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Nutrients Deficiency Signs in Vegetables: Is there lack or too much nutrients?

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Vegetable nutrients deficiency symptoms can be confusing. Many plants share the same or very similar symptoms. When vegetables lack essential nutrients they look unhealthy and may even die. The symptoms of a nutrient deficiency range from yellowing and poor growth to flower and fruit failure. It is therefore important to the vegetable nutrients deficiency symptoms.

These vegetables like other plant obtain their nutrients from the soil medium and availability of them can be determined by a soil test. The soil test will guide you to correct the deficiency.

Read also: Essential Plant Nutrients Deficiency and Toxicity Symptoms


Now, let us look us the vegetable nutrients deficiency symptoms, nutrient source and their toxicity symptoms.

1. Nitrogen (N)

Function: It is necessary for green, leafy growth and the formation of chlorophyll necessary for photosynthesis. It also forms part of the protein.

Sign of deficiency: Leaves appear pale green or bluish then turn yellow (chlorosis). Leaves drop, the oldest leaves fall first, small leaves, thin stem, low vigour of plants and stunted growth.

Sign of excess: Dark green leaves, excessive leave growth instead of buds and fruits.

Source: Manure, bonemeal, blood meal (dried blood), fish meal, fish emulsion (also contain phosphorus and potassium, in small amounts), cottonseed meal (also contains small amount of phosphorus and even smaller amount of potassium), coffee grounds (also contains very small amounts of phosphorus and potassium), soybean meal (also contains small amount of potassium and even smaller amount of phosphorus), composted legumes (peas, beans, peanuts), ammonium sulfate or nitrate.


Read also: Essential Plant Nutrients, their Functions and Nutrient Sources


2. Phosphorus (P)

Function: Essential to photosynthesis, strong growth, bloom and good root development, cell wall structure development and moisture conservation, all necessary for photosynthesis.

Sign of deficiency: Lower leaves and stem look reddish or purplish, young leaves look pale, shoots are thin, plants do not flower or form fruits, premature fruit drop, stunted roots and slow cell division.

Sign of excess: Essential elements may be tied up.

Sources: Bonemeal, colloidal phosphate, rock phosphate (contains slightly more phosphorus than colloidal phosphate, breaks down more slowly), superphosphate.

3. Potassium (K)

Function: Promotes disease resistance, necessary for root development and cell wall structure development, good for moisture conservation and promoting photosynthesis.

Sign of deficiency: Lower spotted, mottled or curled leaves. Leaf tips and edges turn yellow and bronze, then brown and appear dry and scorched, weak stems, small root system, reduced plant vigour. Moreover, plants are susceptible to wilting and wilt diseases, it develops small fruits, thin-skinned fruits, and fruit with poor colour and flavour.

Sign of excess: Fruits are coarse and poorly coloured and there is reduced absorption of magnesium and calcium.

Sources: Potash rock, manure, granite dust or meal (also contains trace elements), greensand (also contains trace elements), New Jersey greensand, fish meal, seaweed, kelp meal (also contains small amounts of nitrogen, smaller amounts of phosphorus and trace elements) wood ashes (also contains some phosphorous, raises soil pH), potassium sulfate or nitrate.


Read also: Agricultural Farming Systems: Types and Features


4. Calcium (Ca)

Function: Promotes cell division, building plant proteins, flowering and fruiting.

Sign of deficiency: The growing tip of the plant is damaged or dies back. Tips of new leaves yellow and appear scorched. Young leaves and buds die back. Weak stems, blossom-end rots of fruit, cavities in tomatoes, black heart and black roots.

Sign of excess: Reduced intake of potassium and magnesium.

Sources: Calcitic limestone, dolomitic limestone, gypsum, eggshells, oyster shells, fish meal, wood ashes, slag.

5. Magnesium (Mg)

Function: Plant strength.

Sign of deficiency: Lower leaves and older leaves mottled–yellow and white patches between green veins of leaves; brownish or purplish patches may form on leaves; old leaves white or yellow; leaves fall prematurely; growth is stunted; poor flower and fruit quality.

Sign of excess: Absorption of calcium and potassium is reduced.

Sources: Dolomitic limestone, manure, New Jersey greensand, talc, magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts), green plants.

6. Sulfur (S)

Function: For healthy growth.

Sign of deficiency: Deficiency is rare. Young leaves are pale green to yellow with stunted growth of plant.

Sign of excess: Sulfur burn from too low pH.

Sources: Gypsum, composted legumes, composted cabbage leaves; sulfur, superphosphate.


Read also: Vermiculture and Vermicomposting: Benefits and Constraints In Organic Farming


7. Boron (B)

Function: Important to plant growth.

Sign of deficiency: Young leaves are pale green at the base, develop yellow spots, become twisted, thickened and curl under. It developes small leaves, multiple buds, dieback from terminal buds, heart rot (corkiness), internal cork of apples, cracked stem in celery, heart rot and girdle of beets.

Sign of excess: Leaves turn yellowish red.

Sources: Clover, composted melon plants, borax (add only if prescribed), granite dust.

8. Copper (Cu)

Function: For plant growth and helps the utilization of iron.

Sign of deficiency: Young leaves turn pale and may become mottled and wilt. The leaves develop brown spots, leaf tips dieback, leaves may not grow, growth slows or stops, multiple buds, gum pockets, lack of leaf development in citrus.


Read also: Site Selection for Farming Purposes: 7 Very Key Factors to Consider


Sign of excess: Iron uptake blocked.

Sources: Manure, rock powders, copper sulfate (use with care), neutral copper, composted dandelions, grass clippings, sawdust.

9. Iron (Fe)

Function: Plant growth, chlorophyll and carbohydrate production.

Sign of deficiency: Young leaves turn yellow or very pale but veins remain green (chlorosis); growth is weakened and stunted.

Sign of excess: None known.

Sources: Humus, manure, compost, blood meal, New Jersey greensand; chelated iron, iron sulfate (copperas).

10. Manganese (Mn)

Function: Growth and plant maturation.

Sign of deficiency: Leaves mottled yellow and white. Brown spots may develop on leaves. Stunted plant growth or plant slow to mature.

Sign of excess: Tissue dieback in the leaves, dieback surrounded by yellow border.

Sources: Oak leaves, leaf mould, carrot tops, alfalfa, manganese sulfate.


Read also: Types of Inorganic Fertilizers and Their Characteristics


11. Molybdenum (Mo)

Function: Essential for converting nitrates into amino acids and conversion of phosphorus into plant forms.

Sign of deficiency: Leaves turn yellow and pale between veins. Leaves may become bluish green and leaves do not open completely. Plant growth is stunted.

Sign of excess: Poisonous to livestock.

Sources: Sodium molybdate.

12. Zinc (Zn)

Function: Fruit development.

Sign of deficiency: Young leaves mottled yellow, plant tips stop growing. Plants wilt easily. In peat and alkaline soils, leaves are abnormally long, narrow, mottled. Yellowed leaves, poor fruiting, dieback. Deficiency leads to iron deficiency, which it resembles. Also, leaves are thickened and malformed, small and narrow. Growth is stunted.

Sign of excess: None known.

Sources: Manure, composted corn, ragweed, vetch; zinc sulfate.


Reference

Vegetable Plant Nutrients: Sources and Deficiencies (harvesttotable.com)

Linda Adjei
Linda Adjei
A proud farmer with a background in Agricultural Engineering. Expert in Greenhouse Vegetable Production and currently managing one. Farming is fun and I love to share.
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