North Dakota fertilizer recommendation tables
This NDSU bulletin (SF882) provides soil-test-based fertilizer recommendation tables; its micronutrient section covers zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and boron (B), analyzed by DTPA (or hot water for B) soil tests. Zinc calibration in North Dakota applies only to corn, potato, flax, and dry edible bean, NOT soybean. For corn testing low to very low in Zn (DTPA categories: very low 0-0.25, low 0.26-0.50, medium 0.51-0.75, high 0.76-1.00, very high 1.01+ ppm), the recommendation is 10 lb Zn/acre as broadcast zinc sulfate, or one-third that rate seed-placed/near-seed banded; Zn need is greater when high broadcast or starter phosphorus is applied. A broadcast zinc sulfate application is expected to correct deficiency for 4-5 years; banded chelates (1 pint-2 quarts/acre) and foliar zinc chelate sprays are also effective for single-season correction. No Zn is recommended on medium-or-above-testing fields. Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is identified as a serious problem specifically in soybean (also flax, field pea, dry bean), driven by soil carbonates, wetness, cold soils, and high soluble salts; most other ND crops are not iron-sensitive. The most consistent soybean yield response comes from seed-placed ortho-ortho-FeEDDHA (or newer FeHBED) chelate applied in-furrow; foliar iron sprays are not effective for correcting IDC. For manganese and boron, the bulletin states no confirmed field deficiencies or documented yield responses in North Dakota, so no soil-test-based recommendation is made for either nutrient (categories listed as "no categories"/not established) — manganese solubility increases sharply below pH 5, with manganese toxicity in canola observed near pH 4.5. For copper, calibration only applies to wheat/durum and barley on low-organic-matter (<2.5%), sandy soils with low Cu (<0.3 ppm); even then only about 15% of applications show a positive yield response, so copper use is generally not economically favorable. No corn- or soybean-specific copper or boron recommendation is provided.
corn; soybean; zinc; iron; manganese; copper; DTPA soil test; FeEDDHA; IDC; fertilizer recommendation tables; North Dakota

