Symptoms of manganese deficiency splitseed in narrow-leafed lupins

Farmnote 70/93 [Reviewed, content current July 2005]

By Ross Brennan, Research Officer, Albany
Manganese deficiency of narrow-leafed lupins (Lupinus angustifolius) causes the grain to
split, delays maturity and decreases grain yields. It occurs mainly on slightly acidic deep grey
sands and gravelly sands, which are major soil types of the south-west, where the average
annual rainfall is more than 450 mm.
As lupin growing has extended into drier areas, scattered patches of split seed have shown up
in some drier seasons. Usually these have been on coarser, deeper, more leached sands.
Manganese is essential for plants and animals, but is required in very small amounts. A
healthy lupin crop of 5000 kg of seed and stubble per hectare may contain only 100 g of
elemental manganese. Manganese is essential to many enzymes and is needed in chlorophyll
production.
Manganese is slightly mobile in manganese deficient plants, but plant species and varieties
may differ in their ability to translocate it.
The occurrence of split seed depends on the amount and distribution of available manganese
in the soil profile in relation to the distribution of soil moisture, and the development stage of
seed, plant and plant roots. In any season, its occurrence varies with the maturity of the lupin
variety, planting date, rainfall received during and at the end of the season, and soil type.
Susceptible varieties produce 50 to 100 per cent split seed in the most severe cases.
Early sowing and the use of an earlier variety reduces the risk of split seed if the seed fills
and matures before the subsoil moisture is exhausted in spring.

Symptoms
In the early growth stages, manganese deficiency symptoms on lupins are usually not
strikingly obvious and are easily overlooked. Often no symptoms appear until after seed has
set and the split seed has developed in the pods.
Leaf symptoms show as mild mottling mainly between the leaf veins, becoming more
pronounced at the leaflet tips. The ends of the leaflet tips may die and turn brown.
The symptoms may occur on all leaves regardless of position on the plant. However, a
decline in manganese uptake, which can occur during dry weather late in the season, may
affect the younger leaves more than the older ones.

The whole plant may appear pale in severe cases of manganese deficiency. After the seeds
start to split, new growth is dwarfed and bunched. Young leaves become yellow between the
leaf veins, and buds may abort.
Deficient plants tend to drop their lower leaves and remain green long after healthy plants
have matured (Figure 2). This has been called 'regreening'.

Figure 2. Manganese deficient lupin plant (right) after seed splitting has occurred in the
pods. Such plants remain green well after healthy plants have dried off normally
Split seed occurs on severely manganese deficient soils regardless of seasonal conditions. On
less deficient soils it usually occurs in spring after a dry spell. Seed appears to set and fill
normally until light rain falls, wetting the top 10 to 20 cm of soil. The lupins then start to
produce new growth.
Suddenly the seed coats of many immature seeds inside the pods split regardless of the stage
of development, and the cotyledons continue to grow and protrude from the seed coat (Figure
3). Growth then stops and the seeds dry off.

Figure 3. Inside the pods the seed coats of many immature seeds split regardless of the stage
of development, and cotyledons continue to grow and protrude from the seed coat
The seed splits long the edge furthest from the pod and the margin of the split seed coat
usually turns brown. Many seeds do not split, but stop developing, dry off and shrivel if
immature.
Pods containing affected seed tend to be conspicuously flattened and slightly darkened.
Flower buds and pods that form on new growth usually abort or do not develop.
Seed yield losses are roughly proportional to the degree of seed splitting. In the most severe
cases, little marketable grain is produced and yields have been reduced by 80 per cent.

Further reading

Farmnote No. 71/93 'Treatment of manganese deficiency (split seed) in narrow-leafed

lupins' (Agdex 161/632).

Treatment of manganese deficiency splitseed in narrow-leafed lupins

Farmnote 71/93 [Reviewed, content current July 2005]
Manganese deficiency in narrow-leafed lupins is a problem occurring mainly in slightly
acidic grey sand and gravelly sand areas, common in the south-west, where the average
annual rainfall is more than 450 mm. However, as lupin growing has moved into drier areas,
patches of split seed have shown up in some seasons, usually on coarser, deeper, more
leached sands.
Manganese deficiency causes the grain to split, delays maturity and decreases crop yield. Its
occurrence varies with the maturity of the lupin variety, planting date, rainfall received during
and at the end of the season, and soil type.
Early sowing and the use of an earlier variety reduce the risk of split seed if the seed fills and
matures before the exhaustion of subsoil moisture in spring.
Soil applications or foliage applications of manganese are used to treat the deficiency.
Note: See Farmnote No. 70/93 'Symptoms of manganese deficiency (split seed) in narrowleafed lupins' (Agdex 161/632) for details of symptoms.

Soil application
On grey sands, gravels and yellow coastal sands north of Perth, 30 kg/ha of manganese
sulphate drilled with the seed either completely eliminates split seed or reduces it to less than
7 per cent in most seasons. Higher manganese rates will do little to reduce the level of split
seed any further.
In years when the surface soil containing the manganese fertiliser band is dry for extended
periods during the growing season and seed development, fertiliser manganese may be only
partially effective. The roots cannot take up most of the manganese, which remains near the
fertiliser band, high in the soil profile, when the soil is dry. Manganese in the older leaves is
relatively immobile when levels of manganese in the plant are low.
Along the south coast and on the yellow sands of the eastern edge of the West Midlands, 15
to 20 kg/ha of manganese sulphate drilled with the seed has usually been sufficient to give
either a complete or an acceptable level of control. Increases in grain yield from manganese
sulphate treatments are large. Again, fertiliser manganese has been less effective in the dry
season, particularly in later sown or later maturing crops.
Commercial manganese superphosphate (5 per cent manganese) contains about 20 kg of
manganese sulphate in 100 kg of mix.
Manganese sulphate topdressed before seeding is usually only about half as effective as when
it is drilled with the seed, and even less effective if topdressed after seeding.

Foliar application
Foliar sprays of 4 kg/ha of manganese sulphate in 75 to 100 L of water have been effective in
most cases but not all. The development stage of the seed at the time of spraying is critical.
Spraying when the pods on the main stem are 2 to 3 cm long and the secondary stems have
nearly finished flowering (see figure) has produced good results. Aerial application avoids
mechanical damage to the crop.

Apply manganese foliage sprays when pods on the main stem are about 3 cm long and
secondary stems have flowered.
Timing is critical.
Spraying at the correct rate and correct time has been as reliable as drilled applications of
manganese sulphate. Increasing the rate beyond 4 kg/ha does not significantly increase the
effectiveness of the foliage spray.
Other compounds such as mangasol and manganese chelate are effective sprays as long as the
rate of manganese is equivalent to that in 4 kg/ha of manganese sulphate (1 kg/ha of
elemental manganese). Manganese chelate tends to be very expensive for broadscale
agriculture.

Residual effects
Manganese sulphate applications on slightly acidic deep grey sands can have a marked
residual effect on a following lupin crop. Manganese sulphate rates can be halved with each
succeeding crop.

On the West Midlands grey sands, 60 kg/ha of manganese sulphate applied in 1978 is still
fully effective for maximum grain yields and in reducing split seed. It is likely that when a
cumulative total of 50 to 60 kg/ha of manganese sulphate has been applied, no more
manganese is needed and the split seed problem will be cured.

Soil and tissue levels

For many reasons there will probably never be a reliable soil test for manganese.
The soil test is regarded as no more than a rough guide. The top 10 cm of problem soils
usually has less than 2 mg/kg of manganese extractable in hydroxyquinone or 0.5 mg/kg of
manganese that can be extracted in one molar ammonium acetate.
The manganese level in the main stem of the lupin plant at flowering is a reliable test for
manganese. This is carried out on the main stem at mid-flowering. The stem is taken (all
leaves and branches are removed as well as the flowers and root system) and analysed for
manganese. About 20 to 30 stems are required. The critical value for manganese in the main
stem is 20 mg/kg of dry matter.
Whole tops of plants from crops that have subsequently produced split seed have typically
contained less than 50 mg/kg of manganese when sampled six to eight weeks after
germination. This test appears less reliable than using the main stem.
Seed from split seed-producing crops usually contains less than 10 mg/kg dry matter of
manganese, although apparently healthy crops have produced normal seed with as little as 7
mg/kg of manganese. Often the difference in manganese concentration between normal seeds
and split seeds from the same plants is negligible.
Note: The unit measurement milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) is equivalent to parts per
million (ppm).

Further reading

Farmnote No. 70/93 'Symptoms of manganese deficiency (split seed) in narrow-leafed

lupins' (Agdex 161/632).