Sufficiency ranges for cotton have often been used based upon observations and ranges of analyses of plant tissue from healthy or normal cotton crops. For this reason, ranges may be broad and too inclusive. Therefore, use of a sufficiency range for cotton and the implied critical concentration (lower end of sufficiency range) of a nutrient for deficiencies or toxicities are not absolute.

Petiole analysis
Sample petioles from the most recently matured leaf on the vegetative stem at intervals beginning the week before first bloom and continuing for 7 or 8 weeks after bloom. Samples should be taken at weekly intervals and compared for the results to be meaningful. Interpret petiole analysis for NO3-N, total P, and total K only. Nitrate analysis is the most meaningful and the primary reason for sampling.

Leaf blade at early bloom
Sample the uppermost, mature cotton leaf blade on the vegetative stem. Discard the petiole. (Note: some research has included both leaf blade and petiole.] This is usually the 3rd to 5th leaf from the terminal. Sample during the period of one week before to one week after first bloom.

• Petioles
  The "Arkansas Interpretation" may be more appropriate for loess and other fine-textured soils of the mid-South whereas the "Georgia Interpretation" was developed for the coarser textured soils of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain.
  
  

  "Arkansas" Interpretation (Benton and others 1979)
  Time of sampling	Nitrate nitrogen (ppm)	Phosphorus (ppm)
  Week of bloom	10,000–35,000	>800
  Bloom + 1 week	9,000–30,000	*
  Bloom + 2 weeks	7,000–25,000	*
  Bloom + 3 weeks	5,000–20,000	*
  Bloom + 4 weeks	3,000–13,000	*
  Bloom + 5 weeks	2,000–8,000
  Bloom + 6 weeks	1,000–5,000
  Bloom + 7 weeks	0–5,000
  Bloom + 8 weeks	0–5,000
  * A decrease in P concentration of more than 300 ppm from the previous week usually indicates moisture stress

  
  

  "Georgia" Interpretation (Lutrick and others 1986; Plank, personal communication)
  Time of sampling	Nitrate nitrogen (ppm)	Phosphorus (ppm)
  Week before first bloom	7,000–13,000	>800
  Week of bloom	4,500–12,500	>800
  Bloom + 1 week	3,500–11,000	*
  Bloom + 2 weeks	2,500–9,500	*
  Bloom + 3 weeks	1,500–7,500	*
  Bloom + 4 weeks	1,000–7,000	*
  Bloom + 5 weeks	1,000–6,000	*
  Bloom + 6 weeks	500–4,000
  Bloom + 7 weeks	500–4,000
  Bloom + 8 weeks	500–4,000
  * A decrease in P concentration of more than 300 ppm from the previous week usually indicates moisture stress

  
  

  "California" Petiole K Interpretation (Bassett and MacKenzie 1976)
  Time of sampling	% Potassium (K)
  Week of first bloom	4.0–5.5
  Bloom + 4 weeks	3.0–4.0
  Bloom + 6 weeks	1.5–2.5
  Bloom + 8 weeks	1.0–2.0

• Youngest, Mature Leaf Blade
  The following sufficiency ranges were compiled from several sources (Anderson and others 1971; Hodges and Hadden 1992; Mullins and Burmester 1990, 1992, 1993; Plank 1988; Reeves and Mullins 1993; Sabbe and Mackenzie 1973; Sabbe and others 1972).
  
  

  Macronutrients (%)
  	N	P	K	Ca	Mg	S
  early bloom	3.0–4.5	0.2–0.65	1.5–3.0	2.0–3.5	0.3–0.9	0.25–0.8
  late bloom / maturity	3.0–4.5	0.15–0.6	0.75–2.5	2.0–4.0	0.3–0.9	0.3–0.9

  
  

  Micronutrients (ppm)
  	Cu	Zn	Fe	Mn	B
  early bloom	5–25	20–200	50–250	25–350	20–80
  late bloom / maturity	.	50–300	50–300	10–400	15–200

Anderson OE, Perkins HF, Carter RL, Jones JB Jr. 1971. Plant nutrient survey of selected plants and soils of Georgia. Athens (GA): Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station. Research Report 102.

Bassett DM, MacKenzie AJ. 1976. Plant analysis as a guide to cotton fertilization. In: Reisenauer HM, editor. Soil and plant-tissue testing in California. Davis (CA): University of California Cooperative Extension Service. p 16–7.

Benton ME, Maples R, May RD, Miley WN, Sabbe WE. 1979. A computerized system for cotton nitrate monitoring with program listings and descriptions. Fayetteville (AR): University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Report Series 244.

Hodges SC, Hadden J. 1992. Late season soil and plant nutrient status in Georgia cotton soils. In: Proceedings 1992 beltwide cotton conferences. Memphis (TN): National Cotton Council. p 1126–7.

Lutrick MC, Peacock HA, Cornell JA. 1986. Nitrate monitoring for cotton lint production on a Typic Paleudult. Agron J 78:1041–6.

Maples R, Keogh JG, Sabbe WE. 1977. Nitrate monitoring for cotton production in Loring-Calloway silt loam. Fayetteville (AR): University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin 825.

Miley WN, Bonner CM, Maples R. 1988. Update on cotton petiole testing. Fayetteville (AR): University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Cotton Comments 6-88.

Miley WN, Maples R. 1988. Cotton nitrate monitoring in Arkansas. Fayetteville (AR): University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Cotton Comments 2-88.

Mitchell CC, Pate G, Burmester CH, Edmisten KL, Gazaway W. 1992. Fertility status of Alabama cotton soils. In: Proceedings 1992 beltwide cotton conferences. Memphis (TN): National Cotton Council. p 1120–5.

Mullins GL, Burmester CH. 1990. Dry matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium accumulation by four cotton varieties. Agron J 82:729–36.

Mullins GL, Burmester CH. 1992. Uptake of calcium and magnesium by cotton grown under dryland conditions. Agron J 84:564–9.

Mullins GL, Burmester CH. 1993. Accumulation of copper, iron, manganese and zinc by four cotton cultivars. Field Crops Res 32:129–40.

Plank CO. 1988. Plant analysis handbook for Georgia. Athens (GA): University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service.

Reeves DW, Mullins GL. 1993. Subsoiling and K placement: effects on cotton water relations. In: Proceedings 1993 beltwide cotton conferences. Memphis (TN): National Cotton Council. p 1322–5.

Sabbe WE, Keogh JL, Maples R, Hileman LH. 1972. Nutrient analysis of Arkansas cotton and soybean leaf tissue. Arkansas Farm Res 21:2.

Sabbe WE, MacKenzie AJ. 1973. Plant analysis as an aid to cotton fertilization. In: Walsh LM, Beaton JD, editors. Soil testing and plant analysis. Madison (WI): Soil Science Society of America, Inc. p 299–313.