Handbook of Plant Nutrition. 2007. Allen V. Barker and David J. Pilbeam (eds.). CRC Press, 600 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487. 613 p., $139.95 hardcover. ISBN 0-8247-5904-4.
For almost half a century Chapman's Diagnostic Criteria for Plants and Soils has been the reference of choice for those needing concise, reliable information on plant nutrition. Over time, however, much new data have been developed by horticulturists, agronomists, and soil scientists. Accordingly, a 21st century reference was sorely needed and that need is fulfilled with publication of Handbook of Plant Nutrition.
Thirty-four world-wide plant nutrition authorities have prepared the 22 chapters in this treatise. Six chapters devoted to the essential macronutrients, eight chapters to the essential micronutrients, six chapters to beneficial elements are sandwiched between the introduction and conclusion chapters.
Information is exceptionally well documented. For example, the phosphorus chapter lists 226 citations and the magnesium chapter has 230 citations. Citations are arranged in the order presented in the text or table so it is difficult to locate the work of a particular scientist.
Each chapter follows a similar, but not identical, format that includes determination of essentiality, plant metabolism, diagnosis of plant status, soil forms, fertilizers, and references.
A valuable table of deficient, low, sufficient, and high elemental concentration in various plant parts for few to many plant species is included in each chapter. The tables vary widely in format making them a bit more difficult to use than necessary. Some are arranged by botanical name others by common name and some are listed alphabetically while others are grouped as vegetables, fruits, etc. Tomato is listed as Lycopersicon lycopersicum and the more commonly used Lycopersicon esculentum, both nomenclatures are found in taxonomies. Elemental concentrations are expressed using different units, e.g., N and P concentrations in plant material are shown as % dry mass, whereas K concentration is shown as mg K/g dry mass.
Symptoms of elemental deficiency and toxicity are shown in black and white images in the text. Fortunately, each volume comes with a CD-ROM of the entire text plus more useful color images of nutrient imbalance. The book is attractively and sturdily bound to withstand the decades of use it will undoubtedly serve as a reference.
Despite some very minor irritations, Handbook of Plant Nutrition will serve horticulturists well for perhaps another half century. The editors are to be commended for tackling a treatise of this magnitude and producing such a valuable product.