N

= Narrow, short, and erect with

light-green color and chlorotic
(less or no color) tip.
= Affects older leaves first
(unlike S deficiency, which
Nutrient Disorders in Rice
affects younger leaves).
Leaf Plant Likely
= Stunted with reduced tillering;
low grain number.
symptoms symptoms environments
Nitrogen
= Entire field appears yellowish.
= Appears during tillering
and panicle initiation when
= Light green or pale yellow leaves
plant N demand is high.

= Soils low in organic matter

S with necrotic tips.
= Chlorosis more pronounced in
young leaves.
(OM). = Paler yellow than N-deficient
= Alkaline and calcareous plants but no necrosis of
soils with low OM and high lower leaves.
ammonium volatilization
losses. = Stunted with reduced tillering.
= Plant development and maturity
delayed by 1–2 weeks.

Sulfur
= Symptoms more pronounced
= Narrow, short, very erect,
P “dirty” dark green color.
= Red and purple color
in some varieties.
during vegetative growth.

= Soils low in OM, degraded

soils rich in Fe-oxides, sandy
soils.
= Thin and spindly stems.
Nutrie nt De fic ie nc ie s

= Stunted with greatly

reduced tillering and
Phosphorus

retarded development.

= In direct-seeded rice (high

planting density, shallow root = Orange-yellow interveinal chlorosis

Mg
system). on older leaves.
= Sandy soils with low OM. = Younger leaves and flag leaf
= Calcareous, acid-sulfate, peat, affected when deficiency is severe.
saline, sodic, or volcanic soils. = Green coloring appears as a
= Problem soils with other “string of beads” (in contrast to
nutrient disorders. stripes in K deficiency).
= Droopy and wavy leaves.

Magnesium
= Reduced number of spikelets
and 1000-grain weight.
= Reduced grain quality
= Yellowish brown margins or

K
(milled rice %, protein
dark brown necrotic (dead)
and starch content).
spots on older leaf tips.
= Symptoms later spread over
the whole leaf. = Large K application on Mg-
= Yellow stripes along interveins. deficient soils.
= Acid soils with low CEC in
upland and lowlands.
= Stunted with smaller leaves,
= Sandy soils with high percolation
short and thin stems.
Potassium

rates and leaching.

= Similar to tungro disease, but
= Leached, old acid-sulfate soils.
less patchy in the field.
= Reduced number of spikelets
= Interveinal yellowing and
per panicle, % of filled grains,
and 1000-grain weight.
Fe chlorosis of emerging leaves.

= Stunted growth with narrow

= Greater risk at higher yield
(hybrid cultivars). leaves.
= Sandy (low CEC), degraded = If severe, entire plant discolors
acid, “old” acid-sulfate, poorly and dies.
drained, or organic soils. = Symptoms often disappear
= Clay soils with high K fixation. one month after planting.

HYBRID INBRED = Upland soils.

Iron

= High-pH alkaline or calcareous

= Droopy and dry lower leaves
soils after submergence.
Zn with dusty brown spots and
streaks.
= Midribs chlorotic near base of
= Soils with high P or excessive
use of fertilizer P.
= Lowland soils low in OM.
younger leaves.
= Lowland soils irrigated with
= Reduced blade size.
alkaline irrigation water.

= Stunted with uneven growth

and reduced tillering.
= Symptoms appear 2–4 weeks
after transplanting.
Zinc

= Higher spikelet sterility. = Bluish green with chlorotic

= Delayed maturity.

= High soil pH (≥7 anaerobic

Cu streaks on either side of the
midrib.
= Dark brown necrotic lesions on
conditions). the tips of younger leaves.
= After large application of P = New leaves do not unroll and
fertilizer (Zn immobilization). leaf tip looks needle-like.
-
= High HCO3 in irrigation water.
= Calcareous soils with high OM. = Reduced tillering and pollen
= High dose of manure/residues. viability.
Copper

= Excessive liming. = Spikelet sterility and unfilled

grains.
= Tiny brown spots on lower = Soils high in OM (peat).

Fe leaves starting from the tip and

spreading toward the base.
= Whole leaf is orange-
= Sandy soils derived from
quartz.
= Overlimed acid soils.
yellow to brown and dies. = Excessive Zn in the soil.

= Stunted, greatly reduced tillering.

= Coarse, sparse, damaged root
Nu t r ien t Toxici ties

system with dark brown to black

coating on root surfaces.
= Symptoms appear in first 1–2
weeks (sometimes >2 months).
Iron

= White tips with chlorotic

patches on some leaves.
= High application of = Symptoms appear first on
undecomposed organic residues. young leaves.
= Long period of submergence
between crops (ratooning). = Reduced germination, plant
= Poor drainage in inland valleys height, and tillering.
next to acid upland soils. = Poor root growth.
= Patchy growth in the field.
Salinity

= Acid clayey, young acid-sulfate,

kaolinitic (low CEC), or acid peat = Increased spikelet sterility.
soils. = Rice most sensitive during
early growth (1–2-leaf stage),
black roots = Interveinal chlorosis of and at flowering.
emerging leaves (similar
= Saline coastal, saline acid-
to Fe deficiency).
sulfate, or acid sandy saline
soils.
= Poorly developed root = Neutral to alkaline saline,
systems with coarse, sparse, saline-sodic, and sodic inland
dark brown to black roots soils.
(similar to Fe toxicity).
Sulfide

= Well-drained sandy soils or

degraded paddy soils with low
Fe status. © Reprinted from Rice: A Practical Guide to Nutrient Management. 2002. PPI/PPIC and IRRI. Visit www.irri.org or www.seap.sg for copyright,
= Poorly drained organic and authors, acknowledgements, and order form for a poster sized A1 (84 cm x 60 cm).
acid-sulfate soils. POTASH & PHOSPHATE INSTITUTE

INTERNATIONAL POTASH INSTITUTE