The document discusses the roles of various micronutrients in mulberry plants and their deficiency symptoms. It begins by defining nutrients and classifying them as macronutrients and micronutrients. It then discusses 17 essential plant nutrients and the criteria for determining essentiality. Specific roles and deficiency symptoms are described for zinc, boron, and iron in mulberry plants. The document also discusses factors affecting micronutrient availability in soil and presents data on the effects of deficient and excess levels of zinc, boron, and iron on mulberry plant growth and dry matter yield.

1. Role of micro nutrients and their
deficiency symptoms in Mulberry
MOHD YOUNUS WANI
1

2. TEMPERATE SERICULTURAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTE MIRGUND
Seminar Title
ROLE OF MICRONUTRIENTS AND THEIR DEFICIENCY
SYMPTOMS IN MULBERRY
Credit Seminar By
Mohd Younus Wani
(Student of M.Sc Sericulture)

3. Nutrient
 Nutrient is derived from word nūtrīre means to
nourish. The element or compound essential for
animal and plant growth.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2007
3

4. Essential plant nutrients and their
classification
 17 essential elements for plant growth
 Macronutrients: Plants require them in large amounts and
their Conc. in plant body is 1mg/g of dry matter.
 Primary nutrients (6): C, H, O, N, P and K
 Secondary nutrients (3): Ca, Mg and S
 Micronutrients: plants need them in very small amounts
(trace elements) and their conc. in plants is less than 1mg/g of
dry matter
 (8) Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, B, Mo, Cl and Ni
(Arnon and Stout 1939)
4

5. Beneficial plant nutrients
 Nicholas (1961) called beneficial plant nutrients to Cobalt (Co), sodium
(Na), vanadium (V) and silicon (Si).They are not required by all plants
but appear to benefit certain plants.
 Cobalt is required for nitrogen fixation in legumes.
 Silicon is found in plant cell walls of grasses and appears to produce
tougher cells. This increases the resistance of these plants to piercing
and sucking insects and decreases the spread of fungal diseases.
 Na in C4 plants
 V in green algae
5

6. ELEMENT
Carbon (C)
Hydrogen (H)
Oxygen (O)
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium
(Mg)
Sulfur (S)
Boron (B)
Chlorine (Cl)
Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe)
Manganese
(Mn)
Molybdenum
(Mo)
Nickel (Ni)
Zinc (Zn)
Essential elements and its sources.
Air
Water
Air/Water
Air/Soil
Soil and
foliar
application
6

7. Criteria for essentiality
 The criteria for essentiality of an element was given by
Arnon and Stout in (1939) and refined by Arnon(1954)
 In the absence of the element the plants do not complete their life cycle
 The requirement of the element must be specific and not replaceable by another element
 The element must be directly involved in the metabolism of the plant.
7

8. How would you identify an essential
nutrient?
 Hydroponic culture can be used to determine which chemicals elements are essential
 APPLICATION In hydroponic culture, plants are grown in mineral solutions without soil. One use of
hydroponic culture is to identify essential elements in plants.
 TECHNIQUE Plant roots are bathed in aerated solutions of known mineral composition. Aerating the
water provides the roots with oxygen for cellular respiration. A particular mineral, such as potassium,
can be omitted to test whether it is essential
 RESULTS If the omitted mineral is essential, mineral deficiency symptoms occur, such as stunted
growth and discolored leaves. Deficiencies of different elements may have different symptoms, which
can aid in diagnosing mineral deficiencies in soil.
8
Control sol. Containing all minerals sol without K

9. Why crops need micro nutrients?
 Liebig’s “ Law of the Minimum” in plant nutrition states that whenever
nutrient is in least amount relative to the required amount, will
determine the yield of a plant.
9

10. Discovery of micro nutrients for higher
plants
Element Year Discovered by
Iron 1860 J. Sachs (Griss)
Manganese 1922 J. S. McHague
Boron 1923 K. Warrington
Zinc 1926 A. L. Sommer & C.B. Lipmann
Copper 1931 C.B. Lipmann & G. Mackinney
Molybdenum 1938 D.I. Arnon & P.R. Stout
Chlorine 1954 T.C. Broyer et al.
Nickel 1987 P.H. Brown et al. 10

11. Causes of micro nutrient deficiency in India
 Intensive cropping system through high yielding varieties/hybrids
 Lack of organic matter or low or no use of organic matter.
 Use of high analysis fertilizers having no micronutrient content.
 Not using micronutrients.
 Negative interaction of micronutrient with other macro/micronutrient.
 Unawareness of Farmers about micronutrients.
 Soil degradation.
11

12. Deficiency symptom chart
 Mobility in plants
 Zn - moderately mobile
 Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo, Cl - less
mobile
 B – immobile
 Mobility in soil
 Cl , B , Mn mobile
 Cu – less mobile
 Zn - immobile
12

13. Factors affecting micro nutrient availability
 Soil texture
 Amount and nature of clay
 Soil pH and liming
 Organic matter
 Soil moisture
 Interrelationship with other elements
 Irrigation water
 Plant factors
 Micronutrients like Zn Cu Fe Mn which
are indispensable for mulberry leaf
production exhibit decreasing trend
with the increase in the soil depth
irrespective of season (S. Noor-Ul-Din
2012)
13

14. 14
Mulders chart
Antagonism: A decrease in availability to the plant of a nutrient by the action of another nutrient (see direction arrow).
Stimulation: An increase in the nutrient by the plant because of the increase in the level of another nutrient.

15. Relation between yield and nutrient
concentration
15

16. Losses of Plant Nutrients from the Soil
5) Runoff
4) Erosion
2) Leaching
3) Gaseous losses
1) Crop removal
16

17. Soil Nutrient Pools
Soil
Organisms
Organic
Matter
Cation
Exchange
Soil
Minerals
Surface
Adsorption
Soil
Solution
Uptake
17

18. The best
nutrient
management
practice is to
apply nutrients
using right
source, right
rate, right
time, and right
place (4R)
strategies for
high yields
and nutrient
use efficiency.
Nutrient
management
maintains or
improves the
physical, chemical,
and biological
condition of soil.
Fertilizer
rates not only
depend
on crop
requirement
but on
fertilizer
source, water
regime and
soil
conditions.
Management strategies
18

19. Importance and need of micronutrients
 Micronutrients play a significant role in
 plant growth
 photosynthesis
 chlorophyll formation
 Cell wall development
 Resistance to plant diseases and nitrogen fixation
(Vitti et al. 2014)
 Play an important role in enzymatic reactions and important for activities of soil
microorganisms (S. Noor- Ul -Din 2012)
 Although crops use low amounts of MNs (<2.4kg/ha) but still half of the cultivated world’s
soils are deficient in plant bioavailable MNs due to their slow replenishment from the
weathering of soil minerals, soil cultivation for thousands of years and insufficient crop
fertilization ( Monreal et al 2015)

19

20. Role of Micronutrients in ROS detoxification
20

21. ROS generation in plants
21

22. Antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes acts as scavengers of ROS.
 Antioxidant enzymes.
Ascorbate peroxidase(APX)
Superoxide dismutase(SOD)
Catalase(CAT)
Peroxidase(POD)
(P.Kumar et al 2008)
Effects of micronutrient deficiency or excess on mulberry
plants
22

23. Critical limit of Micronutrients in soil for normal
growth of Mulberry
23
Trace elements Conc. in ppm
Fe 100
Mn 50
B 20
Zn 20
Cu 6
Mo 0.1
(Principles of Temperate sericulture (Afifa S. Kamili and M.A.Masodi)
(Principles of Temperate sericulture ( Afifa S.Kamili and M.A.Masodi)

24. Role of Zinc
Available to plant as Zn2+
 Availability in soil: 20 ppm Zinc in the soil for better growth of Mulberry.
 Biosynthesis of plant hormones and component of carbonic anhydrase
and utilization of N and P in mulberry (Thakkar and Randhawa 1978).
 Fundamental role in gene expression, cell development and replication.
(Hambridge 2000).
 Suppression of root rotting pathogens, root nematode infestation and all
infections. (Siddiqui et al. 2002).
24

25. Effect of Zn on Silkworm (Antheraea mylitta) II instar larvae when fed
on (Terminalia arjuna ) sprayed with Zn for 10 days.
 Zn sprayed on leaves in doses of 68, 136, 272 mg/kg. Zinc plays an important
role in augmenting the growth and antioxidant protection of the larvae of A.
mylitta, which may improve the larval fitness, quality and quantity of silk
production.
25
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
DW Zn I Zn II Zn III
I W
F W
Weight(mg)
(Samranika sahu et al 2015)
Larvae

26. Deficiency of Zinc
 Zinc is moderately mobile in plant and thus deficiency symptoms
appear in middle leaves first.
 Loss of membrane integrity (Chakmak and Marschener 1988).
 Bushy appearance due to reduced inter-nodal elongation.
 Khaira disease of paddy
 White bud of maize
 Rosette or little leaf disease
 Frenching of citrus
 Mottled leaf in apple
 Sickle leaf in cocoa
26

27. Foliar deficiency symptoms of Zn
27
Leathery M. leaf Broad yellow bands
Excess of Zn/Toxicity
Excess Zn2+ attacks the Mg2+
Inhibition of root development
Induce iron deficiency

28. (Alloway 2008)
Causes of Zinc deficiency
Use of chemical fertilizers
 Zinc sulfate (23 to 36% Zn)
 Zinc-ammonia complex (10% Zn)
 Zinc oxide (50 to 80% Zn)
 Zinc chelate (9 to 14% Zn)
28

29. Effects of deficient or excess supply of Zinc on plant height, leaf area
expansion rate and dry matter yield of mulberry (M. alba L.) plants grown in
solution culture.
Parameters
Zn supply (μ M)
0 1 250
Plant height (cm) 61.4 ± 0.1 200.0± 1.6 155.5 ± 0.9
Leaf area expansion rate
(cm2 day−1)
1.33 ± 0.03 3.47± 0.02 3.0 ± 0.02
Dry matter yields (g plant−1) 25.4± 0.0 132.52 ± 7.78 109.0 ± 4.4
Shoots (g plant−1) 21.1± 0.2 118.46 ± 5.7 13.8 ± 4.4
Roots (g plant−1) 4.3 ± 0.2 14.1± 2.0 13.8 ± 0.2
Shoots/Root ratio 4.95 ± 0.24 8.81± 0.87 6.94 ± 0.39
29
P.N.Sharma et al 2008

30. (Shazia et al 2014)
Chemical speciation of zinc (mg kg-1) in soils of Kashmir Himalayas
30

31. 31
Alloway 2008

32. Role of Boron
 Available to plant as H2BO3
– Bo3
3-
 Mulberry requires 20 ppm Boron for carbohydrate metabolism
 The leaves and stems of plants become brittle under severe B deficiency,
indicating the role of B in the regulation of water relations of plants.
 Acts as a regulator of potassium calcium ratio in the plant.
 Helps in absorption of nitrogen.
 Constituent of cell membrane and essential for cell division.
 Necessary for translocation of sugars in plants.
 Helps the vascular system in root to give out branches to supply nodule
bacteria with carbohydrate food so that bacteria may not become parasitic.
 Helps in active salt absorption, hormone movement, flowering and fruiting
processes, pollen germination and metabolism of peptic substances.
32

33. Foliar deficiency symptoms of Boron
Less chloplastic pigments.
The appearance of cracked stems, petioles and sometimes roots
and development of scaly surfaces and the formation of internal and
external cork-like structures are typical features of B deficiency
(Bennett 1993).
High tissue conc. Of Fe,Mn,Zn.
Heart rot sugar beet.
Browning of Cauliflower.
Drought spot in apple.
33

34. Effects of deficient or excess supply of boron on plant height, leaf
area expansion rate and dry matter yield of mulberry (M. alba L.)
plants grown in solution culture.
Parameters
Boron supply (μ M)
0.00 16.50 33.00
Plant height (cm) 68.1 ± 1.24 200.0± 1.15 159.0± 15.01
Leaf area expansion rate (cm2
day−1)
1.38 ± 0.02 3.73± 0.02 3.04± 0.02
Dry matter yields (g plant−1) 33.41 ± 1.40 132.52± 7.78 140.69± 4.59
Shoots/Root ratio 9.63 ± 0.65 8.81± 0.87 9.86± 1.48
34 (P.N.Sharma et al 2009)

35. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
DEFICIENT CONTROL EXCESS
Chl a
Chl b
Cart
 Supply of Boron(μ M)35
Chloroplastpigmentsinmgg-1drywt. Effects of deficiency and excess of Boron on
chloroplastic pigments of mulberry plants

36. Role of Iron
 Plants absorb as Fe2+ and Fe3+
 Requirement: More than any other micronutrient.
 Chlorophyll synthesis.
 Photosynthesis.
 Energy transfer within plants.
 Protein metabolism.
 Constituent of cytrochromes, catalase, peroxidase ferodoxin and haeme
pigments.
 Activator of nitrate reductase and aconitase.
 Role in biological nitrogen fixation.
36

37. Iron chlorosis in mulberry leaf
37
Iron chlorosis is a yellowing of
leaf caused by a lack of plant-
available iron. Found in water
logged soils and under flooded
conditions (Emery 1982)
Trunk injections of iron sulfate
or ferric Ammonium sulphate are
used to control iron chlorosis.

38. Effect of pH on Iron availability
38
At high PH Small amount
is available to the plants.
FRO Protein
Fe3+
Fe2+

39. Effect of Iron on dry matter yield in
Morus alba plants
39
Fe supply in (μ M) Dry matter yield (g plant -1)
0 36.84
5 36.47
50 86.77
100 70.90
Mulberry plants have shown increased dry matter yield upto 50 μ M
and a yield reduction was observed at 100 μΜ when grown in solution
culture.
Tewari et al 2004

40. Role of Copper
 Available to plant as Cu+ Cu 2+
 Provides defence against pathogens by cell wall lignification and
accumulation of phenolics and
 Ascorbic acid metabolism (Shingles et al 2004).
 Component of phenolases, lactases, oxidases, ET molecule
plastocyanin.
 Deficiency
 Plants show accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide
anion radical.
 Inhibition of Ca transport to younger growing parts of plants (Brown
1979).
 Damages the ultrastructure of chloroplasts, decrease PS I and PS II
activities and thus retard electron transport system (Henriques 1989).
 Induction of water deficit (Sharma and Sharma 1985).40

41. Foliar symptoms of Cu deficiency
41
a) Marginal scorching.
b) Chlorosis and death.
c) Naked stem.
d) Necrosis and scorching in the older
and middle leaves at advanced growth
stage.
Exanthema or dieback of fruit trees.
Reclamation or white tip disease of
oats.
Blackening of potato tubers.

42. Effects of deficiency or excess of Copper
on Mulberry plants
42
Cu supply
(mM)
Dry matter yield g/plant Shoot/root ratio
Shoot Root
0 78.6 50.6 1.55
0.1 125.9 79.1 1.59
1 194.9 105.7 1.84
100 91.08 64.7 1.41
( P.Kumar et al 2005)

43. Role of Molybdenum
 Available to plant as MoO4
2-
• Component of nitrogenase and nitrate reductase (Schwarz and
Mendel 2006).
• Participation in P metabolism.
• Activator of dehydrogenase and phosphatases.
• Cofactor in synthesis of ascorbic acid.
• Tannin synthesis.
• Protective role in chloroplasts.
 Deficiency
 Translucent spots of irregular shape impregnated with
resinous gum (mulberry leaf).
 Activity of soil microorganisms is reduced.
 Whiptail disease of brassica.
 Scald of legumes.
43

44. Mo sufficient Mullbery leaf Mo deficient Mullbery leaf
44

45. Effect of pH on availability of Mo
45
Mo availability increases
pH Scale
0 7 14
NeutralAcid Alkali
Increasing H+ Increasing OH-
 Presence of Sesquioxides (oxides and hydroxides of Al and Fe)
 Liming:- with increase in liming availability of Mo increases.

46. Role of Manganese
 Available to plants as Mn2+ Mn3+
 Constituent of pyruvate carboxylase and dehydrogenase involved in
krebs cycle.
 Involved in the oxidation-reduction process in photosynthesis.
 Participation in photolysis of water.
 Activates indole acetic acid oxidase, which oxidizes indole acetic
acid in plants.
 Mn accelerates germination and maturity.
 Increases availability of P and Ca.
 Supports movement of Fe in the plant.
 Counteracting the effects of bad aeration.
 Synthesis of chlorophyll and proteins.
46

47. Deficiency of Mn in Mulberry
47
The interveinal part is
yellowish not tending towards
whiteness.
Dead spots appear on the
leaf.
Checkered appearance to the
leaf.
Leaves become brittle and fall
off.
Sterile flowers.
Grey spec in wheat and
maize.
Pahela blight of sugarcane.
Marshy spot in pea.
 Speckled yellow of sugar
beet.
Leaf of Mulberry plant grown by hydroponic culture in Mn free nutrient solution

48. Increase (+) or decrease(-) of various
parameters in Mn-D &Mn-Excess mulberry
plants
48
Parameters Mn -deficiency Mn -excess
Plant height - -
Leaf area expansion rate - -
Dry weight - +
Reducing sugars + +
Chl. a,b - -
Fe + No change
Cu + -
Zn + No change
SOD
+
-
CAT + -
R.K.Tewari et al 2013

49. Role of Chlorine
49
 Available to plant as Cl-1
 Diminishes the effects of fungal root diseases ( P.K. Gupta 1999).
 Transport of cations like K Ca Mg thus maintaining electrolyte neutrality
across membranes.
 Role in cell division in leaves and shoots ( Colmenero-Flores 2007).
 Maintaining turgor of cells.
 Involved in photolysis of water ( Popelkova and yocum 2007).
 Cl is normally not applied to soil.
 Rain water supplies about 10-100kg of Cl per hectare annually besides its
addition through fertilizers like MOP (47.3%) (S.S. Singh 1996).
 Rate of recommendation is 3-5kg per hectare

50. 50

51. Bronze coloured leaves
Swollen root tips
Flower abscission
Less chlorophyll content in leaves thus drying of leaves
Wilting of leaves
Deficiency of Cl in mulberry
51

52. Role of nickel
 Available to plants as Ni2+ Ni4+
 Increase in cocoon weight when Ni and Zn fortified leaves fed to
silkworms (S.Chandraju et al 2012)
 Increases growth and economic characteristics of silkworm (Islam
et al 2004)
 Component of urease and dehydrogenase.
 Germination and early seedling growth
 It is involved in the synthesis of chemicals (phytoalexins) that the
plant produces to defend against pathogens.
52

53. More damage by root knot
nematodes.
Accumulation of ureids in leaves
(leaf tip necrosis)
Mouse ear disease (little leaf
disease) reported by Marz in 1918.
Deficiency symptoms of nickel
Ni-D Ni-S
53 (wood et al 2004)

54. 54
Zn Aqueous solution of 2.0 kg Zinc sulphate/ha/crop should be sprayed over the leaves of deficient
plants.
Mn Aqueous solution of 1.0 kg Manganese Sulphate/ha/crop should be sprayed over the leaves of
deficient plants.
Fe Aqueous solution of 1kg Ferrous Sulphate/ha/crop should be sprayed over the leaves of infected
plants
Cu Aqueous solution of 1.0 kg Copper Sulphate/ha/crop should be sprayed over the leaves of
deficient plants.
B Aqueous solution of 1.0 kg Boric acid/ha/crop should be sprayed over the leaves of deficient
plants.
Recommendations for micro nutrients enrichment in
Mulberry Plantation ( Rathore et al 2011)

55. Importance of foliar sprays to Mulberry
 Mulberry as a foliage crop responds well to foliar sprays (S. M.Qadri 2011)
 Timely and immediate application of specific nutrient (Kannan1990)
 Foliar spray of Zn as (ZnSO4) increases the moisture content in mulberry leaves ( Lokanath
1981).
 The moisture content determines the nutritive quality of leaves and plays an important role in
the production of quality cocoons ( Dandin and Kumar 1989).
 Foliar spray of Zinc helps in retaining the leaf freshness for longer periods.
 Fe as Fe2SO4 ( 0.5% Ferrous Sulphate solution sprayed 20 – 25 days after pruning
to the mulberry garden under irrigated conditions augments leaf yield of mulberry by
12 - 15 %.
 55

56. Effect of foliar micro nutrient sprays on the biochemical
parameters of mulberry leaves
56
Treatments Moisture
content
(%)
Moisture
retention
capacity (%)
Chl. a (mg g-1 ) Chl. b (mg g-1 ) Crude
protein (%)
Caroteinoid
(mg g-1 )
Zinc sulphate
(0.5%)
72.68 78.44 1.52 0.30 18.63 0.36
Ferrous
sulphate (1.0%)
+ citric acid
(0.1%)
70.57 77.76 1.56 0.35 19.09 0.29
Boric acid
(0.2%)
72.22 77.43 1.50 0.30 17.40 0.34
Manganese
sulphate (0.5%)
71.38 77.50 1.51 0.29 17.16 0.32
Sodium
molybdate
(0.01%)
76.01 80.41 1.54 0.34 16.91 0.31
Control 69.36 77.33 1.35 0.27 15.78 0.30
(Richards et al 2011)

57. Use of VAM and Vermicomposting
 By inoculation of VA mycorrhiza containing
mixed culture of G.mosseae and G.
fasciculatum results in better growth of the
plants.
 Curtails phosphate fertilizer requirement by
50% besides the availability of micronutrients
is increased.
 Mulberry needs a lot of organic matter in the
form of FYM to maintain desirable level of
carbon and other micronutrients in the soil. To
overcome the problem of availability of FYM
and help a sericulture farmer to produce FYM
at their own, the vermicomposting technology
was introduced by CSRTI, Mysore during the
year 1995.
57

58. Micronutrient content in organic manures (ppm)
58
Manure Zn Cu Mn Fe
Cow dung 210 61 150
Goat dung 2570 1925 6420
Poultry manure 70 82 191 1280
Rice straw 20 340 280
Book-History of sericulture

59. Use of green manuring Posan and Seriboost
 Green manuring
 Raising of green manure crops(cowpea, grams
@20kg/ha/year and its incorporation in soil
before flowering, increases leaf yield 10-12
times besides increases the availability of
micronutrients to the soil
 Posan
 Multinutrient formulation for foliar spray. The
mulberry leaf yield increases upto 20%. (1Lt.
Of Posan:140Lt. Water)
 Seriboost
 Multinutrient formulation used as foliar spray.
Seriboost is sprayed at 0.25 % in two sprays
per crop after pruning.
59
(B.Bindroo et al 2014)

60. Conclusions
 Micronutrients play an important role in crop production. They are
equally important like macronutrients so their application is necessary.
 There is very narrow difference between deficiency and toxicity levels,
so micronutrients should be applied carefully only when crop needs
them and after soil test.
 There is need for application of mixed and complex fertilizers
containing micronutrients.
 Application of organic manure also helps in eradicating micronutrient
deficiency in long term.
60

61. Micronutrients
need
Macro attention
for
Sustainable crop production
61