This document discusses deficiency symptoms and management of essential elements in different crops. It covers nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and iron deficiencies. For each element, symptoms in various crops like rice, wheat, maize, tomatoes, beans etc. are described. Symptoms include chlorosis, necrosis, stunting and discoloration. Management strategies discussed include soil testing, use of fertilizers containing the deficient element, increasing organic matter, and maintaining proper soil pH.
6. Function:
From all the essential nutrient Nitrogen is required by the
plant in large amount.
• Important in the growth and development of vital plant
tissues and cells.
• Help to hold genetic code in the plant nutrient.
• Give the plant their green color.
• Presence in the protein and in purine and pyrimidines of
DNA and RNA
7. N-Deficiency Symptoms
The chlorophyll content of plant leaves is reduced.
Flower, fruiting, protein and starch contents are reduced.
Toxicity
1.Dark green leaves and foliage.
2.Leaves tip may turn down
3.Yellowing on the affected leaves
4.Claw leaves will eventually start turning yellow, getting spots
and dying
Mobility
•Nitrogen is mobility nutrient
•Deficiency appear on older leaves
18. How to Fix a Nitrogen Deficiency in Plants
• Treat plants with a food rich in nitrogen.
• Use an organic fertilizer or nitrate of soda.
• Increase pH for better root absorption of nitrogen.
• Increase nutrient levels with regular spring
• feedings.
• Use liquid plant foods.
• Mulch the soil.
• Use a fertilizer rich in nitrogen.
26. Management of P-Deficiency
• Correction and prevention of phosphorus deficiency typically
involves increasing the levels of available phosphorus into the
soil.
• Check the root zone moisture. P deficiency can by also caused
by too wet root zone - give less water or extend the intervals
between watering.
• Examine the pH of the root-zone – for most standard crops pH
in the root-zone should be around 5-7.
• Mycorrhizal symbioses, have been found to increase nutrient
intake.
• Use of water soluble phosphatic fertilizer like- Single Super
phosphate (SSP)- 16-18 % P2O5, Triple super phosphate (TSP)
– 46-48 % P2O5, Double super phosphate (DSP)- 32% P2O5,
Di-Ammonium phosphate (DAP)- 18%N and 46% P containing
dicalcium phosphate.
27. • Apply manure e.g. well decomposed compost manure made
from plants. Apply 12.5 tones/Ha at least five weeks before
planting maize. This can be achieved by applying an equivalent
of 20 L tin of manure (16-18 Kg) by broadcasting every 8
meters/steps. If manure is not adequate, apply 2 handfuls (0.5-
1.5 kg) per planting station and mix with the soil before planting.
• Preventive measures like using varieties efficient at mining
phosphorus from soil, ensuring balanced fertilization,
incorporate plant residue into the soil, use of integrated
approaches.
33. K-Deficiency Symptom in Soyabean
K-Deficiency Symptom in Sunflower
Scorching & browning in
Sunflower
34. Management of K-Deficiency
To correct a deficiency, spread organic mulch beneath plants and apply potassium fertilizer,
preferably slow-release forms such as potassium silicate or sulfur- or polymer-coated potassium
products. Potassium sulfate may be used, and potassium will be held by organic matter and clay
particles.
If you suspect your plants are suffering from a nutrient deficiency, perform a soil test
on a soil sample. The results will help you determine the ideal soil solution or fertilizer
program.
The most widely used potassium fertilizer is potassium chloride (muriate of potash).[6]
Other inorganic potassium fertilizers include potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, and
monopotassium phosphate. Wood ash also has high potassium content but must be
used cautiously due its effect on pH level.
Liming acidic soils can increase potassium retention in some soils by reducing
leaching; practices that increase soil organic matter can also increase potassium
retention.
37. • On young plants, leaf tips stick to the next lower leaf.
creating a ladder-like appearance
• Plants may be severely stunted Tips of the shoots die, tips
of young leaves die, tips of leaves are hooked-shaped
• Blossom end rot in tomatoes
• Bitter pit in apples
Ca-Deficiency Symptoms
43. Management of Ca-Deficiency
• Use soil fertilizers containing calcium (Ca).
• Examples: Calcium nitrate, lime, gypsum.
• Consult your agricultural advisor to know the best product and
dosage for your soil and crop.
Further recommendations:
• It is recommended to do a soil test before the start of the
cropping season to optimize your crop production.
• Soluble calcium nitrate is a foliar spray for existing deficiency.
• When using calcium chloride, do not spray if the temperature is
over 30°C.
• During field preparation, use lime if the soil pH is acidic and
use gypsum if the soil pH is alkaline. Liming can be performed
two to four months before planting.
44. Organic control
• For small farmers or gardeners, crushed eggshells
ground very finely and mixed with a weak acid (vinegar)
can be used. Alternatively, apply calcium- rich
substances such as algal limestone, basalt flour, burnt
lime, dolomite, gypsum, and slag lime.
• Organic matter in the form of manure or compost can be
added to the soil in order to improve its moisture-
retaining capacity.
46. Mg-Deficiency Symptoms
• Magnesium deficiency is first seen as yellow to white
interveinal striping of the lower corn leaves.
• Dead round spot sometimes follow which give the
Impression of beaded streaking .
• Older leaves become reddish purple and the tips and
edges may become necrotic if the deficiency is severe.
• Yellowing between leaf veins sometimes with reddish
brown tints and early leaf fall.
• Stunted cloth of the plant.
47. Cabbage Tomato Cowpea
Potato Onion
Mg-Deficiency Symptoms in:
Chilly
Interveinal Chlorosis in Tomato Interveinal Chlorosis in cowpea
Interveinal Chlorosis in Potato Interveinal Chlorosis in Chilly
48. Cauliflower Red gram Cucumber
Broccoli Bean Brinjal
Mg-Deficiency Symptoms in:
Interveinal Chlorosis in
cucumber
Interveinal Chlorosis in Bean
Interveinal Chlorosis in Broccoli
50. Grapes Apple Banana
Citrus Lemon Guava
Mg-Deficiency Symptoms in:
Interveinal Chlorosis in Citrus
Interveinal Chlorosis in
Lemon Interveinal Chlorosis in Guava
51. Management of Mg-Deficiency
• Provide adequate amount of magnesium in plant.
• Proper irrigation.
• Magnesium chelate is use to prevent a shortage of
magnesium.
• Magnesium deficiency may be corrected by
incorporation of magnesium oxide or dolomitic lime in
acid soil @20-50 kg / ha.
• Epsom salt dissolve in water and sprayed onto foliage
and applied around the root will cure magnesium
deficiency.
53. The role of sulphur in crops
❏ Sulphur (S) is an essential element in forming proteins, enzymes,
vitamins, and chlorophyll in plants. It is crucial in nodule
development and efficient nitrogen fixation in legumes.
❏ Protein synthesis requires large amounts of sulphur, especially in the
formation of oils within the seed, and sulphur is a constituent of
several amino acids and vitamins found in both plants and animals.
Thus, sulphur is an important factor in determining the nutritional
quality of foods.
❏ Sulphur is also important in photosynthesis and contributes to crop
winter hardiness. An adequate supply of sulphur is very important, not
only for crops with high sulfur requirements - such as legumes
(alfalfa, clover, soybean etc.) and Cruciferae (canola, rapeseed) - but
also for crops with high nitrogen requirement (corn, cotton), which
without sulphur cannot optimize their utilization of nitrogen.
59. Management of S-Deficiency:
● A soil test for S can be very useful to determine if S fertilizer is required. Ensure that
samples are taken separately from the 0 to 6, 6 to 12 and 12 to 24 inch depths to
determine the level of S at various depths.
● The maximum safe rate of SO4-S that can be applied with the seed for cereal crops with
a 10% seed-bed utilization (SBU) is 25 to 30 kg/ha (23 to 27 lb/ac) of SO4-S –
assuming phosphate fertilizer is also seed-placed, and depending on soil moisture
conditions and the opener used.
● For oilseed crops, the seed-placed SO4-S rate should not exceed 10 kg/ha (9 lb/ac) when
a seeding implement that places the seed and fertilizer in a narrow band (10% SBU) is
used – assuming phosphate fertilizer is also seed placed.
● For peas, seed-placed P2O5 rates should not exceed 20 to 25 kg/ha (18 to 23 lb/ac),
especially when using a seeding implement that places the seed and fertilizer in a
narrow band (10% SBU).
61. Function of iron
1. In plants, iron is involved in synthesizing chlorophyll, which is essential for
maintaining chloroplast structure and function.
2. Bioavailability of iron in cultivated soils is low. Plants and microorganisms have
thus evolved active strategies of iron uptake based on acidification, chelation,
and/or reduction processes.
3. Plant roots absorb Fe from the soil solution most readily as (ferrous) Fe2+ but in
some cases also as (ferric) Fe3+ ions. The chemical nature of Fe allows it to
play an essential role in oxidation and reduction reactions, respiration,
photosynthesis, and enzyme reactions.
62. Fe-Deficiency Symptoms
1. Iron (Fe) deficiency is a plant disorder also known as "lime-induced chlorosis".
It can be confused with manganese deficiency. Soil iron concentration is high,
but can become unavailable for absorption if soil pH is higher than 6.5. Excess
of elements such as manganese in the soil can interfere with plant iron uptake
triggering iron deficiency.
2. Iron is needed to produce chlorophyll, hence its deficiency causes chlorosis.
3. Yellowing (Chlorosis) occurs in the newly emerging leaves instead of the older
leaves and is usually seen in the interveinal region Fruit would be of poor
quality and quantity. Chlorosis occurs in younger leaves because iron is not a
mobile element, and as such, the younger leaves cannot draw iron from other
areas of the plant. Over time, the yellowing may even turn a pale white or the
whole leaf may be affected.
4. Iron-deficient plants may over-accumulate heavy metals such as cadmium.
Any plant may be affected, but raspberries and pears are particularly
susceptible, as well as most acid-loving plants such as azaleas and camellias.
66. Fe-Deficiency Symptom in
Rice
Fe-Deficiency Symptom in
Pigeon Pea & Beans
Fe-Deficiency
Symptom in Grapes
Fe-Deficiency
Symptom in Roses
Interveinal Chlorosis in younger
leaves of Roses
Interveinal Chlorosis in
younger leaves in Pea
Akoichi in Rice
Interveinal Chlorosis in
younger leaves in Bean
67. Management of Iron deficiency
Apply iron fertilizer to the soil
Chelated iron fertilizers, in which the iron is combined with an organic chemical
called a chelate that helps keep the iron in a plant-available form, are most
appropriate for application to the soil. Fertilizing high-pH soils with non-chelated iron
fertilizer such as ferrous sulfate (FeSO4.2H2O) is not recommended. because this
iron will not be available to plants. Chelated iron fertilizers include Fe-DTPA, Fe-
EDDHA, and Fe-EDTA.
Powdered or granular chelated iron is the best option for soil amendment. Sprinkle it
around the root zone of the plant according to package instructions. Phosphorus
overload can contribute to iron chlorosis, so if your supplement also contains
fertilizer, make sure it’s phosphorus free.
68. Management of iron deficiency
Alkaline Soil:
• When soil pH gets above 7 or so, many plants are unable to absorb iron as well. This
sometimes happens accidentally when gardeners over-apply lime around acid-loving
plants. Correcting the soil pH will improve nutrient uptake and may be all the fix you
need .
• Application of Ferrous Sulphate (30 kg Fe ha-1)in the field Foliar applications of
Ferrous Sulphate solution (2-3%) .
70. •Manganese (chemical symbol Mn) deficiency occurs in a wide
range of crops with onions, beetroot, parsnip, cabbage,
cauliflower, tomato and pumpkin the most susceptible.
•The most common symptom is for leaves to turn pale green
between the veins, with normal coloured areas next to the
veins. As the deficiency progresses, the area between the veins
becomes paler, enlarges and may brown and die.
•Specific symptoms may first appear on the youngest or oldest
leaves and vary from species to species.
Mn-Deficiency Symptoms
73. Jasmine
New leaf of Lady
Palm Groundnut plant
Sago Palm Silverberry plant Petunia
Mn-Deficiency Symptoms in:
74. Management of Mn-Deficiency
• Manganese deficiency is controlled by using
manganese sulphate (MnSO4 .7H2O) as a soil
applicant or a foliage spray.
• Chelated forms of manganese can also be used as a
foliar spray although this treatment is more expensive.
76. Cu-Deficiency Symptoms
• Common risk factors for copper deficiency are foregut
surgery, dietary deficiency, enteropathies with malabsorption,
and prolonged intravenous nutrition (total parenteral
nutrition).
• In most plants, young foliage is severely stunted as well as
chlorotic. Deficient foliage can be cupped and deformed
(tung), bleached (lettuce), flaccid and blue green with
chlorotic margins (tomato), abscise early (walnut), and
eventually become necrotic in the interveinal areas (tung).
• Excess potassium, phosphorus or other micronutrients can
indirectly cause copper deficiency. Also if the pH of the
growing medium is high, this can induce a copper deficiency
as it is less available for plant uptake
78. Management of Cu-Deficiency
• About 50% of agricultural soils have low amounts of Cu available to plants, which impairs the
yield and the nutritional quality of crops and derivatives.
• Under these conditions, both plant Cu uptake and Cu use efficiency (CuUE) are essential for food
crop production, since they are complex because all the steps, including root and foliar uptake,
assimilation, translocation, and remobilization, are governed by multiple interacting
environmental and genetic factors.
• Translocation of Cu from the roots to the shoots occurs through the xylem and it is not easily
retranslocated by the phloem.
• In no-till cropping systems, proper plant succession helps maintain good nutrient balance in the
soil, increases fertility due to regular incorporation of organic matter (OM), and improves soil
aeration and water infiltration, enhancing root penetration.
• However, an inverse relationship occurs between the Cu content and the increase in the volume of
soil organic matter (SOM).
• Since the OM is characterized by containing natural chelating agents, as it accumulates in the
soil, forming very stable Cu chelates with fulvic and humic acids, the nutrient availability
decreases for the plants.
• Additionally, the increase in pH caused by the continuous use of limestone also decreases the
content of available Cu in some soils, with those located in the tropics. This chapter aims to
critically review the factors affecting Cu availability in the soil, its uptake, deficiency, sufficiency,
and toxicity levels, and CuUE in crops.
80. Functions of Zinc
Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plant life. Zinc exits naturally in rocks. The
amount of zinc present in the soil depends on the parent materials of that soil. Sandy and
highly leached acid soils generally have low plant available zinc. Mineral soils with low
soil organic matter also exhibit zinc deficiency. In contrast, soils originating from igneous
rocks are higher in zinc. Plants take up zinc as the divalent ionic form (Zn2+) and
chelated-zinc.
The role of zinc in the plant
Zinc is an important component of various enzymes that are responsible for driving many
metabolic reactions in all crops. Growth and development would stop if specific enzymes
were not present in plant tissue. Carbohydrate, protein, and chlorophyll formation is
significantly reduced in zinc-deficient plants. Therefore, a constant and continuous supply
of zinc is needed for optimum growth and maximum yield.
89. Function of molybdenum
in plants
• Molybdenum is required by plants in very small quantities. Its main (and possibly
only) function in non-leguminous plants is as a component of the enzyme nitrate
reductase, which is essential for the metabolism of nitrate, the main form of plant-
available nitrogen in most soils.
• Molybdenum (Mo), the last of the required micronutrients, is needed in the smallest
quantities by plants. The normal range for most plant tissue is between 0.3-1.5 ppm
and in the growing medium between 0.01-0.20 ppm.
• Molybdenum is an essential component in two enzymes that convert nitrate into
nitrite (a toxic form of nitrogen) and then into ammonia before it is used to
synthesize amino acids within the plant. It also needed by symbiotic nitrogen fixing
bacteria in legumes to fix atmospheric nitrogen.
• Plants also use molybdenum to convert inorganic phosphorus into organic forms in
the plant.
90. Mo-deficiency Symptoms
• Molybdenum (Mo) deficiency occurs when plant growth is limited because the plant
cannot take up sufficient quantities of this essential micronutrient from its growing
medium. For crops growing in soil, this may be a result of low concentrations of Mo in
the soil as a whole (i.e. the parent material of the soil is low in Mo), or because the soil
Mo is held in forms that are not available to plants .
• Molybdenum deficiency symptoms in most plants are associated with a build-up of
nitrate in the affected plant part. This is a result of poor nitrate reductase activity.
• Pale leaves with interveinal and marginal chlorosis (yellowing) and necrosis (scald) .
• Molybdenum deficiency is common in many different types of soil; some soils have
low total Mo concentrations, and others have low plant-available Mo due to strong Mo
sorption.
• Molybdenum is the only micronutrient that is mobile within the plant, so deficiency
symptoms show up on older and middle leaves, but it spreads up the stem and affects
the new leaves.
• Crops that are most sensitive to molybdenum deficiency are crucifers (broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage), legumes (beans, peas, clovers), poinsettias and primula.
91. Deficiency Symptoms :-
Molybdenum-deficiency symptoms
show up as a general yellowing and
stunting of the plant. A Mo deficiency
can also cause marginal scorching
and cupping or rolling of leaves.
Usage :-
Several materials supply Mo and can
be mixed with nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)
fertilizers applied as foliar sprays or
used as a seed treatment. Seed
treatment is the most common way
of correcting Mo deficiency because
of the very small amounts of the
nutrient required.
Soil pH to Molybdenum Ratio :-
Molybdenum becomes more available
as soil pH goes up, the opposite of
most other micronutrients
Toxicity :-
Excessive Mo is toxic, especially to
grazing animals.
92.
93. Mo-Deficiency Symptoms in Sweet potato
Mo-Deficiency Symptoms in Cauliflower
Chlorotic moulting in cauliflower
Whip tail in cauliflower
97. Management of Mo-deficiency
• Molybdenum deficiency is relatively easily corrected, either by
the application of small quantities of molybdenum to the soil,
or by raising the soil pH. Application of sodium molybdate or
ammonium molybdate at rates of 0.2-0.3 kg Mo/ha should be
sufficient to correct the disorder in most situations, and may be
effective for several years. Sodium molybdate may also be
applied as a foliar spray. A solution of 50 g sodium
molybdate/100 L water has proven successful with other crops
such as sunflower. Some commercially-available fertilizer
mixtures also contain molybdenum.
• Liming to raise the soil pH above 5.5 is usually effective in
alleviating molybdenum deficiency, and may improve
conditions for crop growth in other ways also, such as through
improved availability of phosphorus and alleviation of
manganese or aluminium toxicity.
99. Role of Nickel in plants
• The essentiality of nickel as a micronutrient in plants has been
established because it is part of the active site of the enzyme
urease, which hydrolyzes urea in plant tissues .
• Two forms of urease are present in plants, one found in seeds and
another found in vegetative tissues (ubiquitous).
• The seed form of urease is highly active while the activity of the
ubiquitous form is low in vegetative tissues, despite playing an
important role in N recycling in plants.
• Potentially toxic amounts of urea are metabolized into ammonia
by the action of ubiquitous urease, and the N from the ammonia
may be reused in other metabolic pathways, e.g., synthesis of
amino acids, polyamines, and other nitrogen compounds .
100. Ni-Deficiency Symptoms
• One common Ni deficiency symptom across plant
species is the necrosis of leaf tips due to the
accumulation of urea to toxic concentrations.
• For non-woody plants, deficiency symptoms can also
include chlorosis of young leaves, reduced leaf size, and
less upright leaf growth.
101. What is the deficiency of nickel?
• Nickel deficiency is accompanied by histological and
biochemical changes and reduced iron resorption and
leads to anemia.
• It can disturb the incorporation of calcium into skeleton
and lead to parakeratosis-like damage, which finds
expression in disturbed zinc metabolism.
102.
103. Ni-Deficiency
Symptoms in Cowpea
Ni-Deficiency
Symptoms in
Pecan leaf
Ni-Deficiency
Symptoms in Soybean
Ni-Deficiency
Symptoms in Sugar beet
Ni-Deficiency
Symptoms in
Strawberry
Leaf chlorosis & leaf tip necrosis in
Cowpea
104. Management
Nickel is a
challenging plant
nutrient with which
to work because it
readily oxidizes to
unavailable forms
in the soil.
The easiest and
most effective
strategy to correct
acute Ni deficiency
is foliar spraying
with a dilute
solution of NiSO4
or other water-
soluble Ni
fertilizer.
106. B-Deficiency Symptoms
• Symptoms of boron deficiency are expressed at growing tips
of the root or shoot, and generally include stunting and
distortion of the growing tip that can lead to tip death, brittle
foliage, and yellowing of lower leaf tips.
• Flowering and fruiting are reduced and developing fruit is
often distorted. In brassicas, boron deficiency can cause root
crops, especially rutabaga, to develop soft brown centers, a
disorder called “brown heart.
107. B-deficiency Symptoms
in Wheat
B-deficiency Symptoms
in Barley
B-deficiency Symptoms
in Cauliflower
B-deficiency
Symptoms in Rice
B-deficiency
Symptoms in
Black gram
Browning & hollow stem of
Cauliflower
109. Management of Boron Deficiency
in crops
• Soils deficient in boron can be amended with boron
fertilizer such as Borax, boric acid, and Solubor,
based on soil tests and crop requirements.
• In high pH soils, foliar applications are preferred.
• Once symptoms of boron deficiency are observed, it
is usually too late to apply boron.
112. Deficiency Symptoms
Chlorine deficiency results
in blotchy
leaf chlorosis and necrosis.
Chlorine deficiency
can be distinguished
from other nutrient
imbalances because
leaves will exhibit
characteristic distinct
and abrupt boundaries
between the affected
and healthy tissue.
Severe cases of
chlorine deficiency
may result in bronzing
and/or wilting of
leaves though these
are not reliable
symptoms.
114. Management of Cl-Deficiency
• If a chloride deficiency is suspected, the first step is to eliminate
other potential sources of the problem, like leaf spot or fungal
diseases.
• Testing the soil for chloride is challenging because most
standard soil tests do not include chloride as a test variable since
true deficiency is not common.
• After eliminating other possibilities, if chloride deficiency still
appears likely in your soil, a fertilizer that specifically includes
chloride as an ingredient may help.
• Since chloride-specific fertilizers are uncommon, we may have
to request a specific fertilizer from a local supply store like KCl,
etc.