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Effect of Soil Test Values and Fertilization on Corn, Soybean and Wheat Tissue Phosphorus and Potassium Concentrations

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2019, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environmental Science.
The Tri-State Fertilization Recommendations were published in 1995 and have provided a framework for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) nutrient management in field crops. Due to changing soil properties, management practices and advanced crop genetics, there is a need to reassess plant tissue analysis using current soil conditions and modern hybrids. The Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations use early reproductive leaf nutrient concentrations as a diagnostic of crop nutrient status and grain nutrient concentrations are the basis of fertilizer rates to replace nutrients lost at crop harvest. An evaluation of these nutrient levels in grain and plant tissue samples are therefore important when revising fertilizer recommendations. The goal of this thesis was to evaluate the how crop nutrient levels, especially P and K, are influenced by key soil and management factors. Specific objectives of Chapter 1 were to determine the effects of i) soil test P and K levels and ii) P and K fertilization on early reproductive leaf and grain P and K concentration of corn, soybean and wheat. The specific objective of Chapter 2 was to report grain nutrient concentration and nutrient removal rates in corn, soybean and wheat in Ohio. On-farm P and K fertilizer strip trials in corn, soybean and wheat were conducted at 262 sites in 39 counties across Ohio from 2014 - 2018. At each site, experiments were conducted using a randomized complete block design with 3-4 replications with two treatments, a P or K fertilization treatment and a non-fertilized control. Routine soil nutrient analysis before fertilization, nutrient concentrations in leaves at early reproductive stages, grain yields and grain nutrient concentrations at harvest were measured at each trial. Key site management practices were also recorded through a survey. The effect of soil test P and K level on plant tissue nutrient concentrations was assessed by using regression analysis. Fertilization effects on tissue nutrient concentrations were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Early reproductive leaf and grain P and K concentrations of corn, soybean and wheat generally increased as soil test P and K increased. However, the relationships between soil test levels and nutrient concentrations were weak (all R2 < 0.30). Phosphorus and K fertilization significantly increased the average early leaf concentrations in all three crops except for wheat with K fertilization. Average grain nutrient concentrations were less consistent than leaf concentrations, with fertilization only increasing soybean P and K grain concentrations. Leaf nutrient concentrations suggest that current sufficiency levels may require revision in the future. Overall, both soil test levels and fertilization influences P and K crop nutrient concentrations and this has important implications for diagnostic tests and fertilizer rates in the next version of the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations. Finally, grain nutrient removal rates were revised and compiled into a farmer factsheet to guide nutrient management in Ohio (Chapter 2). Grain nutrient removal rates were calculated from the same trials in Chapter 1 by multiplying grain nutrient concentrations by grain yields. Notably, declines in grain nutrient concentrations were documented for all crops, with potassium seeing especially sharp declines from numbers published in the original Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations in 1995. Lower nutrients removed per bushel of grain indicates reduced fertilizer rates required to replace nutrients harvested with grain crops.
Steven Culman (Advisor)
Ryan Haden (Committee Member)
Laura Lindsey (Committee Member)
Kai Zhao (Committee Member)
97 p.

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Citations

  • Zone, P. P. (2019). Effect of Soil Test Values and Fertilization on Corn, Soybean and Wheat Tissue Phosphorus and Potassium Concentrations [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1546448067902974

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Zone, Phoo Pye. Effect of Soil Test Values and Fertilization on Corn, Soybean and Wheat Tissue Phosphorus and Potassium Concentrations . 2019. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1546448067902974.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Zone, Phoo Pye. "Effect of Soil Test Values and Fertilization on Corn, Soybean and Wheat Tissue Phosphorus and Potassium Concentrations ." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1546448067902974

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)