Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 6
Micro Elements and Nitrogen
(With a few notes on Beneficial Soil Organisms and Humates)
The bottom section of The Ideal Soil chart:
Micro (trace) Elements
Chromium Cr-
Cobalt Co+
Iodine I-
Molybdenum Mo-
Selenium Se-
Tin Sn+
Vanadium V+
Nickel Ni+
Fluorine F-
All of these are essential in small
amounts. 0.5 - 2ppm is
enough.
Some of the micro elements (e.g.
Mo, Se) can be toxic to plants
and soil organisms in quantities
above 1-2ppm. Use Caution
when applying micro/trace
elements in purified forms
There are probably 30 or so other
elements needed in a perfect soil.
Sources are amendments such as
seaweed, rock dust, ancient
seabed or volcanic deposits, rock
phosphate greensand etc .
The science of micro (trace) minerals and their relationship to soil, plant, and
animal health is still in its infancy. Until a few years ago no one had any idea that
Chromium and Vanadium were essential nutrients but they assuredly are.
At soilminerals.com we rely mostly on natural micro mineral sources such as those
listed in the right-hand column of the table above; these sources contain dozens or
scores of different elements. Most micro minerals are only needed in very tiny
quantities; often a few parts per billion are sufficient.
Astandard soil test does not test for these micro nutrients. It tests only for the
elements we have examined in the previous chapters, with the addition of perhaps
Nitrogen orAluminum.Any chemical assay only measures the elements that are
specifically being tested for.
Most soil testing laboratories will do special tests, such as for Cobalt, Molybdenum,
or Selenium, but these are individual tests that must be requested and paid for in
addition to the cost of the standard test.An example of where it may be worthwhile
to request a micro element test would be if one had a large area of pasture and
suspected that an essential trace mineral like Selenium or Cobalt was seriously
deficient. If it is not practical or affordable to apply hundreds of pounds per acre of
a broad-spectrum micro mineral source to a large area, it may be practical to apply
a few ounces per acre of a refined source.
The element Selenium is a good example of this. Selenium is essential for proper
immune function, it is a co-factor with vitamin E, and it is associated with resistance
to viruses. Severe Selenium deficiency in pasture and feed leads to white muscle
 
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