Proceedings of the Annual Fertilizer Conference of Pacific Northwest - 31stPublished 1980. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo

Jackson, T. L. (Thomas Lloyd), 1922-

Yungen, John A. (John Alfred)

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r PHOSPHORUS AND COPPER FERTILIZATION1yFFECTS ON CHIEFTAN AND DANVER ONION&= 2/ T. L. Jackson and J. A. Yunger-Phosphorus (P) is a critical factor affecting production in onion grm•ling areas of Oregon. Previous unpublished data has shown marked responses from band application of P on Lake Labish peat soils (about 10 miles north of Salem, Oregon) when P soil analyses values (Bray Pl) were above 100 ~g P/g (ppm) of soil. Recent research in Texas (Hulkey et al., 1979) has sho1vn better increases in yield from P applications banded below the seed at planting than from P applications that were broadcast and worked into the seed bed before planting. Phosphorus analyses of leaf samples were not completed in these experiments. The management problems of establishing experiments to compare band vs, broadcast P applications in grower's fields prompted us to establish experiments on the Nedford Experiment Station where tve could compare P applications that were banded under the seed or broadcast and disced under before planting on the yield, and P and Cu concentrations in onion leaf samples grown on a soil that was knotvn to be P deficient. Three major objectives tvere identified for experiments established in 1978 and 1979 at the Southern Oregon Experiment Station near ~Iedford. These were: 1. To compare effects of band versus preplant broadcast P applications on yield, size grade, and P concentrations in onion leaves. 2. To establish a critical P level in leaf samples for Danver and Chief tan onions that could be used to predict P response on farmer 1 s fields. 3. To evaluate possible effects of P fertilization on Cu (copper) response by these onion varieties. NATERIALS AND HETHODS Experiments tvere established in 1978 and 1979 on a soil with a pH of 6.3, extractable K, Ca, Hg values of 0.20, 13.0, 3.1 meq/100 g of soil, respectively. A split plot design tvas used on both years with 0, 22, and 44 lb P/A in 1978 and 0 or 44 lb P/A in 1979 broadcast and disced into the seed bed before planting as the main plots. Rates of 0, 22 and 44 lb P /A were banded about 2 inches deep as the first subplot; onions tvere _!/Proceedings, Thirty first annual Fertilizer Conference of the Pacific Northwest; Salt Lake City, Utah, July 15-17, 1980. Oregon Agr. Exp. Sta. 21Tech. Paper No. ,'~-~: '1(1 -Professor of Soil Science, Oregon State University, and Associate Agronomist, Southern Oregon Experiment Station, respectively. • planted that day, ~;ith a hand pushed planet Jr. planter, directly over the banded fertilizer. Phosphorus ~;as applied as monocalcium (con-centra ted super) phosphate. Three rov1s 1;•lere planted to Danver onions and 3 ro~;s to Chieftan onions on each plot; this al.lo~;ed the 2 center ro1;s on each variety to be used as harvest rows. All treatments received 200 lbs N/A as a combination of 500 lbs of ammonium sulfate pluts 200 lbs of potassium chloride per acre at planting and 250 lbs of ammonium nitrate broadcast during the gro~;ing season. Leaf samples ~;ere collected, the third .leaf from the top, as the onions were starting to bulb and after the larger bulbs had reached 3/4 to 1 inch in size. Leaf samples were dried, ground, and digested ~;ith perchloric acid for chemical analyses. Cations Here measured with atomic adsorption with P by Vanadomolybdo phosphoric acid colorimetric procedure. Yields were measured for each treatment ~<ith onions graded into 4" plus, 3-4", 2-3", and smaller size classes. RESULTS Yield of onions and chemical analyses of leaf samples from the 1979 experiment are given in Table 1. Response from P, relationship bet1-1een P concentration in leaf samples and yield response from applied P for 1978 and 1979 ~<ere very similar. The effects of P and Cu fertilizer treatments on yield and P and Cu concentration for Danver and Chieftan onion varieties are shown in Table 1. T~;enty two lbs P/A banded under the seed at planting has consistently increased total yield, yield of large onions, and % P in leaf samples more than 44 lbs P/A broadcast and disced in before planting. Yield of #1 onions ~<as 735 bags versus 665 bags for Danver mtd 1,094 versus 996 for Chieftan for this band versus broadcast comparison, respectively (treatments 2 versus 4, and 12 versus 14). Relative increases in yield from P application are greater when the large size onions are considered. Yields of 2-3 and 3-1+ inch onions ~qere increased from 244 to 588 and from 2 to 150 bags, respectively, for Danver variety (treatment 7 vs. 10). Yield of large size onions 3-4 and 4+ inch 1oere increased from 177 to 688 and from 0 to 92 bags, respectively, for the Chieftan variety (treat-ment 17 vs. 20). Phosphorus concentrations for leaf samples (third leaf from the top Hhen miion bulbs were 3/4" diameter) ~;e.re'0.37 versus 0.39% for Danver and 0,1+0 versus 0. 36% P for Chief tan for 22 lbs P/A band treatment than with the 44 lbs P/A disced in before planting. The maximum yield of 2 inch and larger Danver anions was produced with 44 lbs P/A disced in before planting, plus the 44 lbs P/A rate banded belcH the seed; increases in yield from application of copper were not evident ~;ith Danver onions. This high rate of P application apparently increased vegetative growth of Chieftan enough to dilute Cu to the critical level. Treatments 18 and 19 with Cu added increased the yield and larger sized onions above comparable P rates without Cu (treat-ments 13 and 16). Note that high rates of P apparently produced more vegetative gro1>/th and more stress on Cu for Chieftan than for Danver variety. Copper levels were lo,.,er for both sampling dates for the Chieftan variety; treatments 13 and 16 average 8 ppm Cu for Chieftan while treatments 3 and 6 averaged 9.5 ppm Cu for Danver. These data confirm our earlier observaitons on Lake Labish experiments that established 7 ppm Cu as a critical level for third leaf from the top when onion bulbs were 3/4 to 111 diameter. Analyses of leaf samples have shown a consistent decrease in P concentration of 0.05 to 0.10% P between the time the bulb starts to form and the time it reaches 3/4 ·to 1" diameter; this generally takes about 2 weeks. Therefore, sampling time is important when evaluating adequacy of a P fertilizer prgoram with chemical analyses of' leaf samples. Our present data from the Southern Oregon Exp. Sta. indicate that we should have more than 0. 40% P in leaf samples (third leaf from top) when onion bulbs are 3/4 to 1 11 diameter. Phosphorus levels are probably adequate when leaf samples contain 0.45% P at this stage of growth. Experiments are planned to confirm this for Hillamette Valley peat soils during 1980 and 1981. Analyses of plant samples for both 1978 and 1979 showed that Cu levels in leaf samples Here reduced with high rates of applied P. This resulted in a response from Cu on Chieftan variety in 1979. Possible stress on Cu nutrition from the high rates of P application could explain the lo1.,er yield in 1977 experiments (data not reported here). Detailed Cu analyses were not completed on those samples; however, P levels were above 0. 50% for the higher fertilizer rates on both sample dates in 1977. Research Hark in other areas has established that zinc and iron micronutrient deficiencies frequently accompany very high levels of P (0. 60% P, and especially levels above 0. 75% P) and suggests that high levels of P fertilization may cause micronutrient deficiencies. Nicronutrient decreases in Cu concentraion were greater than the relative decreases in Zn concentration of leaf tissue 'i1hen P treatments were added. Nicronutrient interactions are comPlex, espec;ially when 3 or 4 nutrients might be involved. A discussion of these interactions is beyond the scope of this paper. Individuals interested in a discussion of these effects are referred to the chapter by Olsen (1972). in "~!icro­nutrients in Agriculture." Experiments for 1980 are designed to evaluate the effects of P fertilization on total amount of Cu taken up by corn and onions. LITERATURE CITED Jackson, T. L. and C. E. Carter. 1976. Nutrient Uptake by Russet Burbank Potatoes as Influenced by Fertilization. Agronomy Journal 68:9-12. Nulkey, .J. R., E. L. Albach, E. Dainello. 1979. Response of onions to P placement, Agronomy Journal 71:1037-1040. Olsen, S. R. 1972. Nicronutrient Ineractions. In Nicronutrients in agriculture, J • .J. Nortvedt, P. N. Giordana, \1. L. Lindsay (eds.), Soil Sci. Soc, of Amer., ~)adison, Wise . • Table 1. Effect of P and Cu treatments on yield and nutrient composition of onion leaf samples. Southern Oregon Exp. Sta. 1979. Treatment Nutrient Concentration leaf samrlesl/ Phosphorus -------Yield #1 onions--------- June 10 -.---June 25----Bdcast Band Cu 4"+ 3-4" 2-3" Total p Cu p Cu Mn ------lb P/A---------- ---------50 lb bags/A--------- % ppm % ----ppm---D&'IVER VARIETY 1 0 0 0 3 292 433 .33 13 .34 11 40 2 0 22 0 113 543 735 . 42 11 .37 11 38 3 0 44 0 138 502 706 .48 10 .40 10 28 4 44 0 0 40 525 664 .40 13 .39 11 34 5 44 22 0 147 567 912 .46 10 .37 10 32 6 44 44 0 155 607 846 .54 9 .43 9 30 7 0 0 10 2 244 389 .31 14 .37 12 32 8 0 44 10 179 578 823 .47 10 . 38 9 36 9 44 0 10 44 501 663 .42 12 .44 12 42 10 44 44 10 150 588 808 .53 10 .39 8 28 CHIEFTAIN VARIETY 11 0 0 0 8 190 452 710 .30 13 .34 11 34 12 0 22 0 38 581 444 1094 .43 11 .40 10 38 13 0 44 0 52 549 390 1016 . 45 9 .41 7 38 14 44 0 0 4 410 559 996 .37 13 .36 12 38 15 44 22 0 71 657 415 1177 .47 10 .41 8 30 16 44 44 0 45 579 415 1072 .58 7 . 45 8 32 17 0 0 10 0 177 560 783 . 32 11 .33 12 40 18 0 44 10 53 606 470 1179 . 49 10 .42 9 38 19 44 0 10 10 393 487 919 .43 13 . 42 12 42 20 44 44 10 92 688 395 1203 .48 12 .40 7 24 _YK, C~, and Ng analyses were 3.5% K, 0. 70% Ca and 0.22% Mg for trt. 6 and 3.8% K, 0.90% Ca, and 0.25% Mg for trt. 16. K analyses decreased from 5.8 and 5.1% K for trts. 1 and 11, respectively, showing a marked dilution effe.ct as yields were increased with P fertilization; there was essentially no change in Ca and Hg analvses. 

Phosphorus and copper fertilization effects on chiefton and danver onions

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Phosphorus and copper fertilization effects on chiefton and danver onions

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