Copper deficiency in crops in north-east Scotland

Abstract

SummeryField and pot experiments were carried out to determine how copper deficiency can be corrected on some soils in north-east Scotland. Spring-sown oats and barley are more susceptible to this deficiency than mixed herbage, while potatoes and swedes have not responded to Cu. The deficiency can be corrected by applying 10–20 lb CuSO4.5H2O per acre to the soil. Both field and pot experiments show that such treatments have large residual effects and under field conditions are effective for at least 8 years. A foliar spray supplying 1 lb CuSO4. 5H2O per acre is usually less effective than a soil dressing.Using soil undiluted with sand, the increase in grain yield produced by Cu treatment in pots was appreciably greater than in the field. The Cu content of mature oats and barley was practically unaffected by soil dressings but foliar spraying produced a considerable increase.Significant correlation coefficients have been obtained between soil Cu, extracted by 0·05 M EDTA, and the increase in grain yield produced by Cu applications in both field and pot experiments. In field experiments in north-east Scotland, cereal yields were not restricted by a deficiency if the EDTA-extractable Cu was above 1·1 ppm. With soil contents below 0–75 ppm Cu, the grain yields from spring-sown oats and barley were usually increased considerably; small responses were possible with contents between 0·75 and 1·1 ppm.