Agricultural Service Laboratory
Plant Tissue Analysis
Clemson Extension
Guidelines for Sampling and Interpreting Results
April 16, 2001
For more details see Reference Sufficiency Ranges for Plant Analysis in the Southern Region of the United States, SCSB #394, R. Campbell at http://www.agr.state.nc.us/agronomi/saaesd/s394.htm
Alfalfa (50)
Bahiagrass (33)
Coastal Bermuda Hay (34)
Canola (02)
Corn - below whorl & ear leaf at tasseling (21)
Corn whole top up to 4 (20)
Cotton early bloom (01)
Cotton Petiole (00)
Fescue (31)
Grain Sorghum flowering (25)
Orchardgrass (32)
Peanuts (08)
Small Grain seedling to flag leaf emergence (29)
Soybeans flowering (04)
Asparagus (51)
Beets (60)
Broccoli heading (61)
Brussel Sprouts (43)
Cabbage (62)
Carrots 60 days after seeding (63)
Cauliflower at buttoning (79)
Celery (03)
Collards (64)
Cucumbers (53)
Cucumbers, Greenhouse (76)
Eggplant (65)
Green beans (44)
Kale (66)
Lettuce (54)
Lettuce, Greenhouse (75)
Muskmelon (40)
Onions, Vidalia (68)
Peas (45)
Peppers, Bell prior to blossoming (69)
Potato, Irish (95)
Snap Beans (57)
Spinach (71)
Spinach, Greenhouse (41)
Squash (58)
Sweet Corn (46)
Tomatoes, Greenhouse (78)
Tomatoes, Trellis (77)
Turnips (72)
Watermelon (59)
Apples (80)
Blueberries rabbiteye (82)
Cherry, sour (13)
Cherry, sweet (14)
Figs (83)
Grape, bunch (petiole) (47)
Kiwi (06)
Muscadine grapes (84)
Peaches (86)
Pears (81)
Pecans (88)
Plums (87)
Prune (16)
Raspberry (17)
Strawberries (74)
Azaleas (96)
Cabbage, Ornamental (15)
Carnations (22)
Chrysanthemum (23)
Geranium (24)
Gladiola (30)
Hydrangea (37)
Lily (Easter) (39)
Poinsettia (92)
Rhododendron (97)
Roses (12)
Snapdragon (41)
Deciduous (18)
Evergreen (19)
Fraser Fir (91)
Pine, Loblolly (48)
Pine, Longleaf (49)
Bentgrass (42)
Bermudagrass (89)
Carpetgrass (93)
Centipede (94)
CoolSeason Grass (38)
Orchardgrass (32)
St. Augustine (35)
Zoysia (36)
Reference Sufficiency Ranges
Agronomic Crops
Alfalfa (50) Sample the top 4 to 6 inches of the plant prior to or at 1/10 bloom stage.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
3.00-5.00 |
0.25-0.70 |
2.00-3.50 |
0.80-3.00 |
0.25-1.00 |
0.25-0.50 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
30-250 |
25-100 |
20-70 |
4-30 |
20-80 |
|
Bahiagrass (33) Sample top 4-6 inches of plant. Take leaves from 50 plants for one sample.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
2.00-2.60 |
0.23-0.40 |
1.20-2.00 |
0.25-0.50 |
0.10-0.25 |
0.15-0.25 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
50-200 |
20-300 |
20-70 |
4-20 |
5-15 |
|
Coastal Bermuda (34) Sample the upper half of the plant prior to seed head formation.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
2.00-2.60 |
0.20-0.40 |
1.50-2.30 |
0.25-0.50 |
0.10-0.25 |
0.15-0.25 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
50-200 |
20-300 |
15-70 |
4-20 |
5-15 |
|
Canola (02) Sample the uppermost recently mature leaf blades prior to flowering
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
4.00-6.00 |
0.42-0.69 |
3.50-5.10 |
2.10-3.00 |
0.15-0.62 |
0.65-0.90 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
100+ |
30-250 |
33-49 |
5-25 |
25-54 |
|
Corn (20) Seedling (<4 inches in height)
Whole plant should be collected by cutting 1 inch above the soil surface. Depending on size, 15 to 20 plants are adequate for a sample.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
4.00-5.00 |
0.40-0.60 |
3.00-4.00 |
0.30-0.80 |
0.20-0.60 |
0.18-0.50 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
40-250 |
25-160 |
20-60 |
6-20 |
5-25 |
|
Corn (21) Tasseling/Bloom
The earleaf is the best indicator sample. This is the leaf adjacent to the uppermost developing ear. Ten leaves are adequate for a sample.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
2.80-4.00 |
0.25-0.50 |
1.80-3.00 |
0.25-0380 |
0.15-0.60 |
0.15-0.60 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
30-250 |
15-150 |
20-70 |
5-25 |
5-25 |
|
Cotton (01) Leaf blade at early bloom
Sample the uppermost, mature cotton leaf blade on the vegetative stem. Discard the petiole. (Note: some research has included both leaf blade and petiole.) This is usually the 3rd to 5th leaf from the terminal. Sample during the period of one week before to one week after first bloom.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
3.00-4.50 |
0.20-0.65 |
1.50-3.00 |
2.00-3.50 |
0.30-0.90 |
0.25-0.80 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
50-250 |
25-350 |
20-200 |
5-25 |
20-80 |
|
Fescue, Tall (31) Samples should be collected every five to six weeks during growing season before flowering. Collect above ground portion of 20 plants.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
|
|
|
|
2.80-3.80 |
0.26-0.40 |
2.50-3.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grain Sorghum (25) Flowering or at Heading
Sample second leaf from the top of the plant. This is the recommended sampling procedure when determining the nutrient status of the treatments and yield.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
|
|
2.50-4.00 |
0.20-0.35 |
1.40- |
0.30-0.60 |
0.20-0.50 |
|
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
65-100 |
8-100 |
12-100 |
2-7 |
1-10 |
|
Orchardgrass (32) Sample top 4-6 inches of plant. Take leaves from 50 plants for one sample.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
2.00-2.60 |
0.23-0.40 |
1.20-2.00 |
0.25-0.50 |
0.10-0.25 |
0.15-0.25 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
50-200 |
20-300 |
20-700 |
4-20 |
5-15 |
|
Peanut (08) All Growth Stages
The most recent mature trifoliate is the best indicator sample. A total of 15 to 20 trifoliates are required for a representative sample.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
3.50-4.50 |
0.20-0.50 |
1.70-3.00 |
0.50-2.00 |
0.30-0.80 |
0.20-0.35 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
50-250 |
20-350 |
20-60 |
5-20 |
20-60 |
|
Small Grain (Barley, Oats, Rye, Wheat) (29) Seedling to Tillering
Whole plants should be collected by cutting 1 inch above the soil surface. After collecting subsamples from several locations in a field, clippings should be combined for a representative sample.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
4.00-5.00 |
0.20-0.50 |
2.50-5.00 |
0.20-1.00 |
0.14-1.00 |
0.15-0.65 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
30-200 |
20-150 |
18-70 |
4.5-15 |
1.5-4 |
|
Soybean (04) Flowering
The most recently matured leaf blades are collected for subsequent analysis.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
3.25-5.00 |
0.30-0.60 |
1.50-2.25 |
0.80-1.40 |
0.25-0.70 |
0.25-0.60 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
25-300 |
17-100 |
21-80 |
4-30 |
20-60 |
|
Tobacco (99) Flowering
The most recent mature of fully expanded leaf is the best indicator of nutritional status. This is the first leaf back from the growing point that is fully developed generally the 4th or 5th leaf back from the bud.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
S(%) |
|
3.50-4.50 |
0.20-0.50 |
2.50-3.50 |
0.75-1.50 |
0.20-0.60 |
0.15-0.60 |
|
Fe(ppm) |
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
Cu(ppm) |
B(ppm) |
|
|
30-300 |
20-250 |
20-60 |
5-10 |
18-75 |
|
Asparagus (51) Sample the mature fern from 18-36 inches at mid-growth.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
|
|
2.40-3.80 |
0.20-0.35 |
1.50-2.40 |
0.40-0.50 |
0.15-0.20 |
|
|
|
Mn(ppm) |
Zn(ppm) |
|
B(ppm) |
|
|
|
10-160 |
20-60 |
|
50-100 |
|
Beets (60) Sample the young mature leaf at mid-growth. Take 3 leaves per plant.
|
N(%) |
P(%) |
K(%) |
Ca(%) |
Mg(%) |
|
|
3.50-5.00 |
0.20-0.30 |
2.00-4.00 |