Secondary and Micronutrient

Management

Kent Martin
Southwest Area Crops and Soils Specialist
Kansas State Univ.
 Essential Nutrients
Thirteen essential nutrients
– Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium,
magnesium, sulfur
– Iron, manganese, boron, molybdenum,
copper, zinc, and chlorine
• Nickel has recently been added
Micros are needed in much lower
concentrations to ensure adequate
supply
 Essential Micronutrients
 Minor elements or trace elements
 Increased interest in micronutrients
 Higher crop yields and micronutrient removal rates
 Declining soil organic matter, a major source of
most micronutrients
 N, P and K fertilizers contain lower amounts of
micronutrient impurities
 Excessive levels can cause toxic effects on plants
 In Kansas: S, Zn, Fe, and Cl.
 Other micronutrients: B, Mg, Cu, Mn, and Ni.
 Organic Matter
 Important source of most micronutrients.

 Simple organic compounds as chelates.

 S, Zn and B deficiencies are more likely to

occur in soils low in O.M.
 Deficiencies of Cu and Mn are most
common in peat soils.
 Soil pH
 Soil pH affects availability of
micronutrients.
 In general the solubility and availability of
micronutrients are greatest in acid soils
and lowest in high pH calcareous soils.
 Exception is Mo.

 In some soils, high levels of soluble Fe, Al

and Mn may be toxic to plants.
Sulfur (S)

Brian Lang, IA
 Sulfur Deficiencies
Soil Situations and Climatic Conditions
Aggravating Deficiency Symptoms
Coarse textured soils (sandy soils)
Low organic matter soils
Cold, wet soils
Slow release of S from organic matter
Low atmospheric deposition
No application from
Manure
Other fertilizers
 Sulfur Deposition

10 kg SO4/ha = 3 lb S/acre
Corn Response to Sulfur

J. Sawyer, 2007
Corn Response to Sulfur Application

Comparison of Corn with and without Sulfur Application. Brian Lang

 Sulfur in the Soil
 Subsoil S may be significant.

 Profile soil test for S, 0-24 inches,

also good for nitrate and Cl.
Sulfur Fertilizer Recommendation
Wheat S Rec. (Lb/A) = (0.6 × Y Goal) – (2.5 × % OM) – Profile Sulfur –
Other Sulfur Credits

Corn and Sorghum S Rec. (Lb/A) = (0.2 × Y Goal) – (2.5 × % OM) –

Profile Sulfur – Other Sulfur Credits

Soybean S Rec. (Lb/A) = (0.4 × Y Goal) – (2.5 × % OM) – Profile Sulfur

– Other Sulfur Credits
Zinc (Zn)
 Zinc
 Frequently deficient micronutrient

 Absorbed by plant roots as Zn++

 Involved in the production of chlorophyll,

protein, and several plant enzymes
 Deficiency symptoms
Most distinctive in corn with new leaves out of
whorl turning yellow to white in a band
between the leaf midvein and margin
 Zinc Deficiencies
Sensitive crops
Corn, sorghum
Soil Situation
Low organic matter, high pH (>7.4), eroded soil
Coarse texture, restricted rooting
High P application in conjunction with
borderline or low zinc availability
High soil P alone does not create deficiency
Climatic Conditions
Cool and wet soil
 Phosphorus and Zinc
 Excessive concentrations of P in the plant root result in the
binding of zinc within root cells.

 Large amounts of starter applied P can enhance Zn deficiency

if soil Zn is low and no Zn fertilizer is applied.

P2O5 Zn Yield Leaf tissue

lb/A * bu/A P, % Zn, ppm
0 0 101 0.14 12
0 10 102 0.16 24
80 0 73 0.73 10
80 10 162 0.41 17
Adriano and Murphy
Kansas State University
P and Zn Effects on
Corn Yields
P2O5 Zn B’cast Starter

Lb / A Corn Yield (Bu/A)

0 0 107

0 10 121 115

40 0 121 93

40 10 139 140

St. Mary’s, KS – Kansas State University

 Zinc Fertilizer
Recommendation
Corn, Sorghum and Soybeans Zinc Recommendation

Zn Rate = 11.5 – (11.25 × ppm DTPA Zn)

If DTPA Zn > 1.0 ppm then Zn Rec = 0
If DTPA Zn <= 1.0 ppm then Minimum Zn Rec = 1
 Zinc in a Band—Corn Yield
Zn Rate (lb./acre) Yield (bu./acre)
0 62
0.1 131
0.3 137
1.0 140
3.0 142
Used 8-20-0 suspension with 2.5% clay
DTPA extractable Zn = 0.3 ppm
 Corn Yield—Zinc Source
Zinc Source Yield
bu./acre
EDTA 136.6
Nulex-Zn 134.8
Zinc Oxide 127.5
Zinc Sulfate 138.3
Zinc rate was 0.3 lb. Zinc /acre
 Application Methods
 Broadcast
– Preferred to correct a low Zn soil test
– 5 to 15 pound will increase soil test for a number of
years
– Inorganic Zn is more economical than chelates at
these rates

 Band
– Very efficient method of applying Zn
– 0.5 lb Zn/Acre of inorganic Zn is generally sufficient
– Annual applications will be needed for low testing
soils
Chloride (Cl)
 Chloride (Cl)
 Wheat, corn, sorghum deficiencies in Kansas
 Deficiencies most likely in higher rainfall areas with no
K application history - central and eastern part of state
 Soluble, mobile anion
 Addition of KCl
 Increased yields with high levels of available K
 Reduced incidence of plant disease
 Internal water relationships, osmotic regulation, enzyme
activation and other plant processes
 Chloride Fertilization on Corn in
Kansas
Grain Yield
Chloride Riley Co. Brown Co. Osage Co.
Rate Site A Site B Site C Site A Site B Site C Site A Site B

lb/a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - bu/a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0 70 64 107 188 123 87 133 79
20 84 69 111 191 130 93 133 81
Soil test 9 16 24 28 14 28 40 61
Cl, lb/a
(0-24")
 Chloride Fertilization on Wheat
Grain Yield
Chloride Marion Co. Saline Co Stafford Co.
Rate Site A Site B Site A Site B Site C Site D Site A Site B Avg.

lb/a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - bu/a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0 45 80 51 89 83 70 73 64 69
20 47 85 54 89 90 75 80 70 74
Soil test 7 7 14 22 7 14 7 15 12
Cl, lb/a
(0-24")
*Average over either 12 or 16 varieties. Soil test Cl, lb/a (0-24")
 Chloride Fertilization on Grain
Sorghum in Kansas
Grain Yield
Chloride Marion Co. Brown Co. Osage Co.
Rate Site A Site B Site C Site D Site A Site B Site A Site B

lb/a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - bu/a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0 87 117 63 92 102 87 125 88
10 94 139 71 113 106 95 126 92
20 97 135 72 126 111 96 125 96
Soil test 9 7 9 43 7 9 52 29
Cl, lb/a
(0-24")
Chloride Fertilizer
Recommendation
Iron (Fe)
Iron (Fe)

Mitchell Co.
 Iron (Fe)
 Iron in the plant
 Catalyst in the production of chlorophyll
 Involved with several enzyme systems

 Deficiency symptoms
 Yellow to white leaf color
 Symptoms first appear on the younger leaves

 Wide range of susceptibility of different crops

 Sorghum, field beans and soybeans are more sensitive than corn
and alfalfa
 Varieties differ within crops
Factors Affecting Iron Availability
 High soil pH.
 Soils with high salt contents.
 Cool, wet springs.
 Poor soil drainage and aeration.
 Susceptible crops/varieties.
 High concentrations of nitrate-N inhibit
conversion of Fe+++ to Fe++, increasing
severity of iron chlorosis.
 Fertilizer Sources of Iron
 Deficiencies occur more frequently than most
other micronutrients in Kansas
 Patchy or irregular appearance in the field
 Success with iron fertilization is difficult

 Difficulty in correcting Fe deficiency with soil-

applied fertilizer
 Iron quickly converted to unavailable form.
 Certain Fe chelate carriers (EDDHA) have been
effective but have not been economical and may
require multiple applications
 Foliar Application most promising
 Foliar Applications
 Applications must be done before plants are severely
damaged by chlorosis and may need to be repeated

 Ferrous sulfate (1-2% solution) plus a wetting agent or

one of several iron chelates/complexes may be used

 Critical timing
 Soybean - by the first trifoliate leaf
 Sorghum - apply by the 6th leaf stage
 Common Iron Fertilizers

Fertilizer Source Fe (%)

Iron Sulfate 19-40
Iron Chelates 5-12
Other Organics 5-11
Manure - best ??
 Average animal manure micronutrient
content of different animal sources
Manure source Iron Manganese Boron Zinc Copper
-----------------lb/wet ton---------------------
Dairy solid 0.5 0.06 0.01 0.03 0.01
Swine solid 19.0 1.09 0.04 0.79 0.50
Poultry 3.0 0.61 0.08 0.48 0.66
-----------------lb/1000 gal---------------------
Dairy liquid 0.9 0.11 0.03 0.11 0.12
Swine liquid 2.5 0.23 0.06 1.03 0.62
 Micronutrients of Little Concern
Nutrient Reason

Calcium Very acid soils - Rare deficiency

Magnesium Very acid, sandy soil

Boron Dry, leached, low OM sands – Alfalfa or

Soybeans

Manganese High pH, High OM

Copper High OM, Highly weathered soil

Molybdenum Highly weathered acid soils – legumes – enough

in seed?
 ?
Kent Martin
kentlm@ksu.edu
620-276-8286