Soil Characteristics
pH
The pH of the soil very largely governs the availability of its nutrients. pH exerts an important influence on soil structure, and determines the activity or inactivity of various micro-organisms. In acidic soils low concentration levels of potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc and cobalt generally occur.
pH
The pH of the soil very largely governs the availability of its nutrients. pH exerts an important influence on soil structure, and determines the activity or inactivity of various micro-organisms. In acidic soils low concentration levels of potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc and cobalt generally occur.
Soils and Trace Elements
Adequate amounts of micronutrients are essential to maximise crop yield, as they play an important role in the growth and reproduction of the plant. There are always trace elements in the soil but the supplies may be inadequate for agriculture. This is due to unfavourable soil conditions such as pH, organic matter content and aeration.
• There may be an imbalance of nutrients.
• The essential elements may not be available for a number of reasons.
Whatever the cause, disturbances in trace element nutrition results in great economic loss in many parts of Australia, by preventing proper stock and crop development.
Adequate amounts of micronutrients are essential to maximise crop yield, as they play an important role in the growth and reproduction of the plant. There are always trace elements in the soil but the supplies may be inadequate for agriculture. This is due to unfavourable soil conditions such as pH, organic matter content and aeration.
• There may be an imbalance of nutrients.
• The essential elements may not be available for a number of reasons.
Whatever the cause, disturbances in trace element nutrition results in great economic loss in many parts of Australia, by preventing proper stock and crop development.
Soil conditions and crops most susceptible to deficiencies of micro-nutrients
| Micro-Nutrients | General Soil Type and Conditions | Crops Most Likely Susceptible |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | Sandy soils, peats & mucks, over-limed acid soils. (Excess applied gypsum). | Cereal grains, vegetable and tree fruits. |
| Zinc | Calcareous soils after leaching and erosion, acid-leached soils, after heavy phosphorous, coarse sands, subsoil exposed by land levelling. | Beans, soybeans, citrus, corn, sorghum, onions, potatoes, tree fruits, flax, sugar beets, rice. |
| Manganese | Sands, mucks and peats, alkaline particularly calcareous soils. | Legumes, cereal grains, tree fruits, cotton, leafy vegetables. |
| Molybdenum | Highly weathered acidic leached soils, acid soils. | Cauliflower, citrus all legumes. |
| Iron | Alkaline soils, particularly when cold and wet. | Beans, soybeans, corn, sorghum, tree fruits and ornamentals. |
| Boron | Acid leached soils, coarse-textured sandy soils, peats and mucks, drought conditions, over-limed acid soils. | Lucerne, lupins, peas, apples, beets, clovers, citrus, cotton, cauliflower, celery, corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tree crops, sugar beets. |
| Cobalt | Is essential for the symbiotic fixation of nitrogen. This element is a component of vitamin B12 which is essential for the hemoglobin in nitrogen fixing nodule tissue. | Ruminants have essential need for cobalt and the deficiency in pasture soils increases the incidence of disease in sheep and cattle. |