NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES AND EXCESSES Nutrient (Symbol) What it looks like Primary Nutrients Deficiency Excess Nitrogen (N) • Reduced growth • Succulent growth; leaves are dark green, • Light-green to yellow foliage (chlorosis) thick, and brittle • Reds and purples may intensify with some • Poor fruit set plants • Symptoms appear first on older growth

Phosphorous (P) • Reduced growth • Shows up as micronutrient deficiency of zinc • Leaves dark-green; purple or red color in older or iron leaves, especially on the underside of the leaf along the veins • Leaf shape may be distorted • Thin stems

Potassium (K) • Reduced growth • Causes nitrogen deficiency and may affect • Shortened internodes the uptake of other nutrients • Margins of older leaves become chlorotic and burned • Necrotic (dead) spots on older leaves

Secondary Nutrients Deficiency Excess Calcium (Ca) • Inhibition of bud growth • Interferes with magnesium absorption • Young leaves are scalloped and abnormally • High calcium usually causes high pH green • Leaf tips may stick together • Cupping of maturing leaves • Blossom end rot of many fruits

Magnesium (Mg) • Leaf margins may curl downward or upward • Interferes with calcium uptake with a puckering effect • Small necrotic spots in older leaves • Smaller veins in older leaves may turn brown

Sulfur (S) • Rarely deficient • Sulfur excess is usually in the form of air • General yellowing of the young leaves, then pollution the entire plant • Veins lighter in color than adjoining interveinal area

Micronutrients Deficiency Excess Boron (B) • Young leaves become thick, leathery, and • Tips and edges of leaves exhibit necrotic chlorotic spots coalescing into a marginal scorch • Internal breakdown of fruit or vegetable (similar to high-soluble salts) • Death of apical buds, giving rise to witches' • Oldest leaves are affected first broom • Can occur in low pH soils • Failure to set seed • Looks like magnesium deficiency, green veins on a yellow leaf

Chlorine (Cl) • Wilted leaves which become bronze, then • Salt injury chlorotic, then die • Leaf burn

Cobalt (Co) • Little is known about its deficiency symptoms • Little is known about its toxicity symptoms

Copper (Cu) • In some species, young leaves may show • Can occur at low pH interveinal chlorosis while tips of older leaves • Shows up as iron deficiency remain green

Iron (Fe) • Interveinal chlorosis primarily on young tissue, • Rare except on flooded soils which may become white NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES AND EXCESSES

Micronutrients Deficiency Excess Manganese (Mn) • Interveinal chlorosis with smallest leaves • Reduction in growth, brown spotting on remaining green, producing a checkered effect leaves • Grey or tan spots usually develop in chlorotic • Shows up as iron deficiency areas • Dead spots may drop out of the leaf • Poor bloom size and color

Molybdenum (Mo) • Interveinal chlorosis on older or midstem • Intense yellow or purple color in leaves leaves • Rarely observed • Marginal scorching and rolling or cupping of leaves • Nitrogen deficiency symptoms may develop

Nickel (Ni) • Little is known about its deficiency symptoms • Little is known about its toxicity symptoms

Zinc (Zn) • Young leaves are very small, sometimes • Severe stunting, reddening missing leaf blades • Older leaves wilt • Short internodes • Entire leaf is affected by chlorosis; edges and • Distorted or puckered leaf margins main vein often retain more color • Interveinal chlorosis • Can be caused by galvanized metal