Remedy of Lime-Induced Chlorosis with Iron-Enriched Muck

Muck from the Huleh Valley, Israel (drained peat containing about 35% inorganic material) was enriched with inorganic iron salt and tested as an iron source with peanuts as indicator plants. In a pot experiment conducted with a mountain rendzina soil, containing 63% CaC0₃, control plants exhibited severe chlorosis and stunted growth, which were completely avoided by the application of FeEDDHA. Iron-enriched muck increased chlorophyl content threefold over the control up to a level equal to that of FeEDDHA. Dry matter yield was doubled. Levels of Na₄P₂07- and DTPA- extractable iron after three months of growth, were found to be 2–3 times higher than those of the control and FeEDDHA treatments. A field experiment was conducted in the Bet-Shean Valley on a rendzina soil containing 42% CaC0₃. During the growth period, the Fe-muck and FeEDDHA treatments exhibited clear advantage over the untreated plots. Pod and hay yields of the Fe-muck treatments were about 175% of those of the control and about 80% of those of the FeEDDHA. Since the Fe-muck developed from very inexpensive components proved effective on extremely calcareous soils, prospects for economically solving problems of iron deficiency seem good.