Precise evaluation of K X-ray peak energies of potassium in maize saplings from a pot experiment and in their soils
has been done. The experiment involved the pot treatments with different nutrient fertilizers keeping all other
environment factors; soil, light, temperature and watering same. Fertilization affects the relative concentration of
nutrients in plants and soils. The measurements have been done in an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence
(EDXRF) set-up comprising low power Neptune X-ray tube and Si (PIN) detector. The energies of peaks in the
spectra were evaluated with the SOLVER fitting program that gives a precision up to 10-4 of channel width. The
results show shift in peak energies with fertilizations relative to those of untreated pot. The calcium fertilization
produced more shift as compared to that produced by potassium fertilization. The shift pattern in maize samples is
different from that of corresponding soil samples; moreover, it is in contrast to our earlier findings in mint plants.
All the outcomes point to chemical changes in plants with fertilization.
