Minus-One element technique for aerobic soils: development and testing

Most filipino farmers seldom have access to soil laboratories and other practical soil testing procedures that could accurately determine their soil nutrient status for more efficient fertilizer management. PhilRice Los Banos [laguna, Philippines] developed the Minus-One element Technique(MOET) a crop diagnostic tool that determines soil nutrient deficiency under lowland rice condition of Region 4 and 5 [Southern Tagalog, Philippines]. To provide the same consideration for upland or aerobic condition, a MOET kit capable of determining II essential element deficiency was recently developed and currently being tested for upland crops. Initial results showed that MOET is a cheap, sensitive, practical alternative diagnostic tool for determining nutrient deficiency for aerobic condition especially in those areas planted to corn; it can simultaneously identify deficiencies without requiring sophisticated equipment, and non-soil science individuals ca n easily interprets its results, as its main indicator is the crop response; and it is crop and site specific. It is recommended that disseminators and users of the technology should familiarize themselves in conducting MOET, as well as validate their fertilizer application rates. Thus, a formal guideline/protocol in conducting for MOET for aerobic condition should be developed immediately.