June 1 6

June 26

July 4

Leaves

—0.62

— 0.60

— -O.I2

+0.09

— 0.19

4-0.07

Nitrogen

Steins

— 0.41

—0-35

— 0.48

4-O.OI

±0-00

4- o.oi

Roots

—0.17

— 0.12

— O.O6

+0.03

— 0.05

— 0.07

Grain

4-0.02

—

4-0.03

Leaves

—

— O.O4

—o.i 8

4-0.08

—

4-0.05

Plios. Acid

Stems

—0.13

— O.2O

4-0.01

— 0.08

— 0.04

4-0.01

Roots

—

— 0.27

4-O.OI

— 0.04

io.oo

— O.OI

Grain

—

— O.OI

4-0.04

Leaves

—

—0.28

— 1. 01

-0.28

—0,30

— 0.05

Potash

Stems

—0.63

—0-59

—0.42

—0.23

— 0.25

—0.49

Roots

—

+0.54

—

—0.03

— 0.04

— 0.1 1

Grain

4-0.02

—

—0.03

This table indicates that at an early stage of growth the per-
centages of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in the rice plants
raised on plat A, on which soy bean cake was used as a nitrogenous
fertilizer, are greater than those from plat B, which was manured
with ammonium sulphate. On -these two plats the percentages of
potash, especially in -the stems at successive stages of growth, differ
in a marked way, — the percentages in the stems from plat A being
much greater than those from plat B Even at maturity the dif-

SO

ference of percentage of potash in the stems from the two plats is
great, although the differences between the percentages of nitrogen,
and likewise of phosphoric acid, contained in the same parts of the
plants from the two plats, become very small towards maturity. It
must be borne in mind that in soy bean cake the amount of potash
is about 25 % of the quantity of nitrogen. Thus the rice plant
could have absorbed a much greater amount of potash from plat A
than from plat B, though the plants from the former plat gave a
little poorer yield of grain, (v. Table 34 and 15) It is clear from
Tables, 32, 33 and 34, that the actual amounts of nitrogen and of
phosphoric acid absorbed by the rice plants of these two plats are
about the same, but that potash is present in a greater quantity in
the entire plant that in grown on plat A- Therefore the potash
contained in the soy bean cake may influence the growth of the rice
plant, when the soil, as in this experiment, is fertilized at the rate
of 34.00 Ibs. of potash per acre ; however, the phosphoric acid, of
which there is only a small s mount in soy bean caks, does not exert
so much influence as potash, when 68.00 Ibs. of phosphoric acid per
acre is applied.

It is very important, as regards fertilizer application, to know
that such a surplus amount af potash in the rice plant's body hind-
ers the proper growth of the craps. In the spring of 1915, another
experiment was carried out, with a view to ascertaining, (i), the
effects of potash fertilizer on the yield of rice and, (2), the potash
content in the plant's body at various stages of growth. The soil
selected for the experiment was in a nearly exhausted field, on which
rice crops had been cultivated eight times in succession, without any
fertilizer being applied. This soil showed a slight acidity when
treated with a solution of neutral salts. Each plat was fertilized
with ammonium sulphate, superphosphate and ^potassium carbonate,
containing respectively nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash at the
following rates per acre : —

Table 42. • Amount of Fertiliser per acre.

Nitrogen

Phos Acid

Potash

'1st plat
II»'l Plat

lt>s.

84.99
84.99

Ibs.
68.00

68.00

Ibs.
68.00

17.00

Over 50 bundles from each plat were examined, at each
collection, in order to find out the average number of culms per
bundle. Those bundles which bad an average 'number of culms
were cut off level with the surface of the soil. The total yield of
100 bundles, at three different stages of the plant's life, is given in
the following table : —

Table 43. Total Weight of 100 Bundles.

Dry matter

May 20

June ii

July i

1st plat

Straw
Gain

gr.

1,909.

gr.

3,449-

gr.

2,491.

T>979-

Ilnd Phit

Straw
Grain

1,823.

3,712-

2,691.
2,230.

It is clear from this table that the production of grain from
the first plat is about 1 1 % less than that from the second plat,
which was fertilized with a smaller amount of potash ; and the straw
is found also to be less in the first plat, to which a greater amount
of potash was applied. This is in the agreement with the results
of other experiments on fertilizer, which had been conducted for
many years in our Station. Pot experiments, in 1912 and in 1914,
with spring rice crops were carried out in the Experimental Farm
of the Akow Agricultural Association, and gave similar results.

From a physiological standpoint, it seems that when the nutri-
ents absorbed from the soil have a certain balance in the plant's
body, there results an^excellent development of the rice plant. Hut
a surplus absorption of potash seems to disturb the balance of the

nutrients and to hinder the normal physiological functions of the
plant, and thus leads to a poor yield.

The rice plants under consideration were analyzed with the
following results, as regards nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash.

Table 44. Percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid

and Potash.
(Expressed as percentage of dry matter)

Dry matter

Plat

May 20

June 10

July I

JVi logon

Straw

I»t Plat
Una „

i-53°
1.36

0.88
0-93

0.62
0-57

Grain

I;t „

II'Kl „

I.2Q
I.O9

Phos. Acid

Straw

I" „

Ilnd „

a 74
0.70

0-53
o-53

0.27
0.23

Grain

Ist „

II'Kl „

o-59
0-57

To tush

Straw

I" „
H"d „

1.84
i-3S

1.29
i. 02

i.56
1.26

( Irain

I** „
II- „

024

0.27

Table 45. Amount of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and
Potash in 100 Bundles of the Mature Plant.

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

I*t Plat
Ilnd Plat

KV.

39- «
39-3

„ KTf.

18.4
18.9

ft.
43-6

39-9

Table 46. Ratios of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid
and Potash.

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

I** Plat
Il'^'Plat

212.4
208.0

100.0
IOO.O

237.0

211. 1

53

The percentages of potash in the straw from each plat have
greater differences than those of the other ingredients, as remarked
before. The plants which produce a greater amount of straw and
grain contain a lower percentage of potash, and the actual amount
of potash is also found to be smaller in the rice crop that gives a
better yield. Thus the ratios of these ingredients shows the greatest
differences in the " Potash " column of Table 46.

A somewhat similar fact can be seen by examining the results
of the manure experiments by W. P. Kelley and Alice R. Thompson,
(Hawaii Agr. Expt. Stat. Bull. No. 24). The complete fertilizer
plat was treated with 60 Ibs. of nitrogen, 45 Ibs. of phosphoric acid
and 60 Ibs. of potash, per acre, derived respectively from Ammonium
sulphate, superphosphate and potassium carbonate. The nitrogen
plat was treated with 60 Ibs. of nitrogen from ammonium sulphate.
The following tables are prepared and elaborated from Kelley and
Thompson's figures.

Table 47, Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid, Potash
and Dry Matter.

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

Dry matter,
per acre

leaves

Complete fert. Plat
Nitrogen „

' 0.56°
0.62

0.16
0.18

1.29
i-33

Ibs

I235-

1222.

Stems

Complete fert. „
Nitrogen „

0-43
0.38

0.15
0.14

3.06
2.62

2345-
2362,

Roots

Complete fert. })
Nitrogen „

0.71
0.84

1.07
1.14

0.94
o-73

3*3-

347-

Chaff

Complete fert. „
Nitrogen „

0.51
0-43

0.32
a 26

1.12
I. O6

996.
982.

Kernel

Complete fert. „
Nitrogen „

1.22
I.36

0.83
0.87

. °-39
0.46

3610.

3783-

54

Table 48. Amount of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid
and Potash in the Entire Plant, (per acre).

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

Dry matter,
per acre

Complete fertilizer Plat
Nitrogen Plat

Ibs.
68.4

749

ihg.
42.0

45.1

Ibs.
"5-9

108.4

)I)S.

8,499.
8,696.

Table 49. Ratio of Nitrogen, Phosphoric
Acid and Potash.

Nitrogen

Phos. Acid

Potash

Complete fertilizer Plat

162.9

IOO.O

276.0

Nitrogen Plat

1 66.0

IOO.O

240.4

Both the percentage and the actual amount of potash are
greater in the rice plant cultivated on the complete fertilizer plat,
which has a poorer yield of grain and straw. — as proved in our
experiments. The greatest difference in the percentages of potash
is, again in this experiment, found in the stems from the two plats,
while nitrogen and phosphoric acid show only slight differences in
the corresponding parts of the plants. The ratios of these three
ingredients agree in showing that potash has the greatest difference,
(v. Table 49) Therefore it seems that an excess of potassium in
the plant's body exerts a by no means negligible influence on the
yield of rice, disturbing as it does the balance of nutrients.

However, repeated experiments with the autumn crop in our
Station, proved that the plats which were rich in potash gave a
better yield. In the autumn of 1914 the experiment was carried
out again, and it confirmed the above fact, as may be seen in the
following table : —

55

Table 50, Dry matter in 100 Bundles of the
Autumnal crop.

Before flowering

Maturity

68. tbs. of Nitrogen, per acre,

Leaves

gr.
787.

ftr,
642.

(Ammonium Sulphate).

Stems

2,742.

1,631.

I** Plat ,

51. Ihs. of Phos. Acid, per acre,
(Superphosphate).

Roots

292.

26l.

68. Ibs. of Potash, per acre,

( Jrai n

389-

1,992.

(potassium Carbonate). ,

Total

4,210.

4.526.

rf

68. Ibs. of Nitrogen, per acre,

Leaves

669.

584.

_

(Ammonium Sulphate).

Stems

2,433-

I.507-

II»'l Plat . <

51. Ibs. of Phos. Acid, per acre,
(Superphosphate).

Roots

245-

208.

1 7. Ibs. of Potash, per acre,

Grain

33i-

1, 80S.

(Potassium Carbonate). /

Total

3,678.

4.107.

The table shows that greater amounts of dry matter in each
part of the rice plant, both before flowering and at maturity, were
produced from the first plat, which was fertilized with much potash.
But the spring crop gave a better yield from the plat containing a
less amount of potash, as explained before. These samples of the
autumn crop were analyzed to ascertain their contents of nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash. The results are given below : —

Table 51, Percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphoric acid
and Potash in the Autumn Crop.

Dry Matter

liefore flowering

Maturity

leaves

I«t Plat

1.29

°-54

11"' .

1.40

0.56

Stems

I »

0.49

0-43

II'Hl „

°-53

0.47

XT'f ~f\rtf\t

Roots

ISt „

0.69

0.70

" »

0.70

0.74

ISt »

1.18

i. 08

Grain

Iln< „

1.19

1. 10

leaves

I- „

0.31

0.09

II"'1 „

0.32

O.IO

Stems

ISt »

0-45

O.22

" V )>

0.47

0.18

Roots

ISt „

0.25

0.19

II'"' „

0.18

0,22

Grain

ISt »

o-34

0.63

Iln<l „

0.32

0.65

I"t „

, ,3

O.2I

Leaves

IInd »

I.OO

O.26

Stems

Ist „

1. 02

1.96

IInd „

1.04

1.87

Roots

»>

0.49

0.32

IInd >?

0.45

0-35

Ist »

0.57

0.26

Gr.iin

IInd ^

0.66

0.26

57

Table 52. Amount of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and
Potash, at Maturity in 100 Bundles of the Auttmin Crop.

,

Nitrogen

1'hos. Acid

Potash

I*t Plat

gr.

33-8

gr.

17.2

gt.

39-4

11'"' Plat

32.2

15-4

35-o

The percentages of the same ingredients, in corresponding
parts of the plants from each plat, show but slight differences. But
it is the first plat, fertilized with 68.0 Ibs. of potash, that has a
rather lower percentage in each case, and yet which produces,
as said before, the larger crop. However, the potash in the
stems from the first plat has a slightly higher percentage than
from the second plat, and its actual amount in the entire plant is
also greater. This is just the reverse to the results of experiments
with spring crops, which were described above. Therefore the autumn
and the spring crops may each have some particular balance of
nutrients proper to their respective developments. As observed in
Bulletin No. 10, - (previously referred in this paper, v. p. 10),— ferti-
lizer experiments proved that the rice plant absorbed a greater
quantity of phosphoric acid from carbonized bone, — (which is prepared
by the Formosan farmers in some localities), - than from superphos-
phate, and gave a poorer yield in the former case. Thus, a surplus
of this ingredient in this plant's body might also disturb rhe physi-
ological functions necessary for the proper development of the plant.
(These subjects were discussed in the following bulletins : — Agr.
Expt. Stat. Formosa, Publication No. 95 ; S. K. Suzuki, " Absorption
of Phosphoric Acid from carbonized Bone," and No. 120, S. K. Suzuki;
•' Effect of the Over-absorption of Potash on the Growth of Rice
Plant")

It is noticed in Table 47, that, according to Kelley and
Thompson's figures, there was a much higher percentage of phosphoric
acid in the roots than shown cither by the present experiments, (v.

Table 33.) or by the examination of samples from rice plant raised

at Taihoku in 1913 and 1914. Herewith some figures for the latter,

the samples having been taken from various plats : —

Some roots from 1913 spring crop contained 0.25% of phosphoric acid,

other " " " " 0.24,%" " " ,

some " " 1914 " 0.19% " " ,

. other " " 0.22X " ,

other " " " 0.2$% " " ,

P. L, Gille and J. O. Carrero obtained 0.15%" of phosphoric acid in

the roots of upland rice plants, (Jour. Agr. Research, vol. V, No. 9,

Nov. 1915). Our preliminary test showed that ash from the roots

contained much more iron than could be precipitated by the phosphoric

acid of the ash in the process of ash analysis. Consequently, as

the ordinary method of ash analysis was not suitable for determining

the amount of phosphoric acid in the roots, the molybdate method

was in the present experiments, used for making the required estimates.

Table 53. Soda

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

A

Expressed as
percentage of
dry mater .

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

*/»
0.69

0.49

O.22

o-54
o-93

0.24
0.44

0.28

0.12

°-39
0.29

0.04

0.09
o-35
o-43

0.19
0.08

o-39
0.38

O.OI

<g 0

c c 1

g rt 1

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
< Jrain

0.15

°-73

O.I2

0-35
O.26

0.31
0.91

gr.

2-55
O.2I
2.IO

0.18

O.O6

0.17
0.28

ft

2.06

O.I2
I.58
0.31

0.05

B

Expressed as
percentage of
dry matter

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

0.91
1.71

0.66

0-43
0.70
i. ii

0.49
0.15
0.67
"•59

O.2I
0.09
0.24
0.48
0.09

0.13
0.32
0.30
0.03

O.I7'
O.II

0-33
0.38

O.O2

Amount of
Soda in
10 bundles

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

0.17
0.32

KV.
0.92
0.23

0-4 S

0.24

Sir.
1.97
O.I9
1.36
0.42

i.68r
0.13
i. ii
0.32

O.I2

gr.

0.17
0.17

1.86'
0.14
1.32

0.30

O. IO

Table 54, Lime.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

J-M

A

rt o it

-e «•> £

1 1 !
II1'

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

O.20

0-45°
0.87
0.18

0.25

0.42
0.8 1
0.21
0.28

0.36
i. ii
0.19
0-33

O.II

1.30
0.27

0.31
0.05

0.32'

i-3i

0.30
0.27
0.05

Amount of
Lime in
10 bundles

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

fir,
0.04

gt.

0.67
0.48

O.I2

0.07

gr.
1.63
I.OS
0.44
0.14

pr

3-30
1.90
1.03

O.2I
O.I6

gt.

2.48

O.2O

3-59
1.92

I.2I

O.22
0.24

B

Expressed as
percentage of
dry matter

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

%

0.76
0.23

0-39
0.72

0.17

O.2I

0.38
0.80
O.I6

0.25

0.32
1.03
O.I7
O.25
0. 12

0.23
0.25
O.O5

0.27

0.25
0.27
O.O5

Amouut of
Lime in
10 bundles

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

S?r.

0.14
0.04

Ke.
0-54
^•39

0. 1 1

0.04

srr.
I.OO

0.32

0.18

sr.

2.61

1.48
0.79

0.17
0.17

gr.

1.50

0.14

~~

2-93

1.47
I.OO
0.21
O.25

Table 55. Magnesia.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 16

June 26

July 4

A

H §° "3

<5 c S

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

0-33

0.28°
0.30
0.29
0.24

0.27
0.30
0.28
0.18

O.22
0.29
O.24
0.13
O.I2

0.31

O.22

0.16
0.19

0.28
0.61

O.22
0.32
O.22

"o •" v

j-> rt J2
|| g

Entire Plant

Leaaes
Stems
Roots
Grain

s>-
0.07

tft.

0.42

0.16
0.19
0.07

pv.

i. 06

0-39
0.58
0.09

2.05"
O.5O
1.30
0.08
0.17

pv.

0-59

O.II

Sir.
3-09

0.88
0.89
0.26
1.06

B

Expressed of
percentage of
dry matter

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

0.36

^•33

0.25
0.31

O.2I

0.23

0.26
0.27

0.25
0.27

O.22
0.30
O.2I

0.18

O.20

0.41
a 20

O.2O

0.18

0.24
0-54

O.2O
0.25
O.I9

Amount of
Magnesia in
10 bundles

Entire Plant
Leaves
Stems
Roots
Grain

0.07
0.06

gr.

o-35
0.17
. 0.13
0.05

1.04

0-34
0.51
0.19

far.
1.81

o-43
0.98

O.I2
0.28

o-54

O.II

if!

2.64
0.70
0.80

0.20
0.94

Table 56, Ferric Oxide.

Plat

April 30

May 10

May 26

June 1 6

June 26

WM

3 * h

Entire Plant

'/'•> •/<>
— 1.32

i. 06

— '

—

a 66

«a 9 M

if i

Leaves

0.28

0.15

0.19

0-33

0.40

s c s

Stems

0.98 0.86

0.64

O.22

0.30

o-3s

% i ^'

Roots

—

4-5'

5.06

—

5-17

6-43

A

w £

Grain

O.O3

O.OI

Trace

JST. ' 'T

jo?

gt

. or

ft

'oo<u

Entire Plant

'•95

4-«0

7-31

2 'S c

leaves

—

0.15

0.2O

0-33

0.63

o-59

3 o 3
o ^

Stems

O.22 0.56

1.33

I.I9

—

'•53

If s

Roots

—

1.24

2.60

—

3-4 1

5.'7

Grain

0.04

— •

O.O2

S * u

Entire Plant

°'°

0.78

I. O2

0.61

— '"

O.52

1 jj> 1

I .caves

0.23

0.17

0.25

0.40

0.41

0.42

S c £

Stems

0-93

0.56

0-73

0.26

0.28

°-37

G" 5* ki
-.' 4) "O

Roots

— 2-99

3.21

4.64

—

4-59

1 '

Grain

0.06

0.04

0.03

jrtv tsr.

or.

rt.

gr.

•T

O 4) y

Entire Plant

— 1.09

4-05

4.96

5.76

c •? "H

Leaves

0.04 0.09

0.31

0-57

°-54

o-54

I ^1

Steins

ai8 0.36

1.48

1. 21

—

1.48

Roots

0.64

2.26

3-IO

—

3-59

£ i Grain

O.O8

0.15

Soda, although it may not be essential to the growth of the
rice plant, is distributed in all its parts. The greatest quantity and
also the highest percentage arc found in the stems, as was to be
expected, for this ingredient is usually present in abundance in the
succulent portions of plants. The variations of the quantity of soda
thfioughout the plant's life, somewhat resemble those of potash.

The percentage of lime in the entire plant decreases very
gradually in the course of the plant's life, but the leaves and stems
have increasing percentages. The highest percentages of lime arc
always found in the leaves, — as was the case with nitrogen, which
was described before. Many investigators have proved that those
parts of a plant which are rich in chlorophyll contain a considerable
amount of lime. And this is also found to hold good as regards
the stems and leaves of the rice plant. The actual amount of lime

6l

contained in those organs increases towards maturity, though at this
same stage nitrogen and phosphoric acid decrease in amount, owing
to their migration to the grain. It does not seem that the lime in
the vegetative tissues migrates much to, or takes any very active
part in, the formation of the grain, for this latter is very poor in
lime. Twelve seimples of grain taken from other experimental plats,
each of which had been supplied with a different amount of lime,
were analyzed, and the differences in percentage of lime contained
in the grain from the various plats were found to be very small, and
the average percentage of lime was 0.078.

The percentage of magnesia in the entire plant is, in this case,
practically constant throughout the plant's life, as shown in Table
55. However, another experiment proved that the entire plant had
a decreasing percentage of magnesia throughout its life, dependent
upon the production of dry matter in the plant's body. The per-
centage of magnesia in the leaves has a sudden rise at maturity,
owing to the fact that the dry matter of the leaves decreases while
the actual amount of magnesia increase during maturation. The
stems have a gradual decrease in the percentage of magnesis, which
latter migrates to the grain to a greater extent than the lime does.
And there occurs a reduction in the amount of magnesia in the stems
at maturity. A fair amount of magnesia is deposited in the grain,
as is often found to be the case among the gramineae. The plants
which developed better on plat B absorbed smaller quantities of soda,
lime, magnesia and potash than those on plat At while the nitrogen
and phosphoric acid in the plants from both plats were abont the
same. It might thus seem that the surplus of potash present in the
rice plants from plat A, accelerates the absorption of soda, lime and
magnesia. Yet this is very doubtful, for no such phenomenon
occurred in a similar experiment with the same variety of spring
crop, as may be seen from the following figures : — (v. p. 50)

63

Table 57. Amount of Inorganic Ingredients in 100
Bundles of the Rice Plant, 1915.

Fertilizer, per acre

Dry

Matter

Nitrogen

Phos.
Acid

Potash

Lime

Magnesia

I»t plat

(Nitrogen, 68 Ibs. i
Jphos. Acid, 51 „[
(Potash, 68 „ )

gr.

4,47°-

>rr.

39- l

gr.

18.4

gr.

43-6

Sr.
II.9

feT.
10. 1

Ilnd Plat

rNitrogen, 68 „ v
Jphos. Acid, 51 „ [
(Potash, 17 „ )

4,921.

39-3

18.9

39-9

14.8

I2.O

The percentage of ferric oxide contained in the entire plant
gradually decreases in the course of the plant's life. On the whole,
the leaves and roots have increasing percentages of ferric oxide, and
the roots become particularly rich with this ingredient during the later
part of plant's life. The old roots are always found to be of a
reddish brown colour, probably owing to the adherence of ferric oxide,
of which the larger portion can easily be extracted by means of a
very dilute solution of hydrochloric acid. The percentage of feme
oxide in the stems gradually decreases until the time of flowering,
at which stage an abrupt decrease takes place, caused by a rapid
increase of dry matter and also a reduction in the actual amount of
ferric oxide. The grain contains a very little ferric oxide. This
ingredient accumulates in the leaves and roots throughout the plant's
Ijfe, but it decreases appreciably in the stems at the time of flowering,
although at this stage they (stems) possess a maximum amount of
the other ash ingredients. A certain amount of ferric oxide in the
stems migrates to the grain, but perhaps this may not be of a suffic-
ient amount to account for the comparatively great reduction of this
ingredient in the stems. However, it is not clear whether the ferric
oxide deposited in the stems migrates to the leaves and roots before
the time of flowering, or whether this reduction of ferric oxide in the
stems is incidental.

(Agricultural Experimental Station, Formosa, Dec. 1915.)

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