Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Crop response to level of water-soluble zinc in granular zinc fertilizers

  • Published:
Fertilizer research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many industrial by-products containing Zn are being processed and sold as Zn fertilizers. Some baghouse dusts and flue dusts which contain ZnO may be used as fertilizers or may be partially acidulated with H2SO4 to form Zn oxysulfates (various mixtures of ZnO and ZnSO4). Spent H2SO4 by-products of several industries, especially the galvanizing industry, also may be processed into ZnSO4 fertilizers. The level of water-soluble Zn (as a percentage of total Zn) in these fertilizers is mainly related to the relative contents of ZnSO4 (water soluble) and ZnO (water insoluble). Other published results have shown that availability to plants of most nutrients in a granular fertilizer is related to their water solubility.

Response of corn (Zea mays L.) to fine and granular Zn fertilizers varying in level of water-soluble Zn was determined on a limed Zn-deficient Crowley silt loam (Typic Albaqualf) in three greenhouse pot experiments. Dry matter production and Zn uptake by corn were similar with several finely ground (<0.15 mm) Zn fertilizers varying from 0 to 100% of their total Zn in water-soluble form.

Crop response to granular (1.7 to 2.4 mm, ×8 + 12 mesh) Zn fertilizers increased with level of water-soluble Zn in several ZnSO4 fertilizers made from spent acids, Zn oxysulfates, and ZnO by-product fertilizers. Corn dry matter production and Zn uptake were significantly lower with fertilizers containing <40% water-soluble Zn. Crop response to granular mixtures varying in proportion of reagent grade ZnSO4 and ZnO gave similar results in two experiments. These results show that at least 40% of the total Zn in granular Zn fertilizers should be in water-soluble form to be fully effective for crops.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Allen SE and Terman GL (1966) Response of maize and sudangrass to zinc in granular micronutrients. Trans Comm II and IV: 255–266. Aberdeen, Scotland: International Soil Science Society

    Google Scholar 

  2. Anonymous (1968) Commercial fertilizers: Consumption for year ended June 30, 1968. Washington, DC, USDA, Crop Reporting Board, Statistical Reporting Service

  3. Anonymous (1984) Commercial fertilizers: Consumption for year ended June 30, 1984. Washington, DC, USDA, Crop Reporting Board, Statistical Reporting Service

  4. Boawn LC, Viets Jr. F, and Crawford CL (1957) Plant utilization of zinc from various types of zinc compounds and fertilizer materials. Soil Sci 83: 219–229

    Google Scholar 

  5. Engelstad OP (1968) Use of multiple regression in fertilizer evaluation. Agron J 60: 327–329

    Google Scholar 

  6. Engelstad OP (1980) Agronomic effectiveness of phosphate fertilizers. In: Khasawneh FEet al. (ed) The Role of Phosphorus in Agriculture, pp 311–332. Madison, Wisc: American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America

    Google Scholar 

  7. Giordano PM and Mortvedt JJ (1969) Response of several corn hybrids to level of water-soluble zinc in fertilizers. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 33: 145–148

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jackson WA, Heinly NA and Caro JH (1962) Soluble status of zinc carriers intermixed with N-P-K fertilizers. J Agr Food Chem 10: 361–364

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lindsay WL and Norvell WA (1978) Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, manganese, and copper. Soil Sci Soc Am J 42: 421–428

    Google Scholar 

  10. Martens DC and Westerman DT (1991) Fertilizer applications for correcting micronutrient deficiencies. In: Mortvedt JJet al. (ed) Micronutrients in Agriculture, second edn, pp 549–592. Madison, Wisc: Soil Science Society of America

    Google Scholar 

  11. Miner GS, Traore S and Tucker MR (1986) Corn response to starter fertilizer acidity and manganese materials varying in water solubility. Agron J 79: 291–295

    Google Scholar 

  12. Mortvedt JJ (1968) Crop response to applied zinc in ammoniated phosphate fertilizers. J Agr Food Chem 16: 241–245

    Google Scholar 

  13. Mortvedt JJ (1985) Plant uptake of heavy metals in zinc fertilizers made from industrial by-products. J Environ Qual 14: 424–427

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mortvedt JJ (1991) Micronutrient fertilizer technology. In: Mortvedt JJet al. (ed) Micronutrients in Agriculture, second edn, pp 523–548. Madison, Wisc: Soil Science Society of America

    Google Scholar 

  15. Mortvedt JJ and Kelsoe JJ (1988) Crop response to fine and granular magnesium fertilizers. Fert Res 15: 155–161

    Google Scholar 

  16. Webb JR and Pesek JT (1959) An evaluation of phosphorus fertilizers varying in water solubility. II Broadcast applications for corn. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 23: 381–384

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Fertilizer and Environmental Research Center, Tennessee Valley Authority, 35660, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA

    J. J. Mortvedt

Authors
  1. J. J. Mortvedt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mortvedt, J.J. Crop response to level of water-soluble zinc in granular zinc fertilizers. Fertilizer Research 33, 249–255 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01050880

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01050880

Key words

Search

Navigation