ZINC RELATIONSHIPS OF SOME UTAH SOILS

Abstract

In Utah, Zn-deficiency symptoms usually appear on fruit trees growing on noncalcareous soils derived principally from granite, gneiss, quartzite, or related rocks. No Zn-deficiency symptoms have been observed on soils derived principally from limestone. The Zn content of calcareous soils was almost twice that of noncalcareous soils. Samples of rock which serve as parent materials for noncalcareous soils contained about the same amount of Zn as samples of various formations of limestone. The Zn in the granite, gneiss, and quartzite samples studied was more soluble than that in limestone. Apparently, Zn is lost more rapidly from silicate rocks than from limestone rocks during weathering processes. In the soils studied, no consistent correlations were found between values for any of the 4 factors determined: total Zn, available Zn, organic matter, and pH.