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Behan, Mark J.

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University of Montana

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Bulletin: Forestry, 1949-1982 University of Montana Publications 7-1968 Visual Diagnosis of Mineral Deficiency in Western Larch Mark J. Behan University of Montana, Missoula Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/umforestrybulletin Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation Behan, Mark J., "Visual Diagnosis of Mineral Deficiency in Western Larch" (1968). Bulletin: Forestry, 1949-1982. 19. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/umforestrybulletin/19 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Montana Publications at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Bulletin: Forestry, 1949-1982 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu. Visual Diagnosisof Mineral Deficiency in Western Larch by Mark J. BehanBulletin 34 Nv__ July 1968Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station School of Forestry University of Montana, MissoulaVisual Diagnosis of MineralDeficiency in Western Larch(Larix occidentalis, Nutt.)1By Mark J. Behan Department of Botany University of Montana, MissoulaSeveral techniques have been developed more yellowish or whitish than is normal. Iffor the diagnosis of mineral deficiencies in water is insufficient, growth may be restrict-plants, and four of these are particularly ed, and on extreme desication the leaves oftencommon in diagnosing deficiencies in trees: demonstrate a characteristic pattern as zonessoil analysis, chemical analysis of the foliage, or portions are killed by drought. Insectfield fertilizer trials, and visual symptoms of damage and diseases may produce character-deficiency (7). This report describes the istic symptoms in the foilage. A deficiency ormethod of identifying mineral deficiencies in excess of an individual mineral nutrient alsowestern larch (Larix occidentalis, Nutt.) by may cause characteristic effects on thevisual symptoms, the advantages and limita- various organs of the plant. The ability totions of this method, and the current status recognize these symptoms forms the basis ofof the development of alternate methods of the diagnosis of plant deficiency by visualdiagnosis. symptoms (9).Not all species demonstrate visual symp­toms of mineral deficiency. Symptoms also Diagnosis of Mineral Deficiency vary from species to species. Thus, before theWhen plants grow in unsuitable environ- visual method can be used, visual symptomsments they react in specific ways. If light is of deficiency in the species of interest must beinsufficient, the green color of the leaf may determined.be lacking or reduced and the leaves may be The principal advantages of the method of_ _________  diagnosis by visual symptoms are its speed'This research was supported in part by a coopera- and that no apparatus is necessary where thetiye research grant from the Intermountain Forest symptoms do not require confirmation (9).and Range Experiment Station, United States Forest xj • ,, j  , , ,. ,Service, Ogden, Utah, and in part by Mclntire- However, this method does have disadvan-Stennis Funds administered by the School of For- tages. Even though a deficiency is known toestry, University of Montana, Missoula. exist, many species of conifers fail to exhibit2a specific and characteristic visual symptom to some nutrients. Symptoms may be com­plicated or suppressed by other factors such as weather conditions, pests or disease. A further disadvantage is that the symptoms must appear before they can be diagnosed, delaying the time in which remedial action can be taken. The latter disadvantge is prob­ably more important in the culture of annual agricultural crops than in forestry.Mineral deficiencies often can be demon­strated by an increased growth rate follow­ing fertilization, even though the deficiency is not severe enough to produce visual symp­toms. This degree of deficiency can often be detected by foliar analysis (9). A technique for diagnosis of deficiency by foliar analysis has been developed for western larch by growing the plant under controlled conditions which provided optimum, deficient, and very deficient amounts of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, or magnesium to the roots. A correlation between the amount of mineral supplied, the concentration of that mineral in the foliage, and growth was ob­served for most of these minerals (1).In an effort to correlate the diagnosis of deficiency with growth response following fertilization, 175 experimental fertilizer plots were established in 13 western larch stands in western Montana during the summer of 1966. The locations, specific treatments, and objectives of this study have been described (2). Visual symptoms of nitrogen deficiency were observed in several of these plots at the time, of application of the fertilizer treat­ments, and symptoms of potassium deficiency were seen at one location. The symptoms were found in comparatively young stands (under 30 feet in height) of second growth timber following clearcut logging. Although the symptoms were clearly present in these stands, they were not observed in older stands, even in adjacent uncut areas. The absence of deficiency symptoms in these ad­jacent older stands may have been due to several factors. The factors include the ab­sence of a deficiency, the loss of the ability of older trees to demonstrate symptoms, an improved nutrient status of the stand as it ages either by reduction in requirements or accretion of minerals on the site, or a deter­ioration of the fertility of the site associated with logging and regeneration. Some of the fertilizer plots were established to test these possibilities.Symptoms of deficiency for other conifers have been cited by Mustanoja and Leaf (1965), and a table of references of colored pictures of nutrient deficiencies has been prepared by Tamm (1964).MethodsVisual symptoms of nutrient deficiency were induced by growing the plants in the greenhouse in four gallon “pyrex” pots con­taining washed silica sand. Minerals were supplied by irrigating the pots with nutrient solutions of known composition. The seeds used were obtained from Sec. 23, T28N, R17W, Flathead National Forest, at an altitude of 4,200 feet. The seeds were stratified for 30 days at 40° F., and then placed in washed river sand in the greenhouse for 35 days. The most vigorous seedlings that had germinated during this period were selected, and 254 of these placed in the sand cultures (May 5, 1965). The sand culture system was similar in design to that described by Swan (1960), ex­cept that provisions were made to permit rapid renewal of the nutrient solutions. Six seedlings were placed in each pot, but the poorest seedling in each pot was discarded 70 days later. The photoperiod was extended to 19 hours with incandescent lamps in order to promote rapid shoot growth (4). The mini­mum temperature was 55° F. On November 6, 1965, (6 months following placement in sand cultures) initial observations were made of visual symptoms. No spur shoots had formed on any of the plants by this date, even though some of the plants had grown over a meter in height. Three of the five plants were harvested at this time, the minimum tempera­ture lowered to 45° F, and the artifical photo­period extension discontinued. Most of the needles abscissed during the next 40 days, and by December 20 the plants appeared dor­mant. Sixty-five days (January 20,1966) after it had been discontinued, the photoperiod was re-extended to 19 hours. The minimum tem­perature was raised to 60° F, and all of the plants broke dormancy within 30 days. The plants remained under the extended photo­period until July 1 and were harvested in late August 1966 following the final observations for visual symptoms.The full-strength nutrient solution was the same used by Walker (1963) for the success­ful culture of several species of conifers. This solution has the following composition of3NormalMagnesium DeficiencyNitrogen Deficiency4Phosphorus Deficiency5macronutrients: 1.4 ppm (parts per million) ammonium nitrogen, 105 ppm nitrate nitro­gen; 15.5 ppm phosphorus, 97.8 ppm potas­sium, 100 ppm calcium, 24 ppm magnesium, and 32 ppm sulpur. Micronutrients were sup­plied at half the strength of Arnon’s A-5 micronutrient supplement (Hewitt, 1966). Iron was supplied as Sequestrene 138 Fe (sodium ferric ethylenediamine di-(0- hydroxyphenylacetate) at a concentration of 1 ppm iron.* The full-strength nutrient solu-*The chelate was made available through the cour­tesy of the Geigy Chemical Corporation, and is often abbreviated Fe-EDDHA.tion also contained 11 ppm sodium and 3.6 ppm chloride.Visual symptoms were developed by irri­gating the sand cultures with either l/10th or l/50th the amount of N, P, Ca, or Mg con­tained in the full-strength solution. The con­centrations of all minerals other than those for which deficiency symptoms were being induced were maintained at full strength. Potassium was supplied at either 1/20 or 1/50 the concentration of the full strength solution in the potassium deficient cultures. Except during the period of dormancy, solutions were replaced twice a month.Potassium DeficiencyCalcium DeficiencyIllustrations A series of needles or branches were select­ed for illustration. They were arranged to show the variations of symptoms as they might appear on examination of several branches and the typical gradation of severity of branch tip to base. The symptoms are exaggerated in some illustrations for easier recognition in the field.DESCRIPTION OF DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMSNitrogen Chlorosis e x t e n d s  from the (N) needle tip toward the base. Incases of severe deficiency the tip is often necrotic, needles near the base of branches and in the lower portion of thecrown are more severely affect­ed than those at branch tips and upper portion of the crown. The transition zone between green portion of needle and chlorotic zone is abrupt and is without extension of cholorosis down the midvein of the needle into the green portion. The needles of a few young seed­lings had a cherry red antho- cyanin pigmentation, but this was not seen in all seedlings nor in older plants.Phosphorus Needles formed on the main (P) stem of seedlings often have a bluish cast, although this symp­tom was not present in older plants. Some plants may have needles with purplish anthocy- anin pigmentation. Needles on67many plants have spotty zones of necrosis. Visual symptoms of P deficiency are not as distinc­tive as the other elements studied and deficiencies should be determined by foliar an­alysis.Potassium Needles at the tips of lower(K) branches are tan to light yellowor pale green. Transition be­tween colors on needles is dif­fuse and not abrupt. Symptoms are more severe in l o w e r  branches of the crown.Calcium Symptoms are restricted to the (Ca) terminal bud, or to buds andbranches near the terminal bud. Terminal buds or lateral buds near the terminal bud fail to elongate, some needles in spur shoots are necrotic, needles of­ten are twisted and deformed. Symptoms resemble insect dam­age.Magnesium Tips of needles are chlorotic, (Mg) but the transition between the chlorotic zone and the green tissue is diffuse. Chlorosis of the midvein generally extends well into the green tissue.Special Comments on the Visual Diagnosis of Mineral Deficiency in LarchNeedles retained over the winter on young larch seedlings growing in the field often de­velop a reddish pigmentation, which should not be confused with the pigmentation de­scribed for phosphorus and nitrogen deficien­cies. Although some degree of chlorosis develops in deficiencies of nitrogen, potas­sium, and magnesium, the symptoms of each of these elements are distinctive in that the zone of transition between chlorotic tissue and the green portion of the leaf is quite abrupt in nitrogen deficiency, whereas it is diffuse in both potassium and magnesium deficiencies. The midvein is generally chlor­otic well into the green portion of the leaf in magnesium deficiency. The pale green to light yellow, and in particular the tannish color of the foliage in potassium deficiency is in contrast to the deeper yellow of chlorosisin magnesium and nitrogen deficiencies. Foliage should be examined for symptoms of deficiency following the completion of needle growth in July and before the onset of au­tumn dormancy in early September. Symp­toms observed outside this period may be reflections of mineral redistribution, which occurs before needle abscission in autumn. Also, the symptoms may or may not develop during the early part of the growing season before needles have attained their full size and activity.Acknowledgements The illustrations were prepared by Edward Groenhout, art student, University of Mon­tana, whose efforts are appreciated.Literature Cited1. ) Behan, M. J., 1968 (a). The effect of min­eral supply, season, crown position, and needle type on the foliar mineral content of western larch. (Larix occidentalis, Nutt.). Manuscript.2. ) -------------------  1968 (b). Fertilization inwestern larch forests. Montana Forest & Conservation Station Note Six, Univer­sity of Montana, Missoula.3. ) Hewitt, E. J., 1966. Sand and water cul­ture methods used in the study of plant nutrition. Tech. Comm No. 22, Common­wealth Bur. of Hort. and Plantation Crops. East Mailing, Maidstone, Kent, England.4. ) Ingestad, T., 1962. Macro element nutri­tion in pine, spruce, and birch seedlings, in nutrient solutions. Medd. Skogsforskn- Inst., Stockh. 51 (7): 1-150.5. ) Mustanoja, K. J. and A. L. Leaf, 1965.Forest fertilization research, 1957-1964. Bot. Rev. 31:151-246.6. ) Swan, H. S. D., 1960. The mineral nutri­tion of Canadian pulpwood species. Tech. Report 168, Pulp and Paper Res. Inst, of Canada, Montreal. 66 pp.7. ) Tamm, C. O., 1964. Determination of thenutrient requirements of forest stands. Internat’l Rev. Forest Res. 1:115-170.8. ) Walker, R. B., 1963. Personal communi­cation. Dept, of Botany, Univ. of Wash., Seattle.9. ) Wallace, T., 1961. The diagnosis of min­eral deficiencies in plants. Chem. Publ. Co. New York.

Visual Diagnosis of Mineral Deficiency in Western Larch

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Visual Diagnosis of Mineral Deficiency in Western Larch

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