Preliminary M‐DRIS norms for soybean seeds

Abstract

While much work has tested the utility of plant nutrient analyses in the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) and the modified‐DRIS (M‐DRIS), little research has examined seed as a diagnostic tool. Objectives of our research were: (1) to develop corrected anti‐log population (CALP) M‐DRIS norms for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, and S from nutrient analyses of soybean seeds; (2) to determine their accuracy in evaluating the N, P, K, Mn, Zn, and S status of soybeans; and (3) to compare the variability of soybean CALP leaf and seed norms. Results show that CALP norms developed from 1262 seed samples collected in the continental United States during a 13‐year period detected all P, Mn, and Zn deficiencies, but incorrectly diagnosed N, P, K, Mn, Zn, and S as deficient in a large number of situations. This shows that the n/dm, p/dm, k/dm, mn/dm, zn/dm, and s/dm data base means were inflated, and these values must be adjusted before accurate diagnoses can be obtained. Results also indicate that the nutrient variability in CALP seed norms compared favorably to those in leaves. This suggests that soybean seed analyses have potential as a nutrient diagnostic tool.

Notes

This research was supported in part through funds received from the Louisiana Soybean and Grains Research and Promotion Board, the Fluid Fertilizer Foundation, and the Potash and Phosphate Institute. Approved for publication by the Director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station as manuscript no. 91–70–5381.

Dept. of Agronomy, University of Georgia, Georgia Station, Griffin, Georgia.

Feed and Fertilizer Laboratory, LSU Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Department of Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.

USDA‐ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory, Oxford, Mississippi.

Soil Management CRSP., North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Carrolls Foods of Virginia, Waverly, Virginia.