Radio-manganese, -iron, and -phosphorus uptake by water hyacinth [Eichhornia crassipes] and economic implications [Potential use for sewage treatment, then drying for mulch]

To determine the effects of the deprivation of specific micronutrients on the water hyacinth (eichhornia crassipes), the rate of uptake by the water hyacinth of iron and manganese in comparison with phosphorus was studied. Materials and methodology are described. Experimentation indicates that all three elements are actively absorbed by the root systems, but the rates of absorption differ markedly. The rate of absorption of manganese by roots is 13 and 21 times that for radio-iron and -phosphorous, and iron was taken up by the roots at nearly twice the rate of phosphorous,. Mangenese translocation appeared to be faster than phosphorus translocation by an order of magnitude and 65 times faster than iron translocation.