# COMAR Title 15 — Maryland Department of Agriculture

## Subtitle 18 — State Chemist

### Chapter 03 — Commercial Fertilizer and Soil Conditioner

#### Regulation .08 Nutrient Deficiency or Excess.

*COMAR 15.18.03.08*

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.

B. Tolerance Table.

  (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:

  (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:

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.