REFERENCE SUFFICIENCY RANGES
FIELD CROPS

Soybean

W. E. Sabbe, G. M. Lessman, and P. F. Bell

• Critical Values

  Presently, critical values for the R2 stage are 0.30% P, 1.50% K, 17 ppm Mn and 21 ppm Zn. These values are included in a manuscript submitted for publication (personal communication P. Bell).

• Sampling Procedures

  Early Growth and Flowering
  The most recently matured leaf blades are collected for subsequent analysis.

• Sufficiency Ranges
  
  
  • Early Growth
    
    

    Macronutrients
    N	P	K	Ca	Mg	S
    3.5–5.5%	0.30–0.60%	1.7–2.5%	1.1–2.2%	0.03–0.60%

  • Flowering
    
    

    Macronutrients
    N	P	K	Ca	Mg	S
    3.25–5.0%	0.30–0.60%	1.5–2.25%	0.8–1.4%	0.25–0.70%	0.25–0.60%

    
    

    Micronutrients
    Fe	Mn	Zn	Cu	B
    25–300 ppm	17–100 ppm	21–80 ppm	4–30 ppm	20–60 ppm

• DRIS Norms

  DRIS norms and indices are currently under study.

• Remarks

  The sufficiency ranges and critical levels were the result of the chosen references. With three exceptions (Anderson and others; Dombeck and Sabbe; Sabbe and others unpublished data), all references were research based with most being fertilizer amendment studies. No data on sufficiency ranges for seedling data are presented as that aspect is not well researched.

• References

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

  Bell PF, Hallmark WB, Sabbe WE, Dombek DG. 1995. Diagnosing nutrient deficiencies in soybean, using M-DRIS and critical nutrient level procedures. Agron J 87:859–65.

  Beverly RB, Sumner ME, Letzech WS, Plank CO. 1986. Foliar diagnosis of soybean by DRIS. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 17:237–56.

  Bhangoo MS, Albritton DJ. 1972. Effect of fertilizer nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on yield and nutrient content of Lee soybean. Agron J 64:743–6.

  Hallmark WB, Beverly RB, Sumner ME, De Mooy CJ, Morris HF, Pesek J, Fontenot JD. 1990. Soybean phosphorus and potassium evaluation by three MDRIS bases. Agron J 82:323–8.

  Hawes, RL, Sims JL, Wells KL. 1976. Molybdenum concentration of certain crop species as influenced by previous applications of molybdenum fertilizer. Agron J 68:217–8.

  Jones JB Jr, Wolf B, Mills HA. 1991. Plant analysis handbook: a practical sampling, preparation, analysis, and interpretation guide. Athens (GA): Micro-Macro Publishing. 130 p.

  Keogh JL, Maples R. 1974. Soybean response to phosphorus, potassium and sulfur in eastern Arkansas. Fayetteville (AR): University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Report Series 215.

  Keogh JL, Maples R. 1976. Response of soybean grown on silt loam soils to direct and residual phosphorus and potassium. Fayetteville (AR): University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Report Series 225.

  Keogh JL, Sabbe WE, Caviness CE. 1972. Nutrient concentration of selected soybean cultivars. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 3:29–35.

  Keogh, JL, Sabbe WE, Caviness CE. 1977. Leaf nutrient concentration in selected soybean cultivars as affected by fertilization, stage of growth and year. Fayetteville (AR): University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Report Series 234.

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

  Sedberry JE Jr, Amacher MC, Bligh DP, Curtis OD. 1987. Plant-tissue analysis as a diagnostic aid in crop production. Baton Rouge (LA): Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin 783.

  Small HG Jr, Ohlrogge AJ. 1973. Plant analysis as an aid in fertilizing soybeans and peanuts. In: Walsh LM, Beaton JD, editors. Soil testing and plant analysis. Madison (WI): Soil Science Society of America. p 315–28.

  Sumner ME. 1977. Preliminary N, P, and K foliar diagnostic norms for soybeans. Agron J 69:226–30.

Electronic Document Prepared by:
Catherine Stokes, Communication Specialist
Agronomic Division of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. July 2000.