Pastures from 35 sites in the Wairarapa have been analysed by rapid techniques for Ca, K, P, S, Cl, Na, Mg, Si, Mn, MO, CU, Fe, Ti, and Zn, in white clover leaves and in mixed pasture species. Four main factors influenced the mean amounts of these elements: they were wind-blown salt (Na, Cl), soil contamination (Ti, Fe, Si), additive effects of applied fertilizer (Ca, K, P, S, MO), and induced effects of applied fertilizers (Mg). Besides setting the basic requirements for fertilizers, soil factors influenced the uptake of elements as follows: pH of sail (MO, Mn), oxidation-reduction state of soil (MO, Mn), and depth of soil profile (Cu, S).
