Copper (Cu)

What Does Copper (Cu) Mean?

Copper is a micronutrient which has been shown to be highly beneficial to plants in small quantities. However, an excess or severe lack of copper can be detrimental to crops, while affecting its yield. Additionally, copper has been known to intensify both color and flavor when it comes to flowers as well as vegetables.

Maximum Yield Explains Copper (Cu)

In crops, copper deficiency is commonly characterized by a change in the plant’s appearance. For example, in Minnesota, a lack of copper is often shown when small grains start to sprout right on organic soils. Similarly, the small grain crop can display a light green to yellow hue. Some plants display twisted leaf tips that may turn black before finally withering away. Copper deficiency in corn is displayed by a blueish tint that stain the leaves as soon as they start to come out of the whorl. Older leaves, on the other hand, become severely affected by necrosis and die.

Common ways of diagnosing copper deficiency in plants include:

• Plant tissue testing: Depending on the type of plant, tissue analysis can be used in conjunction with intensive soil tests to officially confirm copper deficiency. These analysis will also aid in knowing how much copper supplement should be administered to the plants.

• Soil testing: This particular test is usually considered the most accurate test to diagnose a lack of copper in crops. The DTPA extraction method is often used to gauge the soil’s copper status.