Throughout much of western United States the soils contain considerable calcium carbonate. This lime is either distributed throughout the soils profile or it occurs in a zone of accumulation at varying depths. On many of these soils certain plants exhibit a chlorosis in varying intensity. This chlorotic condition is not stable as it varies from year to year and even day to day with changing conditions of climate and soil. This chlorosis has been reported from the wine and fruit regions of Europe, from the pineapple and sugar cane areas of Puerto Rico and Florida, from the sorghum and bean areas of the Great Plains and Southwest. The variety of plants subject to lime-induced chlorosis is great and varied. It includes such diverse species as citrus fruits, deciduous fruits, conifers, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, sugar cane, sorghum, peas and beans. Also many flowers, shrubs and ornamental trees are affected. The economic importance of the disease is evident. Because addition of iron salts to the diseased foliage is known to correct the chlorosis, and because analysis of diseased tissue has failed to prove iron to be deficient, it will be the purpose of this study to investigate the iron content of plants in relation to the disease. An explanation for the observed relationships of iron to the disease will be sought.

An international journal of agriculture and natural resource sciences.