Secondary Plant Food Elements

2. Secondary Plant Food Elements • Calcium • Magnesium • Sulfur

3. Calcium • Helps translocation of carbohydrates • Essential to healthy cell walls • Aids in development of root structures • Calcium is active element in lime and gypsum which are used to treat saline and/or alkali soils.

4. Lime & Gypsum

5. Calcium Deficiency Symptoms • Growing point of plant (terminal bud) dies under severe deficiency • Margins of leaves (usually younger ones) have a scalloped appearance, remaining foliage is abnormally dark green • Plant shedding blossoms and buds prematurely • Stem structure weekend

6. Calcium Deficiency

7. Magnesium • Essential ingredient of chlorophyll • Deficiency Symptoms: • Leaves are abnormally thin and brittle • Curve upward • With acute deficiency leaves may dry up and die • On trees twigs are weak, subject to fungus infection, drop leaves prematurely • Leaves loose their color at the tips and between veins • Starts with lower leaves and moves upwards

8. Magnesium Deficiencies

9. Sulfur • Component of cystine, a constituent of protein • Aids in the synthesis of oils • Deficiency symptoms: • Lower leaves yellowish green • Stems are small in diameter and hard and woody • Although roots are well developed, they are also small in diameter

10. Sulfur Deficiencies

11. Conventional Tillage System

12. Subsoil • Breaks compaction from tillage, wheel traffic, or animals • Aids in water penetration of soil profile • Eliminates impermeable layers in soils • Should be done when soil is dry for “shattering” effect • Generally 24”-36” deep

13. Subsoilers/Rippers

14. Disk Harrow • Breaks large clods from subsoiler • Incorporates residue and eliminates weed growth • Commonly 6” in depth

15. Disking

16. Disking

17. Fertilization • Important to incorporate phosphorus and potassium at this stage • Nitrogen assists in breakdown of heavy crop residue • Apply soil amendments based on soil tests so soil can sustain a healthy crop from the start

18. Fertilizing

19. Moldboard Plow • Incorporates all organic matter and residue on surface • 180 degree inversion of soil • Generally 10-12” in depth • Aerates the soil • Can provide weed and disease control • Incorporates fertilizer and soil amendments deeply • Can be accomplished on moist or dry soil, but not wet!

20. Moldboard Plow

21. Moldboard Plow

22. Plowed Ground

23. Disk Harrow • Typically with a cultipacker or spiketooth harrow hooked behind the disk • Breaks down large clods from plowing • Begins firming process of seedbed • Kills weeds and vegetative growth • Generally 6” depth

24. Cultipacker & Spiketooth Harrow

26. Landplane • Cuts off high spots and fills depressions • Smoothes but does not level • Should be done with dry, residue free soil surface

27. Landplane

29. Install Borders • Borders are installed for flood irrigation to guide/control even flow of water across field • Generally 18-24” in height (factor 1/3 shrinkage) • Length and width of borders depends on: • Equipment width • Soil type • Water supply

35. Pre-Irrigation • Accomplished via flood or sprinkler irrigation • Addition of water through effective rooting depth of crop • Germination of weeds and volunteer • Testing of leveling operations • Prepares moist firm seedbed • Once weeds have germinated and soil is dry enough to safely enter field with equipment (7 or more days) , field is disked again and then planted