Visual Symptoms: a Handy Tool in Identifying Nutrient Deficiency in Corn, Cotton and Soybean
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W 976 Visual Symptoms: A Handy Tool in Identifying Nutrient Deficiency in Corn, Cotton and Soybean Nutifafa Adotey, Assistant Professor and Tyson Raper, Associate Professor and Soil and Nutrient Management Specialist Cotton and Small Grain Specialist Angela McClure, Professor and Corn and Robert Florence, Director, UT Soil, Plant Soybean Specialist and Pest Center Generally, a nutrient deficiency occurs as a result of low necrosis, which occurs when the plant tissue dies. Necrosis soil nutrient levels. However, prevailing environmental is commonly associated with N, phosphorus (P), and conditions, soil properties, growth conditions and root potassium (K) deficiencies. Abnormal growth occurs when diseases may restrict nutrient uptake and induce deficiencies inadequate amounts of a nutrient in the plant restrict cell in crops even if soil nutrient levels are estimated sufficient elongation and replication resulting in stunted growth, for optimum yield. For example, low or high soil pH, soil deformation or crinkled leaves. compaction and excessively wet or dry soil may prevent Where the symptomology occurs on the plant depends nutrient uptake. A handy diagnostic tool to identify nutrient on the mobility of the nutrient within the plant (Figure 1). deficiency in crops is via visual observation of symptoms. Plant nutrients can be classified as mobile or immobile However, this tool may not always provide a definite within the plant. Mobile nutrients such as N, P, K and Mg diagnosis of the nutrient status of the plant. Keep in mind can be translocated from the older leaves to the developing other conditions are capable of inducing symptoms that plant parts. Hence, deficiency symptoms tend to show on closely resemble those of nutrient deficiencies. To address older, lower leaves. On the other hand, immobile nutrients this, visual symptoms should be corroborated with plant like Calcium (Ca), Sulfur (S), and most micronutrients have tissue and soil testing, and examination of the history of limited mobility within plants and deficiency symptoms nutrient applications to the field. Adequate knowledge occur in younger, upper leaves. of visual symptoms and tissue testing may help guide corrective actions in-season or preventive action in the Because plant nutrients may be mobile or immobile, it is following season to avoid yield loss. important to understand how to sample tissue correctly for accurate results. Sampling an older leaf or trifoliate may The form and location of symptoms on the affected crop result in the mobile nutrient concentration being falsely will help guide the diagnosis. Symptoms associated with low. Sampling a younger leaf or trifoliate may cause deficiency may take several forms including chlorosis, mobile nutrient results to be too high. This publication necrosis and abnormal growth. Chlorosis occurs when the provides information on identifying N, P, K, Mg, S, zinc (Zn), production of chlorophyll is reduced which results in a and boron (B) nutrient deficiencies in corn, cotton and yellow to pale green leaf color. Nitrogen (N), magnesium soybean using visual symptoms. In addition, information on (Mg), sulfur (S), and iron (Fe) are nutrients that play common causes of these deficiencies, deficiency levels in important roles in chlorophyll production and function; leaf tissue and in-season corrective actions are provided hence, their deficiencies tend to cause chlorosis. Next is in this publication. Visual Symptoms: A Handy Tool in Identifying Nutrient Deficiency in Corn, Cotton and Soybean 1 Figure 1. Schematic chart showing the location of visual nutrient deficiency symptoms. Nutrient deficiency symptom location Corn, Soybean, and Cotton Symptoms appear first on older leaves Symptoms appear first on younger leaves Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Magnesium Zinc Sulfur Boron (N) (P) (K) (Mg) (Zn) (S) (B) Corn More More More More More Full Image More Information Information Information Information Information Information Soybean More More Full Image More More Full Image More Information Information Information Information Information Cotton More More More More More More More Information Information Information Information Information Information Information Visual Symptoms: A Handy Tool in Identifying Nutrient Deficiency in Corn, Cotton and Soybean 2 Table 1. Visual nutrient deficiency symptoms and plant-tissue deficiency levels for corn, cotton and soybean. Deficiency symptoms and plant/leaf tissue deficiency levels Nutrient Corn Soybean Cotton Macronutrients Nitrogen (N) Plant: Stunted yellowish-green Plant: Pale green plants. Plant: Stunted plant, reduced boll size, plants with spindle stems. Leaf: Appear first on older reduced boll retention and increased Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) leaves. Pale yellow leaves aborted bolls. (lower) leaves. V-shaped leading to brown older leaves; veins Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) yellowing starting from the tip are prominent. leaves. Yellowish-green leaf color with and progressing down the midrib Deficiency is diagnosed when tissue reduced leaf size; reddening of the towards the base of the leaf. N at flowering is less than 3.25 leaf blade in severe cases. Deficiency is diagnosed when percent (Table 3). Deficiency is diagnosed when recently mature leaf N at early recently mature leaf blade N at early growth and earleaf N at tasseling is bloom and late bloom is less than less than 3.0 percent and less than 3 percent (Table 4). 2.8 percent, respectively (Table 2). Phosphorus (P) Plant: Stunted, dark green to Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) Plant: Stunted growth and poor bluish-green plants. leaves. Yellowing along leaf margin boll retention. Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) progressing to browning; veins Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) leaves. Reddish-purplish leaf tips remain green. leaves. Dark green with and margins. Deficiency is diagnosed when reddish-purplish leaf. Deficiency is diagnosed when tissue K at flowering is less than 1.5 Flower: Delayed flower. percent (Table 3). recently mature leaf P at early Deficiency is diagnosed when recently growth and earleaf N at tasseling is mature leaf blade P at early bloom less than 0.30 percent and less than and late bloom is less than 0.2 0.25 percent, respectively (Table 2). percent and less than 0.15 percent, respectively (Table 4). Potassium (K) Plant: In severe cases, plants may Leaf: Dark green to bluish leaves Plant: Stunted plant lodge late in the growing season. with interveinal, small lesions. Leaf: Early season (pre-bloom) Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) Appear first on older (lower) leaves. deficiency symptoms appear first leaves. Yellowing and then necrosis Deficiency is diagnosed when on older (lower) leaves whiles late (tissue dies) of corn leaf margin in tissue P at flowering is less than season (post bloom) deficiency often severe cases. Yellowing starts from 0.3 percent (Table 3). appears in upper leaves. Light green the tip of the leaf and progresses to gold mottling between leaf veins, along the edges towards the base progressing to yellowing and then of the leaf. browning of leaf margin and between Deficiency is diagnosed when the veins. There may be development recently mature leaf K at early of red and yellow colors on leaf. growth and earleaf N at tasseling is Deficiency is diagnosed when less than 2.0 percent and less than recently mature leaf blade K at early 1.8 percent, respectively (Table 2). bloom and late bloom is less than 1.5 percent and less than 0.75 percent, respectively (Table 4). Magnesium (Mg) Plant: Stunted plants (severe cases). Plant: Stunted plants (severe cases). Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) Leaf: Appear first on older (lower) leaves. Interveinal stripping; older leaves. Olive green/mustard leaves. Olive green/mustard leaves become reddish-purple. yellowing interveinal stripping yellowing interveinal stripping Deficiency is diagnosed when recently which progress towards the base which progress towards the base mature leaf blade Mg at early bloom and midrib. Necrosis of leaf tip and and midrib. Necrosis of leaf tip and and late bloom is less than 0.3 margins. Older leaves become margins. Older leaves become percent (Table 4). reddish-purple. reddish-purple. Deficiency is diagnosed when Deficiency is diagnosed when recently mature leaf Mg at early recently mature leaf Mg at early growth and earleaf N at tasseling is growth and earleaf N at tasseling is less than 0.15 percent (Table 2). less than 0.15 percent (Table 2). Visual Symptoms: A Handy Tool in Identifying Nutrient Deficiency in Corn, Cotton and Soybean 3 Table 1 Continued. Deficiency symptoms and plant/leaf tissue deficiency levels Nutrient Corn Soybean Cotton Sulfur (S) Plant: Stunted light green plants Plant: Pale green to yellow plants. Plant: Stunted plant. with spindly stems. Leaf: Pale green to yellowing of Leaf: Appear first on younger Leaf: Appear first on younger leaves without prominent vein or (upper) leaves. Yellowing of leaves (upper) leaves. Yellowing of leaves. necrosis. Appear first on younger and leaf vein. Deficiency is diagnosed when (upper) leaves. Deficiency is diagnosed when recently recently mature leaf S at early Deficiency is diagnosed when tissue mature leaf blade S at early bloom growth and earleaf N at tasseling is S at flowering is less than 0.25 and late bloom is less than 0.25 less than 0.15 percent (Table 2). percent (Table 3). percent and less than 0.30 percent, respectively (Table 4). Micronutrients Zinc (Zn) Plant: Stunted plant. Plant: Pale green plants Leaves: Appear first on younger Leaf: Appear first on younger Leaf: Pale yellow leaves leading (upper) leaves. Interveinal chlorosis (upper) leaves. Interveinal stripping to brown older leaves; veins are and leathery upturned leaves. from the base of the leaf and prominent. Appear first on younger Deficiency is diagnosed when progress to the tip or whitish band (upper) leaves. recently mature leaf blade Zn at at the base of the leaf. Margins, Deficiency is diagnosed when early bloom and late bloom is less midrib area and tips of leaf usually tissue Zn at flowering is less than than 20 ppm and less than 50 ppm, remain green.