CLF344 - - AGRICULTURAL CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF300) Core area: PLANT SCIENCE (CLF340) Unit title: PLANT NUTRITION ______________________________________________________________________________ (CLF344) Topic: DETERMINING NUTRIENT time taught in years DEFICIENCIES 3 hours 2 ______________________________________________________________________________ Topic objectives: Upon completion of this lesson the student will be able to: Learning outcome # (C-5) - Identify three general methods for testing soil deficiency and demonstrate one. Special Materials and Equipment: Soil testing kits (Optional) Evaluation: Instructor evaluation of student lab activity; field trip report TOPIC PRESENTATION: NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES IN PLANTS _________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: Have students bring in samples of plants that appear to have nutrient deficiencies, and have them analyze them, using the key below. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: Have students bring samples of soil from their homes to evaluate using soil testing kits. _________________________________________________ A KEY TO NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS A. Older leaves affected. b. Effects mostly generalized over whole plant, lower leaves dry up and die. c. Plants light green, lower leaves yellow, drying to brown, stalks become short and Nitrogen slender. c. Plants dark green, often red or purple colors appear, lower leaves yellow, drying Phosphorus to dark green, stalks become short or slender. b. Effects mostly localized, mottling or chlorosis, lower leaves do not dry up but become mottled or chlorotic, leaf margins cupped or tucked. c. Leaves mottled or chlorotic, sometimes reddened, necrotic spots, stalks slender. Magnesium c. Mottled or chlorotic leaves, necrotic spots small and between veins or near Potassium leaf tips and margins, stalks slender. c. Necrotic spots large and general, eventually involving veins, leaves Zinc thick, stalks short. A. Young leaves affected. b. Terminal buds die, distortion and necrosis of young leaves. c. Young leaves hooked, then die back at tips and margins. Calcium c. Young leaves light green at bases, die back from base, leaves twisted. Boron b. Terminal buds remain alive but chlorotic or wilted, without necrotic spots. c. Young leaves wilted, without chlorosis, Copper stem tip weak. c. Young leaves not wilted, chlorosis, occurs. d. Small necrotic spots, Manganese veins remain green. d. No necrotic spots. e. Veins remain green. Iron e. Veins become chlorotic. Sulfur _________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: Invite a soil specialist to speak and/or demonstrate soil testing techniques in class. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: Take students on a field trip to a soils laboratory performing soil and plant analysis. _________________________________________________