News

Don’t Chase Impossible Plant Tissue Levels

Plant tissue testing is helpful for monitoring fertilizer inputs and diagnosing visual deficiency symptoms. However, tissue test reports should not be treated as a report card. It is not possible to get straight A’s or high ratings on every nutrient. Depending on the uptake mechanism and role of the nutrient in the plant, it is not possible for plants to accumulate excesses of most essential nutrients. The sufficiency ranges, or normal ranges, that the ratings are based on are determined from levels observed in average, healthy-looking plants.

In a high fertility soil under good growing conditions, the most likely nutrients to be rated high are nitrogen and potassium. These nutrients can be taken up through mass flow, which means the plant can accumulate the nutrients dissolved in the soil solution. A high rating for these nutrients is generally an indicator of adequate fertility and good growing conditions.

The primary role of phosphorus in a plant is energy transfer for converting primary photosynthates into structural components of the plant. Phosphorus exists in relatively low concentrations in the soil solution and is taken up through root interception and diffusion. These uptake mechanisms require more energy than mass flow, so there is no benefit for the plant to take up more phosphorus than necessary. A high or very high rating is not commonly seen for phosphorus.

The primary role of magnesium is building chlorophyl molecules and calcium is for building structural components of cell walls. Both nutrients are taken up through root interception. Plants generally have access to much more of these elements than they need, but do not take up more in normal growing conditions. The exception is during drought stressed conditions. Plants will accumulate excess magnesium to help fill the role of potassium when potassium uptake is hindered.

In general, micronutrients will not accumulate in excess in healthy plants. High level ratings of micronutrients often indicate a stunted or stressed plant. Most micronutrients such as iron, manganese, zinc, are immobile in plant tissue. So, as a stressed plant begins to cannibalize itself, the immobile nutrients are left in the necrotic tissues in higher concentrations.

High yielding environments can result in very unusual tissue test results. Often, most of the nutrients in these situations are rated as low. This is a result of the nutrients essentially being diluted throughout the massive amount of biomass being produced but does not necessarily indicate a deficiency.

A plant tissue test report on its own is of little value without additional observation and information. However, when used as part of a complete scouting and nutrient management program, it can help provide insight into factors that we cannot visually diagnose.

ALGL Client Portal - Editing Users

Within the ALGL Client Portal those users with administrative rights can add/remove/edit right for users within the client portal. You must be the Account Admin to edit a User within your company. If you need help determining or editing which email is the Account Admin, please call A & L Great Lakes, 260-483-4759.

Once you have logged into the customer portal, you will click on the “Admin Tools” bar on the left side of the screen. 

Then select “Users” as seen below.

The screen will show a list of any Users that have been set up on this account. The list will also show what each User has been granted access to in the portal, under “Roles”. If you wish to change what a User has access to, click the green ( + ) button beside the User’s email address.

To edit a User’s account Roles, click the emblem to the left of the trash can. A dialogue box will appear where you can select/unselect the User’s Account Roles (eDocs, Ordering Supplies, Accounting, Etc.)

In order to add a new User, follow the same steps from the beginning. Click “Admin Tools” and then click “Users”. On the far right of the screen, select the button that says, “Create User”.

Enter the new User’s Name, Email, Acct Number, and what Account Roles you would like them to have access to.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Blossom End Rot

These are some of the longest, hottest days of summer for many in the Midwest.  This can indicate longs days scouting and spraying crops, at the lake or family vacations.  As a delicious bonus it could mean maturing produce in the garden or harvest being sent to farmers’ markets/consumers.  As tomatoes, peppers, squash and melons are being harvested an annual recurrence of blossom end rot seems to still trouble some producers.

The first observation of this phenomenon is a soft, bruised spot on the bottom parts of the fruits.  Although it may seem like a disease, blossom end rot is a physiological disorder.  The bottom part of the fruit may start to look watery, soft and then turn dark brown to black.  It often creates the perfect environment to host bacterial and fungal diseases depending on temperature, humidity etc. leading to continued decay potentially consuming most of the fruit.

This type of rot is caused by lack of calcium in the fruit itself.  The first step is to make sure there is adequate calcium in the soil.  A simple soil test will be able to determine what the soil needs prior to the growing season, or even in-season depending on the grower’s preference of application practices and products.  Then the plants used need to be planted, or sowed, at the correct location, depth and spacing depending on the cultivar’s needs.  Low calcium levels in the fruit are often caused by inconsistent watering practices or lack thereof.  This nutrient is taken up by the plant by roots through the soil solution. 

If there is inconsistent moisture, poor root development or inadequate calcium in the soil solution blossom end rot is bound to happen.  Another consideration for this occurrence is how calcium is distributed through the plant.  Calcium is not a mobile nutrient in plants.  Once it is taken into plant tissues, it is not redistributed to other parts of the plant.  Its initial uptake is due to transpiration which leaves evaporate more water making them a large pool for calcium compared to fruit.  Too much vegetation, possibly from over fertilization of nitrogen, can also cause these large pools of calcium in the leaves rather than the fruit. 

If soil calcium is low, and this is the cause of blossom end rot, there are a few practices to consider going forward.  When the first fruit set is occurring, and rot is just showing, a liquid calcium product may be the answer for a quicker response time.  The finer the calcium product, the quicker it will become part of the soil solution. 

The long-term solution is adjusting the soil pH, and calcium levels based on a soil test recommendation.  Contradictory to quick uptake, the larger the particle size will result in long term adjustments. Timely, consistent watering and mulching the crops can keep the soil solution available to the plant roots and allow reliable uptake of calcium. 

Who Pays for Free Shipping?

Across all markets, amazon to soil samples, free shipping has been a big market driver for the past 10 or so years. When something is shipped, the shipping company still charges, so who pays the bill?

The real cost of free shipping is either estimated per package or averaged over all the items if the products are uniform, either way that amount is added to the selling price of the product. This can bring up a variety of scenarios for both the customer and the seller. The seller can often account for many of these, often to the benefit of the seller.

With the inflation of goods and services along with increases in actual shipping costs, the prices of shipped goods with free shipping have increased significantly due to these synergistic costs.

ALGL made the decision not to offer free shipping several years ago and the reasons supporting that decision have remained valid. ALGL does offer a discounted UPS ground shipping rate to our customers. All our volume of inbound and outbound UPS freight leads to a significant volume discount. The actual cost to ship the samples is transferred to your account. Not free shipping, but as cost effective as can be provided.

No free shipping allows ALGL customers to make the best possible decisions for their business. Clients can directly compare shipping samples through our UPS program to other shipping options such as in-person delivery.  Clients closer to the lab can deliver samples directly to the lab in leu of shipping without being subject to shipping costs included in the sample price. When clients collect soil samples in a season in advance, they can deliver/ship samples after the collection seasons, maybe utilizing RTL freight carriers at a much lower price point.

Free shipping seems like a good deal, but is it? Contact your ALGL Sales Agronomist to help work through the best shipping options for your business.

The Cost of Baling Straw

We have been working with one of our clients to get a better understanding of how much nutrient is leaving the field when baling wheat straw. There is a wide range of book values, often with a 3-4x range within each nutrient. When trying to budget for straw nutrient removal in the budget for pricing the straw, that left a big question.

One of the often overlooked aspects of soil and tissue testing is using these tools to answer questions, not just to make recommendations. So why not collect some wheat samples and see what the tissue test results look like?

Samples were collected from various regions of the client’s trade area following straw harvest in 2023 and 2024. The dry weather during grain fill reduced nutrient availability and plant uptake in 3 of 4 locations in 2023. Even with this variability the data range was about half that of the book values.

Figure 1. 2023 Straw Tissue Test Results (Utilizing Spring 2024 Fertilizer Prices)

In 2024 there was more available moisture during grain fill, and this is reflected in the data. N, P, and K levels were higher and more consistent in 2024. This data is similar to the 2023 location that did have adequate moisture during grain fill.

Figure 2. 2024 Straw Tissue Test Results (Utilizing Spring 2025 Fertilizer Prices)

The field data, while admittedly a small sample set, it looking to be trending towards to lower end of the crop removal book values for wheat straw.

Figure 3. Book Value Vs. Data Comparison

Whether it is straw or grain, tissue testing can aid in narrowing down actual crop removal levels. Contact your ALGL sales agronomist to learn more.

ALGL Client Portal - How to Access and Download Reports and Data

Log in with your email address and password. You will access all of your past and current reports through “eDocs” listed on the left side of the screen. Click here for instructions for logging into the ALGL Client Portal. 

Properties and Basic Management of Zinc

Zinc has become one of the most commonly applied micronutrients in the Midwest, at least in corn production. Yet over 50% of the soils tested at ALGL are rated as low which is below 3 ppm. Most crops do better with a soil test level around 5 ppm. But as with all micronutrients, adding zinc to your soil is not a replacement for good overall management of your pH and macronutrients.

The role of zinc in plants is to aid protein synthesis, energy production, and growth regulation. As a result, visual symptomology in crop vegetation is not common in most situations. The most common result is a stunted growth which is very difficult visually diagnose, especially when the same symptoms can be caused by a deficiency of several other nutrients. Grass species such as corn and wheat are more likely to show chlorotic deficiency symptoms but can be nearly impossible to discern from other nutrient deficiencies such as manganese and iron. Tissue testing can be a great tool to help determine the culprit.

Zinc deficiencies are common on certain soil types and during certain weather conditions. Soils with high pH, low organic matter, and sandy textures are most prone to low zinc availability. Cold and wet weather conditions lead to zinc deficiencies due to reduced uptake. While there is little to be done about weather conditions, managing zinc inputs on challenging soil types can have a significant impact on overall production. For high pH soils utilize banding placement (2x2), foliar applications, and choose chelated forms of fertilizer. For low organic matter/sandy soils, try to incorporate manure or compost. Adding organic matter to the soil not only brings some zinc with it but also helps maintain the availability of other zinc sources.

Common application rates for zinc are between 2 and 5 pounds per acre in a broadcast application and less than one pound per acre in a foliar application. Fortunately, zinc does not reach toxic levels easily. Elevated zinc levels are common on soil with a long history of manure applications. Especially if the manure comes from older livestock facilities with galvanized floors and pens. Zinc is also very high in manure from hog nursery barns because of the feed supplements used. While there is no definitive soil test level at which zinc becomes toxic, applications should be stopped if the average soil test from a field approaches 10 ppm.

Increasing Nitrogen Rates for High Yielding Winter Wheat

Globally, wheat is one of the top three grain crops grown along with rice and corn.  Some regions are better suited for growing wheat than The Great Lakes Region, but with the right genetics, fertility and seeding practices, we can hold our own. Described in this article are ways to gain higher yield with nitrogen applications.

Using a recommendation from Charles Mansfield and Stephan Hawkins with Purdue University Extension to raise 100 bushels of wheat per acre it takes 130 pounds of nitrogen.  100 bu/ac is considered a good wheat crop, yet some of Eastern Europe is experiencing up to 200 bu/ac.  How is this possible? They start with good genetics and uniform seed.  Then it is seeded at the right rate, depth and row width.  This controls tillering, uniformity and humidity in the row during the season. 

A 200 bu/ac wheat crop may require 12-14 passes during its lifecycle.   These include seeding, fertility, pesticides, growth regulators and harvest.  For the Midwest, this does not have a positive return on investment.  So, what can the grower improve and integrate?  Wheat has a high response to nitrogen.  Most nitrogen applications for winter wheat are made as the crop is coming out of dormancy.  This is when the vegetative growth responds well to application.  However, this is a risky approach with high rates as it is very weather dependent. 

Split applying nitrogen spreads the risk of nitrogen loss to leaching and volatilization.  To make two applications, it is advisable to make the first at the usual timing or just out of dormancy and a second application at Feekes 6 and just before 7.  Sixty percent of the nitrogen is to be applied with the first application and forty percent with the second application.  A UAN, or urea ammonium nitrate, can be used as the source of nitrogen.  It is best to apply with little to no wind, a dry leaf surface and large droplet size to reduce leaf burn.

When increasing the nitrogen rate, the largest concerns are nitrogen loss and lodging.  Lodging is when the crop falls over making harvest either troublesome or impossible.  This traps moisture leading to certain diseases and the combine is not able to harvest the crop.  A growth regulator, tank mixed with the second application, can provide great results.  What they are designed to do is make the wheat plant shorter which results in less lodging. 

Growth regulators, like Trinexapac-ethyl, must be applied at the correct time.  As mentioned before, the second nitrogen pass is at Feekes 6-7, or Zadoks 31.  This is because if a regulator is applied too late, it will restrict the developing head between nodes causing a significant yield reduction. 

Even though we cannot control the weather and regionally limited in some resources for growing higher yielding winter wheat, managing rates and timing applications are two ways to achieve more yield. 

Tissue Sampling Trees

Spring is in the air and for most lawn and landscape practitioners this means getting the season off to the best start possible.  Many of the beginning steps such as soil sampling and early season fertilizer applications may already be implemented, but one practice to be ready for this year is tissue sampling your trees.

Soil sampling is an excellent tool to help understand what is present in the soil, and potentially available to the tree(s).  When sampling trees, is it paramount to sample within the drip line of the tree and 0-18 inches of depth.  Most samples are taken at 12 inches deep since this is the most common depth possible taken with a manual soil probe. 

The drip line, or the outside edge of the tree’s canopy, is a good indicator of where the majority root mass is underneath the soil surface.  Any samples taken outside of the drip line will not be the best representative sample.  Soil samples are necessary to make an agronomic application or amendment to better the health and/or productivity of the tree, but soil samples are limited to only knowing what is present at sample depth.

Unlike row or vegetable crops, the root systems of trees can be immensely different.  They often cover large areas both vertically and horizontally.  This means that the soil sample is a very small snapshot of the big picture.  Whereas a soil sample is taken at root depth, or root accessibility, for root and vegetable crops, tree care needs more input information.

This is where tissue sampling helps complete the story for tree care.  A tissue sample is a representation of what is currently in the tree itself.  This, in conjunction with a soil sample, will show what is available for uptake from the soil and how the tree is utilizing these nutrients.  It is not uncommon for a soil test to report different levels of nutrients in comparison to the tissue analysis.  Many variables can affect nutrient uptake.  The root structure itself is a main contributor.  Outside forces like compaction, nematodes (pests), diseases and weather, to name a few, all influence nutrient uptake. 

In most cases a tissue sample for a tree is comprised of mature leaves from new growth for deciduous trees and 2-3” terminal cuttings from new growth for conifers. Contact your ALGL regional agronomist for more information.

By the time trees show signs and symptoms of nutrient deficiency, it is usually too difficult to change the tree nutrient value quickly.  There are some commercial applications for directly injecting available nutrients into the tree, but this can be a costly procedure.  Tissue samples of healthy leaves are usually taken mid-summer annually.  This is when the tree is most stable with fully developed leaves.

Soil and tissue sampling work together in coordination when implementing the best nutrient management plan for trees.  Soil samples show what is available whereas tissue samples show what is being utilized.  Together, the results are interpreted as the best option for that species, environment and soil type. 

ALGL Client Portal - First Time Login Instructions

Go to our website to access the link to our portal from our website: https://algreatlakes.com/pages/algl-customer-service-portal. Or you can use this link to take you directly to the sign in page: https://portal.algreatlakes.com/.        

NOTE: Only those emails associated with an ALGL Business Account or added by a Client Portal Admin will be able to login. 

Click “sign in” and it will bring you to a log in page. Please click “sign up now”

Click “sign up now”

Validate your email by entering your email and selecting “send verification code” before entering a password. The portal will send you an email with a code that you enter in a dialog box that appears once you select the link. Once you validate your email you can continue by creating a password. 

Once you go through these steps, if it won’t let you log in completely, log out and log back in using your email and password. No need to verify your email more than once. Please feel free to the lab for help.