I’ve got a grower that had manure applied to a corn field going to corn; his ag retailer thinks that soluble salts from the manure are causing problems on the hill tops. In my scouting I’m seeing symptoms of low OM, potentially some corn nematodes(not uncommon for us around here) and as per usual with our sandy knobs, really low pH. Roots are knubbed and “burned”, telling me we’ve got some nasty aluminum toxicity going on. Anywhere the corn got planted thru the manure it has great color, right growth stage etc etc, where there is no manure, things are pretty ugly. My curiosity, in general, is around soluble salts; any soil tests I’ve ever taken we measure soluble salts, but it’s never been an issue, even in heavily manured fields. What insight/info can anyone provide me to give me ammo against the ag retailer that our issues with the corn isn’t soluble salts and the manure, it’s the low OM and low pH—some basic facts, things to look at, consider etc. TIA!

Posted by yieldplusagronomics at 2023-06-20 11:41:59 UTC