Essential Elements
SOIL 5813Soil-Plant Nutrient Cycling and
Environmental QualityDepartment of Plant and Soil
SciencesOklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078email:
[email protected] Tel: (405) 744-6414
SOIL 5813Soil-Plant Nutrient Cycling and
Environmental QualityDepartment of Plant and Soil
SciencesOklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078email:
[email protected] Tel: (405) 744-6414
Arnon's Criteria of Essentiality
1. Element required to complete life cycle
2. Deficiency can only be corrected by the ion in question
3. Element needs to be directly involved in the nutrition of the plant and not indirectly via the need of another organism.
Any mineral element that functions in plant metabolism, whether or not its action is specific (Tisdale et al., 1985)
C, H, O, N, P, and S (constituent of proteins)
Ca, Mg, K, Fe, Mn, Mo, Cu, B, Zn, Cl, Na, Co, V, Si (essential to one or more plants)
'CHOPKNS CaFe MgB Mn Cl CuZn Mo'
MobileNutrientsA.Plant1. deficiency symptoms appear in the lower older leaves
B. Soil
Immobile Nutrients
A.Plant1. deficiency symptoms appear in the upper younger leaves
B. Soil
Deficiency Symptom Element Mobility Mobility Form taken up
Soil Plant by Plants
____________________________________________________________________________________
Overall chlorosis seen N Nitrogen Yes Yes NO3-,NO2-,NH4+
First on lower leaves
Purple leaf margins P Phosphorus No Yes HPO4=,H2PO4-,H3PO4
Chlorotic leaf margins K Potassium No Yes K+
Uniform chlorosis, stunting S Sulfur Yes Yes(no) SO4=,SO2*
(younger leaves) N*S interaction
Stunting-no root elongation Ca Calcium No No Ca++
Interveinal chlorosis Fe Iron No (ls) No Fe+++,Fe++(veins remain green)
Interveinal chlorosis Mg Magnesium No (ls) Yes/No Mg++
Reduced terminal growth B Boron (NM) Yes No H3BO3°(chlorotic tips)
Interveinal chlorosis Mn Manganese No No Mn++, Mn+++
Wilting, chlorosis Cl Chlorine Yes Yes Cl–reduced root growth
Young leaves, yellow stunted Cu Copper No (ls) No Cu++
Interveinal chlorosis Zn Zinc No (ls) No Zn++in young leaves
Interveinal chlorosis, stunting Mo Molybdenum Yes/No(ls) No MoO4=
Dark green color Na Sodium No(ls) Yes Na+
C Carbon CO2
H Hydrogen H2O
O Oxygen H2O
____________________________________________________________________________________
* absorbed through plant leaves
(NM) Non Metal
(ls) Low Solubility
Mo availability increases with soil pH, other micronutrients show the opposite of this.
Immobile nutrients in plant; symptoms of deficiency show up in the younger leaves.
Stage of growth when deficiency symptom is apparent = later stage
What are the Primary Nutrients
needed by all crops
What are the Primary Nutrients
needed by all crops
Nutrient
Nitrogen (N)
Potassium (K)
Phosphorus (P)
Soil (lb/a)*
400 – 8,000
800 - 60,000
400 – 10,000
Crop (lb/a)**
80
40
12
*Range of total amount in soil. From Chemical Equilibria in Soils.W.L.Lindsay, 1979. Wiley & Sons.
**Calculated for 2 ton crop yield (67 bushel wheat).
Secondary Nutrients Neededby all Crops
Secondary Nutrients Neededby all Crops
Nutrient
Calcium
Magnesium
Sulfur
Soil (lb/a)*
14,000 – 1,000,000
1,200 - 12,000
60 – 20,000
Crop (lb/a)**
16
8
6* Range of total in soil. From Chemical Equilibria in Soils. W.L.Lindsay, 1979. Wiley & Sons.
**Calculated for 2 ton crop yield (67 bushel wheat).
Micronutrients Needed by all Crops
Micronutrients Needed by all Crops
Nutrient
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Zinc
Boron
Chlorine
Molybdenum
Soil (lb/a)*
14,000 – 1,100,000
40 – 6,000
4 - 200
20 - 600
4 - 200
40 – 1,800
0.4 - 10
*Range of total in soils. From Chemical Equilibria in Soils. W.L.Lindsay, 1979. Wiley & Sons.
Crop (lb/a)**
1
0.8
0.08
0.6
0.08
4
0.0008
**Calculated for 2 ton crop yield (67 bushel wheat).
Review: Nutrients Needed by all CropsReview: Nutrients
Needed by all Crops
Primary
Nitrogen (N)
Potassium (K)
Phosphorus (P)
Secondary
Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium (Mg)
Sulfur (S)
Micro
Iron (Fe)
Zinc (Zn)
Manganese (Mn)
Copper (Cu)
Chlorine (Cl)
Boron (B)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Nutrients are grouped according to crop
removal.• Primary (N, P, K).
– Removed in largest amount by crop.• Most commonly deficient.
• Secondary.– Removed in moderate amount by crop.
• Micro.– Removed in minute amount by crop.
Nutrients not found deficient in Oklahoma
crops.• Calcium.
– Liming prevents Ca deficiency.
• Manganese.
• Copper.
• Molybdenum.
Nutrients seldom found deficient in Oklahoma
crops.• Magnesium.
• Sulfur.
• Iron.
• Zinc.
• Boron.
• Chlorine.
Magnesium and Sulfur deficiencies.
• Occur on deep, sandy, low organic matter soils in high rainfall regions with high yielding forage production.– Storage capacity for Mg and S is
low.– Large annual removal of
nutrients.
Magnesium Deficiency in Alfalfa.
Sulfur Deficiency in Corn.
Overall light green color, worse on new leaves during rapid growth.
Overall light green color, worse on new leaves during rapid growth.
Sulfur Deficiency in Wheat.
Overall light green color, worse on new leaves during rapid growth.
Magnesium and Sulfur additions.
• Lime, especially dolomitic, adds Mg.
• Rainfall adds 6 lb/acre/yr of S.– Like 120 lb of N (crop needs 1 lb
S for every 20 lb N).
Iron deficiencies.
• Limited to high pH soils and sensitive crops.– West-central and western Oklahoma.
– Grain sorghum, sorghum sudan, and wheat (also pin oak, blueberries and azaleas).
– Crop symptoms are chlorosis between veins of newest leaves.
Iron Deficiency in Corn.
Note yellowing (chlorosis) between veins.
Iron Deficiency in Peanuts
Note yellowing (chlorosis) between veins of newest leaves.
Correcting and Minimizing Iron
Deficiency in Crops.• Select tolerant varieties and
crops.• Incorporate several tons of
rotted organic matter per acre of affected soil.
• Use a foliar spray of 1 % Fe as iron sulfate.– Usually will require repeat
spraying and will not be economical.
Zinc deficiencies.
• Usually found in high pH, low organic matter soils, and sensitive crops.– Pecans, corn, soybeans and
cotton.– Crop symptoms are shortened
internodes and bronze coloring.
Zinc Deficiency in Cotton (Mississippi)
Zinc Deficiency
in Corn (Kansas).
Note short internodes (stunted plants).
Note “bronze” coloring of leaf.
Correcting Zinc Deficiency in Crops.
• Broadcast and incorporate 6 to 10 lb of Zn as zinc sulfate preplant.– This rate should eliminate the
deficiency for 3 to 4 years as compared to 1 to 2 lb applied annually.
• Foliar apply low rate to pecans annually.
Boron Deficiencies.
• Occasionally found in peanuts grown in sandy, low organic matter soils.– Responsible for “hollow heart”.
Correcting Boron Deficiency in Crops.
• Apply ½ to 1 lb B according to soil test.– May be applied as addition to N-
P-K blend or foliar spray in-season.
– Excessive rates may kill crop.
• Applications may be needed each year.
Chlorine Deficiency.
• Occasionally found in wheat grown in sandy, low organic matter soils.
Chlorine Deficiencies.
• Symptoms are yellow “blotches’ on mature leaves.
Chlorine Deficiencies.
• Limited to areas where potassium (K) fertilizer is not used.– K fertilizer is usually potassium chloride.– Soil test Cl is < 20 lb/acre in top 2 feet.
Nutrients often Deficient in Oklahoma crops.
• Nitrogen (N).– Legumes like soybeans and
alfalfa get their N from microorganisms (rhizobium) that fix N from the atmosphere.
• Phosphorus (P).• Potassium (K).
Nitrogen Deficiency.
• Shows up as chlorosis (yellowing) at the tip of the oldest leaf.– Progresses toward the base of the leaf along the midrib (corn).– Chlorosis continues to the next oldest leaf, after the oldest leaf
becomes almost completely chlorotic, if deficiency continues.
Nitrogen Deficiency in Corn.
chlorosis (yellowing) at the tip of chlorosis (yellowing) at the tip of the oldest leaf.the oldest leaf.
Nitrogen Deficiency in Corn.
Chlorosis continues Chlorosis continues to the next oldest to the next oldest leafleaf
Potassium Deficiency.
• Common in crops grown in weathered soils developed under high rainfall.– Symptoms are chlorosis at the tip of the oldest
leaf (like N), that progresses toward the base along the leaf margins.
Potassium Deficiency.
• Common in crops grown in weathered soils developed under high rainfall.
K Usually adequate
K Usually deficient
Potassium Deficiency.
– Chlorosis at the tip of the oldest leaf progressing toward the base along the leaf margins (corn, alfalfa).
Phosphorus Deficiency.
• Deficiency in Oklahoma cultivated soils is related to historical use of P-fertilizers.– P builds up in soils when high-P, low-N fertilizers are the only input.
• 10-20-10 and 18-46-0.
• Deficiency symptoms are purple coloring and some yellow on lower (oldest) leaves.
Phosphorus Deficiency.
purple coloring and purple coloring and sometimes yellow on sometimes yellow on lower (oldest) leaves.lower (oldest) leaves.
CORN
