Evaluation of soil extractants for determining Zn and Cu deficiencies in Saskatchewan soils

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Abstract
Four extractants, DTPA, EDTA, IN NH4OAc and 0.1N HCl were evaluated on the basis of their ability to predict Zn and Cu deficiencies using nine Saskatchewan soils and alfalfa as a test crop. The DTPA test was found to be most suitable as an index of Zn deficient soils with a “critical”; value for Zn deficiency of 1.1 μg/g of soil. Although the results obtained for Cu were inconclusive, preference of the DTPA test is given for routine analyses. The approximate “critical”; level in the latter case is 0.5 μg/g of soil.