Essential Mineral Elements Macronutrients Nitrogen Mobile Caution NH4+, oxyanion NO3- Aquatic Plants Prefer Leaf Uptake of Ammonium Aquatic Plants Prefer Ammonium over Nitrates Role Content in dried sample Interactions A relationship exists between (N and P 3:1) and (N and K) The uptake of nitrate stimulates the uptake of the cations Chloride and hydroxyl anions restrict nitrate uptake. Deficiency Symptoms Entire plant turns yellow green. Leaves uniform (including veins) light green to yellow with the older leaves affected first and more yellowish than younger. Recovery of deficient plants to applied nitrogen is immediate (days) and spectacular. Deficiency shows first in old leaves. Excess Symptoms Dark green lanky, succulent foliage, weak plants. Phosphorus Mobile anion (-1) or (-2) H2PO4 (-1) or HPO4 (-2) dependent upon pH Plants Prefer Root Uptake of Phosphorus Role Content in dried sample Interactions Relationship between N and P (3:1) and P and the micronutrients Mn,Fe,Cu,Zn .P and Zn (200:1) is considered critical. Deficiency Symptoms Slow growing weak and stunted plants. Colour may be dark green with older leaves in some cases showing a purple pigmentation. Deficiency shows first in old leaves. Excess Symptoms Fe or Zn deficiency Potassium Plants Prefer Shoot Uptake of Potassium Very mobile anion, H2PO4 (-1) Role Content in dried sample Interactions High K will first cause a Mg Deficiency Higher K may produce a Ca deficiency Deficiency Symptoms K is very mobile and signs first appear in older leaves, this can turn uniform yellow before they die. Pinholes appear in them and slowly enlarge. The new leaves are reduced in size and leaf area, looking a bit 'singed'. As symptoms advance lower leaves can bend downwards. Chlorosis is irreversible in potassium deficiency Deficiency shows first in old leaves. Excess Symptoms High imbalance of K will cause first Mg then Ca deficiency. Reaction with Fe production of Iron Phosphate, precipitation of iron causing iron deficiency Calcium Plants Prefer ... Imobile Cation Ca2+ Role Content in dried sample Interactions Ca levels should be higher than K or Mg. Deficiency Symptoms Distorted leaf growth twisted, bent, maybe cupped leaves. White streaks or white edges in new growth.In extreme cases leaves can grow completely white. Immobile, hence the symptoms occur at growing terminals. Excess Symptoms Excess Ca causes Mg or K deficiency problems. Sulfur Plants Prefer ... Mobile anion (-2) SO4 (-2) Role Content in dried sample Interactions Low sulphur reduces N uptake High sulphur causes Fe, Mo and B to be low. Deficiency Symptoms Similar to nitrogen deficiency. Younger leaves show a more pronounced yellowing than older. Excess Symptoms Premature aging and dying off of leaves Magnesium Plants Prefer ... Mobile Cation Role Content in dried sample Interactions Mg levels must be in balance with the other cations K and Ca. Deficiency can be induced by High Ca, K or ammonium. Deficiency Symptoms Symptoms are seen first in old leaves. As the deficiency increases yellowing of the leaves or interveinal chlorosis of new leaves become obvious. Necrosis or leaves dying is possible in severe cases. A raised puckered surface can be seen in the interveinal areas in the intermediate stage between chlorotic to necrotic tissue, with the top of the puckers progressively going from chlorotic to necrotic tissue. Excess Symptoms No specific symptoms of excess. Mg can interferer with other cation uptake and may reduce growth rate. Micronutrients Copper Plants Prefer ... Untitled Role Content in dried sample Interactions High copper interferes with iron and molybdenum. An iron deficiency can results from high copper. Deficiency Symptoms Stunted growth with a distortion of younger leaves. Light overall chlorosis of younger leaves. matured leaves show netted, green veining with areas bleaching to a whitish gray. Some leaves develop sunken necrotic spots and have a tendency to bend downward. Excess Symptoms Cause iron deficiency with chlorosis. Root development is inhibited. Boron Plants Prefer ... Untitled Role Content in dried sample Interactions A high content of calcium in a plant creates a high requirement for boron. A high content potassium plant accentuates the deficiency symptoms of a plant low in Boron . Deficiency Symptoms Causes stunted growth with a distortion of younger leaves. Boron deficiency results in necrosis of meristematic tissues in the growing region similar to those caused by calcium deficiency. In plants in which boron is readily transported in the phloem, the deficiency symptoms localize in the mature tissues, similar to those of nitrogen and potassium. Excess Symptoms Cause iron deficiency with chlorosis. Root development is inhibited. Manganese Plants Prefer ... Untitled Role Content in dried sample Interactions Not known to interfere with the metabolism or uptake of other nutrients. Deficiency Symptoms Reduced or stunted growth with dicots showing interveinal chlorosis of the younger leaves (early stages of the chlorosis induced by manganese deficiency are somewhat similar to iron deficiency). (Grey speck on lower leaves and necrotic marsh spot in legume cotyledons describe the Mn deficiency. Excess Symptoms Old leaves may show necrotic brown spots surrounded by chlorosis. Molybdenum Role Deficiency Symptoms Initial symptoms of molybdenum deficiency are in fact those of nitrogen deficiency cause nitrogen is not reduced. In many plants there is an upward cupping of the leaves and mottled spots developing into large interveinal chlorotic areas under severe deficiency. Zinc Plants Prefer ... Untitled Role Content in dried sample Interactions A very high Zn may interfere with Fe uptake and produce Fe deficiency symptoms in Fe sensitive plants. High P levels are thought to interfere with Zn uptake. Deficiency Symptoms Zn deficiency appears first in young leaves as a paleness in the interveinal areas. This produces a banding appearance. In severe cases, Growth is stunted and leaves dye and fall from the plant. Excess Symptoms May cause Fe deficiency in Fe sensitive plants Iron Plants Prefer ... Untitled Role Content in dried sample Interactions High plant P levels decrease the solubility of Fe. Potassium increases the mobility and solubility of Fe. N accentuates the Fe deficiency due to increased growth rates. Bicarbonate interferes with Fe translocation. Deficiency Symptoms Interveinal chlorosis of younger leaves is the typical septum of Fe deficiency. As the deficiency increases the older leaves become affected. Excess Symptoms Iron may accumulate to several hundred ppm without toxicity symptoms Toxicity produces a bronzing of the leaf. Chloride Mobile anion Role Deficiency Symptoms Chlorine deficiency are chlorosis and wilting of the young leaves. The chlorosis occurs on smooth flat depressions in the interveinal area of the leaf blade. In more advanced cases there often appears a characteristic bronzing on the upper side of the mature leaves. Nickel Essential Nonmineral Elements Hydrogen Oxygen Carbon Beneficial Elements Sodium Cobalt Silicon Selenium Cobalt Aluminium Platinum Vandium