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¶ Chili or jalepeno pepper (Capsicum annuum)
| Table No: | Growth stage: | Plant part: |
| Table A | Early growth, first bloom | Mature leaves |
| Table B | Early fruit set | Mature leaves |
| Table C | Seasonal monitoring | Petiole |
¶ A: Early growth, first bloom
Plant Part: Youngest mature leaves
Sampling Procedure: Sample 20 to 25 plants. Collect leaves free from disease or insect damage. Start from the top of the plant and select the most recently expanded, fully mature leaf. Collect leaf blades. Remove petioles for additional nitrate and phosphate analysis, if desired. Submit at least a pint of loosely packed tissue (a ball about 4 to 5 inches in diameter). Place samples in paper bag - not plastic - for shipment.
| Analysis | Tissue Concentration Guidelines | ||||||||
| Low/Marginal Range | Sufficiency Range | Excessive, toxic? | |||||||
| Nitrogen, % N | 3.20 | - | 3.50 | 3.50 | - | 5.00 | |||
| Phosphorus, %P | 0.20 | - | 0.25 | 0.25 | - | 0.75 | |||
| Potassium, % K | 2.00 | - | 2.50 | 2.50 | - | 4.50 | |||
| Calcium, % Ca | 0.90 | - | 1.10 | 1.10 | - | 2.50 | |||
| Magnesium, % Mg | 0.25 | - | 0.30 | 0.30 | - | 0.75 | |||
| Sulfur, % S | 0.25 | - | 0.30 | 0.30 | - | 0.75 | |||
| Zinc, ppm Zn | 40 | - | 50 | 50 | - | 150 | |||
| Iron, ppm Fe | 30.0 | - | 60.0 | 60 | - | 250 | |||
| Manganese, ppm Mn | 30.0 | - | 50.0 | 50 | - | 200 | |||
| Copper ppm Cu | 4.0 | - | 6.0 | 6 | - | 25 | |||
| Boron, ppm B | 20 | - | 25 | 25 | - | 75 | |||
| Nitrogen-to-sulfur ratio (N:S) | 12 | - | 15 | 8 | - | 12 | |||
| Sodium, % Na | 1500 | - | 2000 | 2000 | - | 3000 | |||
| Chloride, % Cl | 1500 | - | 2000 | 2000 | - | 3000 | |||
| Nitrate, ppm NO3-N | |||||||||
| Phosphate, ppm PO4-P | |||||||||
¶ Figure A.
¶ B: Early fruit set
Plant Part: Youngest mature leaves
Sampling Procedure: Sample 20 to 25 plants. Collect leaves free from disease or insect damage. Start from the top of the plant and select the most recently expanded, fully mature leaf. Collect leaf blades. Remove petioles for additional nitrate and phosphate analysis, if desired. Submit at least a pint of loosely packed tissue (a ball about 4 to 5 inches in diameter). Place samples in paper bag - not plastic - for shipment
| Analysis | Tissue Concentration Guidelines | ||||||||
| Low/Marginal Range | Sufficiency Range | Excessive, toxic? | |||||||
| Nitrogen, % N | 3.20 | - | 3.50 | 3.50 | - | 5.00 | |||
| Phosphorus, %P | 0.20 | - | 0.25 | 0.25 | - | 0.75 | |||
| Potassium, % K | 3.00 | - | 3.50 | 3.50 | - | 4.50 | |||
| Calcium, % Ca | 0.90 | - | 1.10 | 1.10 | - | 2.50 | |||
| Magnesium, % Mg | 0.25 | - | 0.30 | 0.30 | - | 0.75 | |||
| Sulfur, % S | 0.25 | - | 0.30 | 0.30 | - | 0.75 | |||
| Zinc, ppm Zn | 40 | - | 50 | 50 | - | 150 | |||
| Iron, ppm Fe | 30.0 | - | 60.0 | 60 | - | 250 | |||
| Manganese, ppm Mn | 30.0 | - | 50.0 | 50 | - | 200 | |||
| Copper ppm Cu | 4.0 | - | 6.0 | 6 | - | 25 | |||
| Boron, ppm B | 20 | - | 25 | 25 | - | 75 | |||
| Nitrogen-to-sulfur ratio (N:S) | 12 | - | 15 | 8 | - | 12 | |||
| Sodium, % Na | 500 | - | 800 | 800 | - | 1200 | |||
| Chloride, % Cl | 1500 | - | 2000 | 2000 | - | 3000 | |||
| Nitrate, ppm NO3-N | |||||||||
| Phosphate, ppm PO4-P | |||||||||
¶ Figure B.
¶ C: Seasonal monitoring
Plant Part: Petiole of youngest mature leaf
Sampling Procedure: Collect leaves from 30 to 40 plants. Start from the top of the plant and select the most recently expanded, fully mature leaf. Sample leaves that are free of insect or disease. Remove petioles. Save leaf blades for further analysis, if desired. Place samples in paper bag - not plastic - for shipment.
| Analysis* | Tissue Concentration Guidelines | |||||
| Low/Marginal Range | Sufficiency Range | |||||
| Nitrogen, % N | ||||||
| Early growth, first flower | 5000 | - | 7000 | 7000 | - | 10000 |
| Early fruit set, 1" diameter | 1000 | - | 1500 | 1500 | - | 2500 |
| Fruit 3/4 size | 750 | - | 1000 | 1000 | - | 1500 |
| Phosphorus, %P | ||||||
| Early growth, first flower | 2000 | - | 2500 | 2500 | - | 4000 |
| Early fruit set, 1" diameter | 1500 | - | 2000 | 2000 | - | 3000 |
| Fruit 3/4 size | 1500 | - | 2000 | 2000 | - | 3000 |
| Potassium, % K | ||||||
| Early growth, first flower | 3.0 | - | 5.0 | 5.0 | - | 7.5 |
| Early fruit set, 1" diameter | 2.0 | - | 4.0 | 4.0 | - | 6.5 |
| Fruit 3/4 size | 1.5 | - | 3.0 | 3.0 | - | 5.0 |
*nutrients soluble in 2% acetic acid
¶ Figure C.
Note: Petiole analysis results are best interpreted from trends over the growing season and not on results from a single sampling date. Results from a single sample may be affected by time of day, climatic conditions, plant stress, age, or disease, that are not directly related to fertility status. Nutrient concentrations are not uniform throughout the plant and may change as the tissue matures. Petiole analysis trends should be evaluated by variety, growing season, and yield/quality goals. Collecting petioles from the same location as soil samples allows comparison of soil nutrient availability with petiole nutrient status.Interpretations are based the relationship between nutrient levels in a particular part of a "standard" tissue in a specific time in the growing season. These plant tissue ranges and interpretations are not considered valid with plant parts or growth stages other than those specified. These interpretations are developed from data collected across a wide range of crop, soil, and climate conditions.
Low nutrient levels may be due to deficiency or to dilution by intensive growth. High or excessive nutrient levels may be a sign of restricted growth allowing nutrients to accumulate in the plant tissue. Nutrient imbalance may be secondary to the primary problem.