Pvt-3‘ ”=2“ (3‘ f Efizrh" $33.! wig-'5?“ {23.53; Qaf: 3;: ‘Iueo; A:\ d?\ 53“; 21:: be: \2 ON WE PM? ”'4’“ 53 Clint 3in A? MRL‘Y $TAGES 0F GRQ‘ATH AzQD GM THE WELD OF SEVERAE. CROPS 113 867 THS Thesis for ”he Degree 0‘ M. 5. MECHEGAN STA'EE UNIVERSETY PhiIi-p S. Khouri 1956 .r' LiEr.;- - 73‘: 58:5 THE EFFECT OF LIQDID AND DRY FEMTILIZSRS ON THE PHOSPHORUS CONTENT AT EARLY STAGES OF GROWTH AND ON THE YIELD OF SEVERAL CROPS By Philip s. Khouri AN ABSTRACT Submitted to the College of Agriculture of Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Soil Science 1956 Approved by m L. Ewe-g ABSTRACT Philip S. Khouri 1 Field eXperiments were initiated to investigate the comparative effectiveness of liquid and solid fertilizers on the yield and phosphorus content of onions, carrots, table beets, sugar beets, oats and corn. The findings of the studies were as follows: 1. Excellent agreement between the phosphorus contents of duplicate samples was obtained by the nitric-perchloric- sulphuric acid digestion method of ashing. 2. Significant differences (5 percent level) in yield of onions were obtained between plots fertilized with 800 pounds per acre of liquid fertilizer over those fertilized with the solid form. Plots receiving the AGO pounds rate of liquid fertilizer out-yielded those where the same amount of fertilizer in dny form was used. This yield response was not in agreement with the previous year's results. 3. Onions, carrots and table beets yields were higher on fertilized plots than on unfertilized areas. The percent increase in yield due to fertilizers was highest with onions, intermediate with table beets and lowest with carrots. A. No consistent differences in the phosphorus content of carrots, onions and table beets were obtained from.plants growing on either liquid or solid fertilizers. A decrease in phosphorus content of carrots was observed with successive sampling dates. Onions growing on the unfertilized plots were lower in phosphorus than those from.the fertilized areas at all sampling dates. Philip S. Khouri 2 S. Fertilizer increased the yield of corn. The forms of fertilizer were not materially different in their effect on yield or phosphorus content of the tissue. 6. Sugar beet yields and percent apparent purity of the root were highest on the plots where the solid fertili- zer was used at the three locations. 7. No consistent difference in the effect of the two forms of fertilizers on the phosphorus content of sugar beet leaves and percent sucrose of the roots was observed. 8. Higher yields of cats were obtained on plots where fertilizer was used. However, there was no consistent dif- ference that could be ascribed to the form of fertilizer. There was a slight tendency for the phosphorus content to be higher in oats obtained from the liquid fertilizer plots of Flow Mix than from oats growing on solid fertilizer plots. 9. In general, the effectiveness of the two forms of fertilizer on the yields of the crops investigated is equal, providing the method of placement of the fertilizer is identical. TABLE OF NTRODUCTION . . . . . . KEVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . . . EHERIMENTAL PROCEDURE . . . . Field Experiments . . . . Vegetable Crops (onions, Oats . . . . .’. Corn ’ . . . . . . Sugar Beets . . . . . . CONTENTS 0 O O O O carrots, 0 O O O 0 Preparation of Tissue Samples . . . Chemical Analysis of Tissue RESULTS AND DISCUSSION . . . . SUMMARY . . . . . . LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . ii Samples and table beets) Page 9 10 11 12 12 13 16 32 3h LIST OF TABLES TABLE Page 1. The effect of rate of application of liquid and dry fertilizers on the phosphorus content of Downing's Yellow Globe onions, Chantenay carrots and Detroit dark red table beets at three stages of growth grown on Houghton muck in 1956 . . . . . . . . . 17 2. The effect of rate of application of liquid and dry fertilizers on the yield of Downing's Yellow Globe onions, Chantenay carrots and Detroit dark red table beets grown on Houghton muck in 1956 . . . . . . . 19 3. The effect of method and rate of application of liquid and dry fertilizers on the yield of grain and the phosphorus content of Jackson oats at four stages of growth on Boyer sandy loam, Jackson County, 1956 . 21 h. The effect of Flow Mix and dry fertilizer applied at three rates on the yield of grain and the phosphorus content of Jackson oat plants at two stages of growth on Boyer sandy loam, Jackson County, 195 . . . . . 23 5. The effect of liquid anc dry fertilizers on the yield of Michigan Hybrid 250 corn and the phosphorus content of the tissue, at two stages of growth, on Kalamazoo sandy loam, Kalamazoo County, 1956 . . . 2h 6. The effect of Flow Mix and dry fertilizer on the yield of grain and phosphorus content of Michigan Hybrid 250 corn tissue at two stages of growth on halamazoo sandy loam, Kalamazoo County, 1956 . . . . . . . . 26 7. The effect of liquid and dry fertilizer on the yield of grain and the phosphorus content of Michigan Hybrid hBO corn tissue at two stages of growth on 8 2 Metea sandy loam, Ingham County, 1956 . . . . . . 8. The effect of liquid and dry fertilizers on the phos- phorus content of sugar beets at three stages of growth, Sanilac County, 1956 . . . . . . . . . . . 29 9. The effect of liquid and dry fertilizers on the yield, percent sucrose, and purity of sugar beets on Park- hill lomm at three locations in Sanilac County, 1956 O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O O O 3 1 iii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE Page 1. Seed and fertilizer drill used on the vegetable crops 1h 2. Flow Mix fertilizer applicator 15 3. Corn fertilized with liquid and dry fertilizer 25 iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express his sincere appreciation to Dr. J. F. Davis, under whose inspiration, guidance, and counsel this study was undertaken, and for his continued interest in the progress of the investigation. Grateful thanks is extended to Dr. R. L. Cook for his unfailing interest and valuable assistance in this project. The writer wishes to thank Dr. K. Lawton for his help- ful suggestions concerning analytical procedures. Special appreciation is directed to Dr. L. S. Robertson and Mr. L. N. Shepherd for supplying samples and to Prof. C. M. Hansen for providing the application equipment. Acknowledgment is made to Mr. John Dugan for the Flow Mix Fertilizer Corporation, Houma, Louisiana, for his finan- cial contribution to the project. INTRODUCTION Crops often respond to a soil application of phosphorus fertilizer. Recent investigations have shown that the effect of phosphate materials on the yield and phosphorus content of a plant depends on its water soluble phosphorus content, the particle size, and the nature of the admixed salts. The recent introduction of liquid fertilizers, competitive in price with the dry materials, suggest the need for an eval- uation of the comparative effectiveness of the two forms. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of liquid and dry fertilizers on the phosphorus content and yield of several crops. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Any liquid containing one or more available plant nutrients is classed as a liquid fertilizer. Several advantages are assigned to liquid over dry fer- tilizers, and some claims unsupported by research data are made by vendors of the liquid materials. Robertson (1?) listed several advantages and disadvantages of the two forms. The advantages of liquids over solid forms are: 1) they can be handled with small pumps resulting in a saving of hand labor; 2) a uniform broadcast application is easily obtained by spraying; 3) materials are completely soluble in water and can be used in irrigation water and as starter solutions; h) uniformity in mixtures is easily obtained; 5) pesticides are generally compatible with liquid fertilizers and can be applied as foliar sprays; 6) they simplify the manufacture of tailored grades; 7) the availability of nitrogen and potassium is not decreased when applied to the soil in liquid form; and 8) the phosphorus is completely water soluble. Disadvantages, however, include: 1) special application and storage equipment is required; 2) complete fertilizers can be manufactured only in low grades; 3) they contain small quantities of secondary and minor elements; u) application equipment for placing fertilizer in the recommended position in the soil with respect to the seed is generally unavailable; 5) phosphorus fixation in the soil may be increased; 6) cal- cium and magnesium.contents of liquid fertilizers have to be kept low to prevent precipitation of other nutrients; 7) rates of application of actual nutrients may be limited because of the large volume of water needed; 8) liquid fertilizers corrode certain metals; 9) they may be difficult to merchandise; 10) completely soluble carriers are required for their manufacture, thus limiting the carriers that may be used; 11) grades high in potassium, suitable for several crops growing on light sandy or organic soils, are difficult to formulate unless low grade fertilizers are accepted. Cook and Owens (h) observed that as the water-soluble phosphorus in the fertilizer was increased from O to 100 percent, the percent of phosphorus in plant tissue at the four-week sampling date was increased from 0.15 to 0.25 per- cent. This indicates that fertilizers with low water-soluble phosphorus content may not provide enough phosphorus for op- timum growth of plants. Dickman and De Turk (5) concluded that the response of plants to phosphorus applications should be evaluated on the basis of dry weight and the phosphorus intake by the plant. "A phosphorus limitation factor" was suggested; this was obtained by dividing the dry-weight increase per milligram of phosphorus absorbed by plants receiving soluble P205 into the corresponding value for plants using rock-phosphate as the source of phosphorus. This serves as a relative index of the phosphorus level in plants. Values greater than unity indicated that the plants were deficient in phosphorus. Values less than unity demon- strated that phosphorus had been absorbed in excess of the ability of the plant to utilize it for dry-weight production. In sand cultures, no quantity of rock phosphate was found capable of producing plants containing as high a percentage of phosphorus as that of plants receiving soluble phosphorus. Krantz, et al. (7), working with corn plants, observed that the plants absorbed the bulk of their phosphorus late in the season after the root system was almost fully developed. This helped to explain why the level of soil phosphorus was important in determining the phosphorus composition and the total uptake by corn plants. They showed a marked early vegetative growth response to phosphorus, but there was no increase in yield of corn. Ownes, et a1. (15) found that four-week old sugar beet plants grown on soil receiving fertilizer of high phos- phorus water-solubility were higher in total phosphorus than were plants from plots treated with less soluble fertilizers. However, this relationship did not exist in samples analyzed four weeks later. These data suggest that in the very early growth period of sugar beets, fertilizers containing large amounts of dicalcium phosphate (ten percent water soluble) phosphorus) may not supply sufficient phosphorus for maximum development. Viets, et al. (19) used leaf analysis as a diagnostic procedure for evaluating fertility experiments with corn. The sixth leaf from.the plant base was analyzed. A concen- tration of 0.295 percent phosphorus was established as the critical level. In eight corn fertilization experiments where ammonium.nitrate was used as the source of nitrogen, they found a significant correlation between yield of corn and the phosphorus content of leaves. (Phosphorus and nitro- gen contents of leaves were more highly correlated with soils high in available phosphorus than in soils with low avail- able phosphorus). Domby, et al. (6) have shown that the phosphorus con- tent of oat forage was increased by an application of phos- phorus in the absence of applied nitrogen. Top-dressing cats with 72 pounds of nitrogen per acre reduced the phosphorus content of forage compared with forage grown on plots re- ceiving no nitrogen. However, because of increased yields resulting from.the use of nitrogen, the total phosphorus contained in the cats was proportional to the amount of nitro- gen applied. Bigger, et a1 (2) reported that the amount of phosphorus extracted from organic soil with any of the three reagents used, was closely correlated with the amount of phOSphorus applied to the soil. Green-tissue tests of sugar beet petioles showed an increase in the concentration of water extractable phosphorus when the amount of phosphorus applied was increased from 50 to 100 pounds of phosphate per acre. The plant tissue collected on three of the seven sampling dates showed significant increases in extractable phosphorus when the amount of phosphorus extracted and applied were comp pared. Lawton (10) noted that the utilization of phosphorus by sugar beets grown on Sims clay loam was greatest during the first two months on plots where the fertilizer was applied in a band. As the lateral growth of the roots increased in July and August, it was found that the utilization was greatest from.plots in which the fertilizer was drilled into the soil in 7-inch drill widths. Side-dressed fertilizer was readily absorbed when applied two months after planting. Yields of roots were increased in all cases. Lawton, et a1. (9) have shown that as the concentration of available soil phosphorus increases, the utilization of added fertilizer phosphorus decreases. Studies on the uptake of phosphorus from different phosphate fertilizers were conducted by Poulsen (1h) He showed the effect of phosphate fertilizers on crop composition and yield to be greatest in years of unfavorable weather conditions for crop growth. Differences in the effects of different fertilizers were also greatest in such years. Rich and Attoe (16) have shown that most of the phos- phorus applied to the soil in the form of commercial fertilizer usually was not absorbed by the first crop that followed. The residual fertilizer phosphorus was ordinarily not subject to appreciable leaching, and accumulation of it occurred in the plow layer. They also noted that the percentage of phos- phorus in the plant tissues varied inversely with the yield. Thus, each product of yield and percentage content of phos— phorus, when plotted against the cropping time, appeared to be representative of the phosphorus supplying power. The authors reported a phosphorus content of dry tissue varied between 0.09-O.5 percent. Rogers (18) compared the relative effects of ammoniated superphosphate and concentrated superphosphate on several crops grown both in the greenhouse and in the field. He concluded that a high water-solubility material is not required for small grains, corn, or cotton grown on acid soils in the southeastern states. However, limited tests in Iowa suggest that nitrophosphate of low water-solubility may be less effective on alkaline soils than the more soluble superphos- phate e Penner (13), using ammonium.phosphate in liquid form and in granules, found that localized placement increased the fertilizer_uptake by wheat. Lewis, et al.(8) reported that applications of water- soluble fertilizers maintained higher levels of available soil phosphorus and greater plant growth. The rapidity with which the level of available phosphorus was established in the soil when water-soluble fertilizers were applied indicated that the time of application is less important that formerly considered. They concluded that water-soluble phosphorus fertilizer could be applied during any season of the year without an accompanying loss in efficiency. Lawton, et a1. (11) worked with different rates and methods of application of superphosphate to legume hay. They found that by increasing the rate of fertilizer the yields and percent of phosphorus in the plant increased. They also showed that as the depth of placement increased from 0-36 inches, the amount of phosphorus absorbed by the plant de- creased. Cole (3) indicated that the addition of soluble phosphorus fertilizers to soil resulted in monolayer sorption of phos- phorus on the surface of calcium carbonate particles. If the phosphorus concentration was sufficiently high, a precipitate of dicalcium.phosphate or a compound with similar properties was formed. The initial products of these reactions, how- ever, contained more soluble phosphorus than more stable phosphorus compounds. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Field Experiments Vegetable CrongjOnions, Carrot§,_and Table Beetg) Experiments with onions, carrots, and table beets were located at the Michigan Muck Experimental Farm. The soil is classed as a Houghton muck and ranges in pH from 6.0 to 6.5. In the virgin state according to Brown (1), it contained 86 percent organic matter, 3.3 percent nitrogen, 0.21 percent potassium, 0.12 percent phosphorus, 2.5 percent iron and 0.0011 percent copper. Two rates of application per acre, h00 and 800 pounds, of a 5-10-10 fertilizer in liquid and dry form were compared. An unfertilized check was included. The treatments were replicated either three or four times depending on the area of land available. The fertilizers were applied with a special drill (Figure l) in a band two-inches below the seed thus eliminating any effect that might be caused by different methods of fertilizer placement. Downing‘s yellow globe onions, Chantenay carrots and Detroit dark red table beets were planted May 5. Plant samples consisting of the entire plant were taken from each plot on July 17, July 27, and August 10. The samples from the various treatments from 10 each replication were composited and analyzed for total phos- phorus e Oats Experiments with cats were located in Jackson County on Boyer sandy loam. The pH of this soil area was 6.9. It contained 32 to h2 pounds of available phosphorus per acre and 87 to 106 pounds available potassium (0.13 NHCl extractant). The Jackson variety was grown. Liquid (9-9-9) and dry (12-12-12) fertilizers were applied at rates of 25, 50, and 100 pounds per acre of nitrogen, phos- phoric acid and potash. Unfertilized plots were included in the experiment. Liquid fertilizers were sprayed on the sur- face of the soil immediately before plowing. The dry ferti- lizers were applied at planting time in contact with the seed. Planting followed immediately after plowing on May 7. In the Flow Mix experiment the cats were planted on May 18. Three rates of fertilizer were used. The lowest rate, 150 pounds per acre of 5-20-20, represented a rate of approximately one-half the amount that would be recommended for oats on this soil. The medium rate, 300 pounds per acre of 5-20-20, represented the recommended analysis and rate. The high rate, 600 pounds of 5-20-20 per acre represented twice the recommended rate. Flow Mix was used in amounts equivalent to these three rates, or 7.5:30:30, 15:60:60, and 30:120:l20 pounds per acre of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and 11 potash respectively. Flow Mix was applied just prior to a heavy rain. The application of the dry fertilizer and plant- ing operations were completed five days later. 9233 Two experiments with corn were located in a field in Kalamazoo County. The soil type was Kalamazoo sandy loam. The pH varied between 6.3 and 6.7. The soil contained 52 and 106 pounds per acre of available phosphorus and potassium respectively (0.13 NHCl extractant). In one experiment, the comparison of liquid and dry fertilizer was superimposed on a tillage experiment. Paired rows received liquid and dry fer- tilizer. No unfertilized areas were left because of the possibility of influencing future work on these plots. The liquid and dry fertilizers were applied at planting time in bands two inches to the side of and two and six inches below the seed. Five hundred pounds per acre of 12-12-12 was used. Liquid fertilizer was applied at the rate of 667 pounds per acre of 9-9-9 which is equivalent to 60 pounds each of nitro- gen, phosphoric acid, and potash-~the same as for the dry form. Michigan hybrid 250 corn was planted on May 21. In the second Kalamazoo County experiment, Flow Mix fer- tilizer was applied as a preplanting treatment as was des- cribed for cats. The dry fertilizer was applied at planting time in two bands two inches to the side of and two and six inches below the seed. Three rates of the two fertilizer 12 forms, equivalent to 125, 250 and 500 pounds per acre of 5-20-20 fertilizer, were compared in this experiment. Corn was planted on May 29. The third experiment on corn was located on the College farm. The soil was a Metea sandy loam. The pH was 5.7 to 6.0 and contained 10 to 15 pounds of available phosphorus and 60 to 100 pounds of available potassium per acre. Liquid (9-9-9) and dry (12-12-12) fertilizers were applied in amounts equivalent to 50 pounds per acre each of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. The fertilizers were placed in two bands as described in the preceding paragraph. Michigan hybrid RBO corn was planted on June 1. Suggr Beets EXperiments on beets were located on three farms in Sanilac County. The soil on each farm was mapped as Parkhill loam. The two forms of fertilizer in an amount equivalent to 500 pounds per acre of 6-2h-12 were placed in a band two to three inches below the seed at planting time. Plantings at all three locations were made during the week of May 25. Preparation of Tissue Samples Samples of the entire plant of carrots, onions, and table beets were taken. Composites of the replications of the various treatments were prepared for all plant samples. 13 Samples of the above-ground portion of oats, sugar beets, and corn were used for analysis. The samples were dried at 150° F and ground in a Wiley mill. Chemical Analysis of Tissue Samples A one-gr. sample of plant tissue was placed in a 250-ml. pyrex beaker and digested in 25 mls. of nitric acid for two hours. This was followed by the addition of 6 mls. of a 2:1 mixture of 70 percent perchloric acid and concentrated sul- phuric acid. Digestion was continued until all traces of organic material had disappeared. The residue was transferred to a lOO-ml. volumetric flask and made up to volume. The flasks were left undisturbed over night to permit the silica to settle out, and hence cause no interference in the subse- quent determination of phosphorus. An aliquot was pipetted off and transferred to a small sample bottle for the deter- mination of phosphorus. Phosphorus was determined in the following manner. One ml. of the ashed plant extract was transferred to a Coleman Cuvette. Nine mls. of warm.distilled water, six drops of ammonium molybdate and six drops of F-S reducing agent were then added and thoroughly mixed. The color was allowed to develop for fifteen minutes. Readings were made using a Coleman model 1h Universal Spectrophotometer, equipped with a 6500 Angstrom filter. Fig. 1. Seed and fertilizer drill used on the vegetable crops. Fig. 2. Flow-Mix fertilizer was applied with a Flow-Mix applicator. The applicator had several tanks, one contained liquid phosphoric acid, another potassium chloride dissolved in water, and a third anhydrous ammonia. Each material was metered separately. Anhydrous ammonia was mixed with the potassium chloride at application time. The mixture was in- jected into the soil in bands to an aver- age depth of four inches close to the phosphoric acid. The two distinctly separate fertilizer bands were possible with dual outlets on each applicator blade. The blades were spaced 1h inches apart. .“ v'?‘ e- " {HQ '3" 1 I I' '- .‘ v.-‘ ‘ !.I ‘v t. “T‘ .- _;,- r 4* ' hr ""‘“‘ Lb“ ' . e:"- V h‘ ’ ‘ a... z; i ‘.:.I\ q 3’! 15 16 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The data in Table 1 show the effect of dry and liquid 5-10-10 fertilizer applied at two rates on the phosphorus content of onions, carrots and table beets at three stages of growth. Onions growing on the unfertilized plots were lower in phosphorus content than those from the fertilized areas at all sampling dates. There was no consistent difference in the phosphorus content of plants obtained from plots re- ceiving fertilizer in either the liquid or dry forms or be- tween sampling dates. The differences observed are probably within experimental error. Significant differences in yield (table 2) were obtained between plots fertilized with 800 pounds per acre of liquid fertilizer over those fertilized with the solid forms. Plots receiving the ROG-pound rate of liquid fertilizer out-yielded those where the same amount of fertilizer in the dry form was used. This yield response was opposite to the results reported by Robertson et a1. (17) in 1955 from.the same area. The yield of onions significantly increased as the amount of plant food applied increased. The phosphorus content of carrots was higher than that of onions or table beets at all sampling dates. With one 17 TABLE 1 THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION OF LIQUID AND DRY FERTILIZERS ON THE PHOSPHORUS CONTENT OF DOWNING'S YELLOW GLOBE ONIONS, CHANTENAY CARROTS, AND DETROIT DARK RED TABLE BEETS AT THREE STAGES OF GROWTH GROWNON HOUGHTON MUCK IN 1956 Pounds of Percent Phosphorus* Date 5-10-10 (Oven dry tissue) per acre Onions Carrots Table Beets June 17 800 liquid .27h .hSl .298 800 dry .2h3 .hl6 .262 uoo liquid .291 .u53 .256 No fertilizer .227 .383 .2k1 July 27 800 liquid .28k .396 .3uo uoo liquid .291 .363 .256 see dry .291 .336 .223 No fertilizer .157 .28h .215 uoo liquid .276 .362 .2 2 h00 dry .272 .315 .250 No fertilizer .155 .235 .2h7 *Data obtained from a composite sample of four replications of each treatment of table beets and onions and three replications of carrots. 18 exception (800 pound rate sampled August 10) the phosphorus contents of plants were highest on plots where the liquid fertilizer was applied as compared to those receiving it in the dry form. Plants from the unfertilized plots were lowest in phosphorus content. In general, the phosphorus contents of the tissue decreased with the successive dates of sampling. There were no significant differences in yield of carrots between plots treated with either form or rate of application of fertilizer. Yields from the unfertilized plots were significantly lower at the 5 percent level than those from fertilized areas. In all cases the phosphorus contents of table beets were highest from plots receiving the liquid fertilizer as compared to those fertilized with a comparable amount of the dry material. There were no consistent differences between dates of sampling. The phosphorus content 01 plants at the first sampling dates were highest from plots receiving the 800 pounds of fertilizer per acre. This relationship did not hold for the last dates of sampling. The yield of roots was significantly higher (5 percent level) from.fertilized than from unfertilized plots. In- creasing the amount of fertilizer applied from.k00 to 800 pounds per acre resulted in a significant yield increase. The yield differences between the liquid and dry fertilizer plots were not significant at the 5 percent level. Hewever, 19 TABBE 2 THE EFFECT OF RATE OF APPLICATION OF LIQUID AND DRY FERTILIZERS ON THE YIELD OF DowNING's YELLOW GLOBE ONIONS, CHANTENAY CARROTS AND DETROIT DARK RED TABLE BEETS GROWN ON HOUGHTON MUCK IN 1956 Pounds of Yields 5-10-10 per acre Onions Carrots Table Beets (SO-pound (Tons er lTons er bags er acre? acre acre? 800 liquid 862 29.2 18.3 uoo liquid 652 29.7 13.8 &00 dry 591 29.0 12.5 No fertilizer 121 2b.? 6.7 L.S.D. (5 percent level)- 69 2.5 2.1 *Fertilizers applied in a band two inches below the seed. 20 the liquid fertilizer plots at both rates of application outyielded those receiving the dry form. The percent increase in yield due to fertilizer was highest with onions, intermediate with table beets and lowest for carrots. This suggests that carrots were able to utilize residual fertilizer more effectively than onions and table beets. Data in Table 3 show that there was a significant response (5 percent level) in yield of cats due to fertilizer. Plots receiving the two higher rates of liquid fertilizer outyielded the plots receiving a comparable amount of the dry material. The differences in the phosphorous contents of the tissue ob- tained from the liquid and dry fertilizer plots at the three nutrient levels were not consistent. There was a slight tendency, at the first two sampling dates, for the phosphorus contents to be higher in plants growing where dry material was applied. The phosphorus content of cats from the unfer- tilized plots was lowest in the samples taken June 8 and June 13. The apparent difference in the uptake of phosphorus in the early stages of growth by plants growing on the dry fertilizer plots over those from.the liquid areas may'be eXplained by the difference in placement, with respect to the seed, of the fertilizer. The dry fertilizer was applied in contact with the seed and the liquid was sprayed on the surface of the soil. 21 m .mmsaoaaaon anon on» Wm mwmmwomsss 3335 Has fiasco an» "canvass ouamomfido a Song confideno one: manna» on» M0 ohmhmm . 0 mos ham can :0 U . weapcafla maoeop Haom.Moom smas soapnoo as soadaaa .aaos It I'll [in'lllll m.a Assess success ma .n.m.a mum. Ham. oma. Hod. o.m: assaaaaaoc oz 0mm. cos. osm. mmm. 0mm. Hem. sea. mom. o.mo m.sm ooH 00H ooa cod. oma. mos. mam. sod. ems. mma. saw. p.00 «.mm om om om sow. mofl. mmm. Ham. sea. anm. mam. cam. m.om o.:m mm mm mm easeaq ago cases; and undead has easeaq and *aeasaaq «has emu momm 2 0H haze om cash NH scan m cash once you maonmsm once nod mocsom *##A05mmfiu had co>ov asaonamonm unconom 'Ii omma .wazaou zomaosd£ p0: spade CouHHH .onoe sea paounbe o.mm m.aa s.aa o.mm m.oa s.s o.oo s.sa m.q sun o.qs H.ma o.o o.sm o.md m.6 o.mm H.®H o.a casuan hudszd Onoaosn once heaped omososm Ones hndnzd omouOSn once pdeo name see acme pace pen name name see inch usom mace Thom usom mace imam nsom uses such #SHGH zopsoxm I].Ewdm howdohz ll_anah sonmhn om? .Ezboo ofiaim 2H szHaeooa mamas 94 secs qumamsm zo memmm magpm mo uaHmem nza ammomonm BZMOmflm agquw Ema zo mmmNHAHBmmm Nma 92¢ QHDGHA ho Bomamm Ema o mqm