NUTRIENT CONTENTS OF PRECIPITATION AND CANOPY THROUGHFALL UNDER CORN,SOYBEANS, AND OATS1

: The effects of corn, soybean, and oat canopies on plant nutrient contents of throughfall precipitation (TFP) were studied to determine if canopies alter the meteoric precipitation (MP) composition. TFP samples collected at 5 cm from corn or soybean rows contained more NH₄, NO₃, soluble PO₄, total PO₄, and soluble K ions than samples collected at 25 and 45 cm distances from the row. Enrichment of MP by the canopies was least at the 45 cm distance. Oat canopies enriched MP more than soybean or corn canopies for most of the ions, probably due to the difference in season of growth. Thus, canopies of these crops alter the nutrient concentration of MP.