Show Plants Must Have Tonic SALT LAKE CITY CITY- Plants like people can suffer sutter from malnutrition even when fed heartily and like people they become be I come come healthier If the proper tonic Is administered According to Dr Roy C. C Lipps chief western agronomist for U.S. U.S. U. U I S. S Steel new research indicates that called so-called minor or trace I elements are as Important t to o plants as vitamins are to human development I We dont don't think of them as minor anymore he stresses because because because be cause our newest studies of western western western west west- ern soils prove that small amounts of these plant foods make major differences In profitable crop pro pro- In order to underscore their real importance to crop yields soil solI scientists now prefer to call can them elements Careful soil soU research points out that while such elements as zinc copper iron molybdenum and manganese are used by plants in small amounts an absence of these can have a devastating effect o 0 n plant growth glowth I Soil Soli Research These new studies underscore II again and again the Importance of well well planned planned soil soU testing programs pro grams Dr Lipps said While general gen eral fertilizer recommendations are helpful only through a scientific test can an individual farmer know exactly what his farm soil contains its strengths its deft and specific needs meds he be re- re ports Once tested the soil coil can be fertilized fertilized fer fer- by by prescription which successful farmers say takes the guesswork out of farming and greatly increases their profit po po- potential This needs can an be met on a crop by crop field by field basis basla Latest research points out these significant facts about western soils sells I Most Most soils in t tie e tain area are deficient in the key essential constituent of plant ma ma- nitrogen easily nitrogen easily corrected by proper application of nitrogen n. n rich fertilizers such as ammonium um sulfate anhydrous ammonia and ammo ammonium lum nitrate All An All of the 11 western states contain areas of zinc and iron de de- Other elements like bor on magnesium and copper capper are also reported in insufficient supply sup ply however Iron and zinc deficiencies deficiencies seem to be the most cal ral front from fronta n a crop production stand point Correction of zinc deficiencies created dramatic response in fruit trees corn and beans plus a significant significant sig sli yield and quality response in potatoes with more No 1 potatoes po po- potatoes produced Iron Iron deficiencies are most often orten found In alkaline sons soils Soils SoUs with high phosphate lev els accentuate zinc m. m where r I zinc Is in Insufficient nt supply n I Lack Lack of molybdenum affects alfalfa and pea production I Crops sensitive to lack of iron include citrus and fruit trees sugar beets potatoes sorghum milo beans and the cereal crops crops- wheat barley oats and rye Crops sensitive to low level of ot zinc Include Corn field beans potatoes tomatoes onions barley red clover alfalfa sugar beets oats asparagus mustard a and d broccoli Both Both zin zinc and iron can be made more available by using acidic soil conditioning materials or 01 acid forming fertilizers Prin cipal among these are ammonium sulfate ammonium and soil sulfur In summarizing the newest data Dr Lipps said Research information mation points to the fa fact t that many western soils are border border- lIn line in their capacity to supply mIcro nutrients for maximum pro pro- Fortunately the fertilizer Industry now has materials and the preliminary research knowl know edge to attack these problems The challenge is to solve these minor element problems so that major pt plant nt foods like nitrogen phosphorus and potash can continue continue con con- to produce top crop yields for western growers |