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Tissue tests?
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Hay Wilson in TX
Posted 9/16/2007 16:32 (#204663 - in reply to #204523)
Subject: I'll add a little to Carl's good response.



Little River, TX

Looking strictly at fertility problems, a tissue test will tell you the one element that is limiting production.
Cure that and the next one will make it's self known.
This can go on and on but usually you get into the laws of diminishing returns after 3 or for elements are addressed.

One way to look at more than one element at a time is to use ratios. The fancy name for it is DRIS where you consider a number of elements all as ratios with other elements. There is more math than I am capable of there. I do use a simple cross referencing of the ratios of N, K, Mg, Ca, & S. Eventually I begin to see the trends. The micronutrients are also a big factor but if not in the desired ranges I am lost.

Now for the testimonials.
An Alfalfa grower in NM was unhappy with 6 T/A which was low compared to the amount of phosphate being applied. His fertilizer dealer pulled tissue samples, discovered lots of P and not near enough Mn, Manganese. He substituted a little Mn for a good bit of P and lived happy every after producing 8 T/A using the same amount of irrigation water.

Ignorant hay grower in Central Texas decided to do the same. Found the crop was deficient in copper. Magical cure. Then noticed nitrogen deficiencies. Solution was a little bit of Molybdenum to go with the copper.
This should have been the end, but the potassium levels were now deficient. This with soil test in the 400 to 325 ppm K ranges. This eventually got me into understanding some of the odd effects a heavy clay soil with an 8 pH will produce.

Besides a little Cu & Mo, I include a little Zn, and a whole lot of K. I still supply as much phosphate as I ever did. Now my calcium levels are down from almost double the sufficient level to something close to the desired calcium percentage.  BTW my soil test show 7,000 to 9,000 ppm Ca.

With your beans I suggest you look at your Moly (Mo) levels. If you use a lot of Murate of Potash look at the chlorine levels, both cost extra. Naturally !

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