Response of field‐grown soybeans to lime

Abstract

Abstract Studies were conducted to; (1) measure the detrimental effects of manganese toxicity on vegetative and reproductive growth of soybeans, and (2) measure the influence of liming on the availability and uptake of manganese. The data suggests that the cultivar Forrest may be more sensitive than either Bragg or Lee 68 to manganese concentrations but this is not reflected in foliar levels. Liming the soil to pH 5.5 or above significantly reduced the concentration of extractable soil manganese, decreased foliar concentrations and eliminated the toxic effects, and increased the yields. Soybean yields and foliar manganese concentrations correlated better with NH4OAc‐ or CaCl2‐extractable manganese than with water‐soluble manganese.