FUNCTIONAL MATHEMATICAL PATTERN FOR DEFINITE CONDITIONS AND VARIABLESIN DIAGNOSING MINERAL AND ENZYME IMBALANCES IN PLANTS

The Reordinated Matrix Rotated Factor (Varimax) has previously been sh own to be a valuable tool in diagnosing mineral and enzyme imbalances in plants which, once corrected, result in increased yield. The basic tenets of this approach are discussed in relation to making diagnoses at yield levels. The results show the Varimax approach to be superior as it is capable of making valid diagnoses regardless of crop age. It can also rank nutrients and enzymes in their limiting order to crop yi eld, thus emphasizing the importance of nutrient and enzyme balance in plant nutrition. The poorer performance of the critical value approac h probably stems from the fact that the leaf tissue from which diagnos es are to be made, is not always taken at precisely the same physiolog ical stage as was used to develop the norms. The Varimax refinement al lows to diagnose intensities of plant requirements in terms of yield r esponses for any given nutrient and enzyme at any stage of plant growt h. Overall, Varimax is superior to the critical value approach in that it generates valid diagnoses more frequently because variations due t o tissue age are taken into account.