Relating iron, zinc, and iodine concentrations of crops to the selected soil properties under field conditions

The interrelation of essential nutrients in soils and crops has been established. However, studies investigating the influence of selected properties of soils on the bioavailability of trace elements to cereals crops are scanty. For this purpose, soil samples were randomly collected from selected ten cultivated fields. Relevant soil properties and micronutrients in soils and crops were determined. Results indicated that crop species differed for Zn and Fe concentrations in both shoot and grains. Higher Zn and Fe concentrations were found in the order rice > maize > wheat. Grains exhibited higher contents than the shoot of a crop. Rice-grown fields got the higher amount of clay contents than other cropped fields. Total C ranged from 35 to 6 g kg(-1) in soils of maize fields. Soil pH varied from slightly acidic to moderately alkaline. Extractable Zn was relatively higher than other elements in the fields of maize. Among the cultivated fields, Fe differed in the order of rice > maize > wheat. Coefficient of determination (R-2) values showed that the concentrations of micronutrients in crop shoot and grains were related to their extractable concentrations in the soil. Iodine concentrations in the grain of cereals have been found poorly related to the soil properties. The study indicated that the concentrations of trace elements in soils can be a better indicator of surplus or deficiencies for plant nutrition.