Fluoride Uptake by Spinach and Alfalfa in a Calcareous Soil

Fluoride (F) is an essential element for humans and animals. The continuous ingestion of fluoride by humans and animals in excessive amounts has damaging effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the uptake of fluoride in spinach and alfalfa in an alkaline soil of Isfahan, Iran. Two plants were planted in lysimeters at Isfahan University of Technology research station site. The treatments consisted of two plants and three concentrations of F. Each treatment was performed in triplicate. All the plants were harvested after 125 days and the total plant's F concentrations were determined. The F concentration in both plant's roots were higher significantly (p<0.05) than the plant's shoots at both treatments. The F concentration in spinach root was 2.5 to 3 times greater than those values in alfalfa root. Totally, the RCFs and SCFs values of F were very low. This showed that these plants did not uptake much fluoride from the soil.