In the Furrow
Plant Tissue Sampling Can Help
By Will Duffie County Extension Coordinator

Growing plants for a living or a hobby is often fun and challenging. Whether you

grow cotton, squash, blueberry, pecan, or roses; you have probably experienced producing unh ealthy plants. Most of the time sick plants can be revived with water, fertilizer or a pesticide.

The next time you have a situation with unhealthy plants, think about taking a plant tissue sample. A plant analysis has three main applications: to confirm a suspected nutrient element deficiency when visual symptoms are present, to monitor the plant nutrient element status in order to determine whether each tested nutrient is in sufficient concentration for optimum yield and to serve as the basis, along with a soil test, for making fertilizer recommendations for fruit and nut crops.

The diagnostic role of a plant analysis has been well established. Confirm a suspected deficiency by a plant analysis before applying a corrective treatment. Numerous cases can be given where incorrect diagnosis in the field has led to crop failures, as well as costly and ineffective corrective treatments. Take care when sampling plants which are being stressed nutritionally. Plants that have been subjected to long periods of stress tend to develop unusual nutrient contents. Therefore, obtain samples as soon as symptoms appear. Dead tissue or tissue that is showing severe symptoms should not be included in the sample.

Plant tissue sampling is easy and cost effective. Kits can be picked up at our office. For questions contact the UGA - Burke County Extension Office at 706-554-2119.