Manganese deficiency of wheat ( Triticum sativum L.) on Waimakariri sandy loam

Summary In 1957 portions of a wheat crop growing on Waimakariri sandy loam at Southbridge developed classical symptoms of manganese deficiency. Plants in pots and in the field, when sprayed with manganese sulphate or chloride, recovered and developed normally. Manganese contents of soil and plants were within the accepted range for manganese deficiency. Deficiency symptoms developed when the pH of the topsoil was about 7.3; growth was normal when the pH was about 6.9. The condition was diagnosed as a lime‐induced manganese deficiency of wheat growing on a soil of which the manganese content was critically low.