Deficiencies in Plants- Symptoms & Identification
Posted: June 27th, 2013, 10:47 am
There are numerous queries by new gardeners who are interested in diagnosing "deficiencies" in their plants. Most of the time it is their excessive love for plants that worries them about the slight discolouration or yellowing. However, at times it can be real. I am extracting some information from a very useful link http://landresources.montana.edu/nm/Mod ... t44499.pdf. We must keep in mind that an excess of those minerals may prove to be toxic for the plants. So good skill is required in diagnosing the deficiency before curing the disease.
Just for those who are interested, elemental deficiencies can be classified into two types:
Mobile Elements: Mobile nutrients are nutrients that are able to move out of older leaves to younger plant parts when supplies are inadequate. Mobile nutrients include Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Chloride, Magnesium, and molybdenum (Mo). Generally, their deficiency first appears in older leaves or in localized regions.
Immobile Elements: Calcium, Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Nickel, Sulfur, and Zinc are not able to move from one plant part to another and deficiency symptoms will initially occur in the younger or upper leaves and be localized. Zn is a partial exception to this as it is only somewhat immobile in the plant, causing Zn deficiency symptoms to initially appear on middle leaves and then affect both older and younger leaves as the deficiency develops.
A flow chart is attached.
Just for those who are interested, elemental deficiencies can be classified into two types:
Mobile Elements: Mobile nutrients are nutrients that are able to move out of older leaves to younger plant parts when supplies are inadequate. Mobile nutrients include Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Chloride, Magnesium, and molybdenum (Mo). Generally, their deficiency first appears in older leaves or in localized regions.
Immobile Elements: Calcium, Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Nickel, Sulfur, and Zinc are not able to move from one plant part to another and deficiency symptoms will initially occur in the younger or upper leaves and be localized. Zn is a partial exception to this as it is only somewhat immobile in the plant, causing Zn deficiency symptoms to initially appear on middle leaves and then affect both older and younger leaves as the deficiency develops.
A flow chart is attached.