Cotton Leaf Mn Concentration and Lint Yield in Acidic Soils

Low soil pH is a common occurrence in cultivated soils in the South and Southeast. Fertilizing these soils with synthetic N fertilizers further acidifies the soil. Liming is the most commonly, if not the only, recommended remedy of negative effects of acidic soils. Laboratories that analyze soil samples routinely recommend lime application to remediate low soil pH. Although not known as liming material, poultry litter in the past decade or two litter has been shown to increase or maintain soil pH. We explored the level of cotton leaf Mn and its effect on lint yield in low pH soils fertilized with synthetic N fertilizers vs poultry litter lower with or without lime. The results show that liming may not be necessary if fertilizing acidic soils with poultry litter. Liming may lower leaf Mn levels but may not be as effective as poultry litter for lint yield.