Manganese relationships in spring wheat and spring barley production in Northern Idaho

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Abstract
Manganese is often limiting in cereal crop production in the Kootenai River Valley of Northern Idaho; however, attempts to relate DTPA-extractable Mn in soils to crop yield response have not been successful. Consequently, Mn plant tissue diagnosis may be an alternate diagnostic tool. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the critical nutrient concentration (CNC) of Mn in spring wheat and spring barley tissue in the Kootenai River Valley of northern Idaho, (2) examine yield response of spring wheat and spring barley to Mn fertilization, and (3) assess relative efficiencies of foliar and surface broadcast Mn applications to these crops. Paired plots with four replications consisting of a foliar Mn application rate of 1.5 kg ha-1 and a control were located at four sites in 1988 and at ten sites in 1989. Soil, plant tissue samples and grain yield data were evaluated by linear plateau regression to determine CNCs of Mn for spring wheat and spring barley tissue. In addition, five randomized complete block experiments were conducted in 1989 and 1990 to evaluate Mn fertilizer rates and sources (foliar vs. surface applied) on spring wheat and spring barley production. Tissue Mn was highly correlated by linear plateau regression to both increase in soil pH Of about 0.2 units every 10 years. Because of increasing soil pH and deficiency observations on oats, an evaluation of Mn nutritional relationships with the region's major crops, wheat and barley, became important. Evaluation is particularly significant since critical soil test values for Mn in the localized area have not been established. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine Mn CNC in spring wheat and spring barley in the Kootenai RiveT Valley of northern Idaho, (2) examine the yield response of spring wheat and spring barley to Mn fertilization, and (3) assess the relative efficiencies of foliar and surface broadcast applications of Mn in these two crops.