Example
Rice seedlings are stalling, and the water looks a bit rusty
Farmer 1832 · 2026-03-12 · Acid soil
Speed
- Rice seedlings are stalling, and the water looks a bit rusty
- Rice seedlings are stalling. The next ridge is green. Root tips came up brown with few white tips. Some neighbours say feed it, some say the soil is acid. Do I look at the root first or chase urea?
- Wash the roots first. Brown and bald tips look like aluminium toxicity; rusty water is extra evidence. Test 0–20 cm pH; lime only below about 5.5. Farm lime is often 50–150 kg/mu (about 750–2250 kg/ha), split, sandy soils at the low end. Don’t push tea to neutral. Don’t pour urea on bald roots. Don’t copy a neighbour’s lime rate. Test this field first.
Rice seedlings are stalling. The next ridge is green. Root tips came up brown with few white tips. Some neighbours say feed it, some say the soil is acid. Do I look at the root first or chase urea?
Replies
Li Zeyu
Wash the roots first. Brown and bald tips look like aluminium toxicity; rusty water is extra evidence. Test 0–20 cm pH; lime only below about 5.5. Farm lime is often 50–150 kg/mu (about 750–2250 kg/ha), split, sandy soils at the low end. Don’t push tea to neutral. Don’t pour urea on bald roots. Don’t copy a neighbour’s lime rate. Test this field first.