A COMPARISON OF ACETIC ACID-SOLUBLE AND TOTAL NUTRIENT LEVELS IN PLANT TISSUE AS INDICATORS OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS

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Abstract
Sweet corn leaf samples collected from a 2-year field experiment were analysed for acetic acid-soluble and total concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. A wide range in nutrient levels was obtained by application of a series of fertilizer treatments to a Podzol soil very low in native fertility.The effects of nitrogen and calcium treatments, as indicated by "F" values derived from analyses of variance of these nutrient concentrations, were more readily detected by total than by soluble analyses. Similarly, total nutrient levels produced higher "F" values for the effects of nitrogen treatment on potassium content and of potassium treatment on magnesium content.Total plant levels of nitrogen and potassium followed a more progressive response to soil application rates than did the soluble levels. Further, there was less variability between seasons for total than for soluble nitrogen and potassium, particularly for nitrogen.Either total or soluble nutrient content gave a satisfactory measure of nutritional status for phosphorus but total content was distinctly preferable for nitrogen, potassium, calcium and magnesium.