MINERAL COMPOSITION FOR NINETEEN ELEMENTS IN YOUNG CORN (Zea mays) PLANTS GROWN IN AN ACID SOIL WITH VARIOUS TREATMENTS TO OVERCOME INFERTILITY OF ACID SOILS

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Abstract
Corn (Zea mays L. cv. Golden Cross Bantam) was grown for 20 d in an infertile acid clay soil from Kentucky with lime and P amendments (4 g lime and 200 mg P kg-1 soil). The various treatments were control, lime uniformly mixed, lime in a spot in 8% of the soil, P uniformly mixed, P placed in 8% of the soil, lime and P both uniformly mixed, lime and P both placed in 8% of the soil. Phosphorus alone, whether mixed or placed in a spot, improved yields more than did lime whether mixed or placed in a spot. Phosphorus deficiency was one cause of the infertile nature of the soil. Lime and P together gave highest yields, and uniform mixing of them gave more yield than did the placement. Suppression of Zn and Al toxicities could be the reason. The combination of P and lime was more efficient in decreasing Zn and Al concentrations in plants than was either alone. Treatments resulted in significant variations in K, Ca, P, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, B, Al, Si, Ti, Co, Ni, Mo, Sr, Ba, Li, Be, and Pb concentrations in the plants. Both lime and P separately or together appeared to improve Mo status of plants when mixed into the soil.