1. A. A fertilizer is deficient in, or contains an excess of, one or more of its guaranteed nutrients if it contains less than, or more than, the allowances established in §B of this regulation, and is subject to a penalty as provided in Regulation .09 of this chapter.

2. B. Tolerance Table.

   1. (1) A commercial fertilizer's primary nutrients are out of tolerance if the analysis of any fertilizer nutrient exceeds or falls below the guarantee by more than the following values: Primary Nutrient Tolerance Table* * For guarantees not listed, calculate the appropriate value by interpolation.

      Guaranteed	Total Nitrogen (Percentage)		Available Phosphate (Percentage)		Soluble Potash (Percentage)
      Percentage	Minimum	Maximum	Minimum	Maximum	Minimum	Maximum
      04 or less	049	1.0	0.67	1.0	0.41	1.0
      05	0.51	1.0	0.67	1.0	0.43	1.0
      06	0.52	1.5	0.67	1.5	0.47	1.5
      07	0.54	1.5	0.68	1.5	0.53	1.5
      08	0.55	1.5	0.68	1.5	0.60	1.5
      09	0.57	1.5	0.68	1.5	0.65	1.5
      10	0.58	2.0	0.69	2.0	0.70	2.0
      12	0.61	2.0	0.69	2.0	0.79	2.0
      14	0.63	2.0	0.70	2.0	0.87	2.0
      16	0.67	2.0	0.70	2.0	0.94	2.0
      18	0.70	2.0	0.71	2.0	1.01	2.0
      20	0.73	2.0	0.72	2.0	1.08	2.0
      22	0.75	2.0	0.72	2.0	1.15	2.0
      24	0.78	2.0	0.73	2.0	1.21	2.0
      26	0.81	2.0	0.73	2.0	1.27	2.0
      28	0.83	2.0	0.74	2.0	1.33	2.0
      30	0.86	2.0	0.75	2.0	1.39	2.0
      32 or more	0.88	2.0	0.76	2.0	1.44	2.0

   2. (2) A commercial fertilizer's secondary nutrient or micronutrient is out of tolerance if the analysis of any nutrient is above or below the guarantee as described in the following table: Secondary Nutrient or Micronutrient Tolerance Table * The maximum allowance when calculated in accordance with this table is 1 unit (1 percent). ** The maximum allowable amount of chloride used as a micronutrient in a tobacco fertilizer is 2 percent by weight.

      Element	Allowable Deficiency*	Allowable Excess
      Calcium	0.2 unit + 5% of guarantee	NA (Not Applicable)
      Magnesium	0.2 unit + 5% guarantee	NA
      Sulfur	0.2 unit + 5% of guarantee	NA
      Boron	0.003 unit + 15% of guarantee	50%
      Cobalt	0.0001 unit + 30% of guarantee	50%
      Molybdenum	0.0001 unit +30% of guarantee	50%
      Chloride**	0.005 unit + 10% of guarantee	0 (None)
      Copper	0.005 unit + 10% of guarantee	50%
      Iron	0.005 unit + 10% of guarantee	50%
      Manganese	0.005 unit + 10% of guarantee	50%
      Sodium	0.005 unit + 10% of guarantee	50%
      Zinc	0.005 unit + 10% guarantee	50%

3. C. A deficiency in an official sample of mixed fertilizer resulting from nonuniformity is not distinguishable from a deficiency due to actual plant nutrient shortage and is subject to a stop-sale or penalty.

Authority: Agriculture Article, §6-203, Annotated Code of Maryland; Chs. 484 and 485, §8, Acts of 2011

Effective date: August 1, 1994 (21:15 Md. R. 1307)

Regulation .01B amended effective December 16, 2019 (46:25 Md. R. 1131)

Regulation .06D adopted effective July 21, 2014 (41:14 Md. R. 799)