{ Cases of manganese deficiency on highly limed soils Work Being Done in Kentucky -
. % have h€€h t€POtt€d· Dutihg t€C€ht Yeats 9~ hthhh€t The preceding discussion suggests the work which
¢ of samples of corn which seemed t0 be suffering from needs te be dene in Kentucky. The first problem is
A a d€H<>i€¤¢y <>f Zinc have beeu bwueht tv the EX- to determine the status of minor elements in the soils
` Pethheht Stattoh- ZthC·d€hCt€hCY has h€€h·Pt0duC€tt of the state and the minor element needs of those
A OH the EXP€I`lIT]€Ilt Statlolll FHTITI   OV€I`llI"I'1111g,   Crops COITIHIOHIY growl] On Kentucky sOilS_ AS a be- _-
is known to reduce the availability of soil zinc to ginning in this Work, sttmnies ef 35 Kentucky soils
1* Plants- Thus, tt $€€m$ likely that Some K€htUCkY Soils have been brought to the Experiment Station for
F m3Y be tOO IOW th Zthc tot th€ Pt0P€t growth of com- study. Samples of the topsoil large enough for green-
_s_ It is hot khowh how €Xt€h$tV€ these SOHS mt‘tY h€» Ot house experiments were collected, as well as smaller
how much th€ d€ttCi€hCY &tt€€t$ CON] Yhilds ih K€h" samples of the deeper horizons suflicient for labora-
V K; tucky, or what is the best way to correct the defi- tety Studies.
J Ct€hCY· K€hthCkY’$ htitghhot tO the South, T€hh€$St`€» These soil samples and plants grown on the soils
1. has reported considerable zinc deficiency in corn. in the gteenneuse ere being analyzed {et tninct eje_
Y? ments. As is true of the major nutrient elements (ni-
  ° · trogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium), not all of a
A · ° _ minor element in the soil is available to plants. The
      major part of any nutrient element is usually held
' K  -   in an “unavailable” or “{ixed” form in the soil and
:·‘   K_ kwin i is only slowly released for plant growth. Ordinary
="·     chemical analysis reveals the total amount of an ele-
K;       ment in the soil but gives no indication as to what
_' `     K j   i   part of the total is actually available to the plant.
        A good idea as to the availability of the elements in
H " A      ·‘   the soil can be obtained from elaborate field and
  ..  ___` <_   . ‘ greenhouse experiments, but a quicker laboratory
.*~`*   se. ._ K,   "Q t method is needed. Research aimed at finding such
ui A ‘ -··y·¤     methods is underway.
· _ i x  { ’ _i First the Needs——Then Recommendations
 TA       · When the studies mentioned above are completed
   *2  K KK ° i f ‘ i agronomists should know which soils in Kentucky are
  ‘’*‘t    I K likely to he deficient in any of the minor elements. -
  ‘ In addition, they will know which crops have the
" if ’_.| K   greatest need for particular minor elements and, con-
4 K jj`;     i   _   sequently, are likely to show deficiency symptoms.
    T ti Then it will be possible to devise the best methods
4  .t .....::   *   of applying the minor elements and to make recom-
if f   K» _KKKK_ _       mendations to Kentucky farmers for their use.
    .·i.;».i     ’ii*   S »~»··
  i-`· ??X;’;·‘i?;lY ·‘'.‘ ' .· t - - ·
  i.j:··-~·   ¤i,   -’*t. 3 .  .i;   :·¤   .,..     » WA"'TED—Z·¤¤·d€*·¤·€¤* Cm
`    'z;_`¤‘;‘f{=; .K,iK if V   ‘_'-     . Zinc rlefieieney first appears in corn 8-10 inches high
t   ·`_’i  ij .: ·.·,   .,K..   KKK_KK     . as a yellow streaking. ln severe cases the leaf tips,
*~‘  .  “ . y  , K   i K   `   ``‘``‘   ‘ K margins, and sheaths become purple; a broad yellow
» `   ` is   ~ r~ strip develops down each side of the leaf, the pith may
sicular color. For example, the insmunent can detect as little have dark splotches at the lower nodes, and the plant
as one-ten liilliomh 05 an ounce of coballt. \Vilh HCW eq11i]>· is Stnnterl Dr, Massey would like to know the €Xt€1lt
§1§1‘iL.§°i€.‘§‘..i.g‘2§l"Ii.i ;..EI;$ .l.‘.‘ZIiL2§.";',fil-1§g1?.I§1i.‘il t3};E»f.'Z3§i;§ ~t     in K<*·¥¤_~ky· It Y <>tl   Whish
ut any experiment station in thc United states seems to show zinc deficiency please notify hun, giv-
ing all particulars.
u
A Kisnruckr FARBI Ann Hoixns SCI}-jNCE—\VlNTl·Z}i 1956 7