PLANT MICRO AND

MACRO NUTRIENT
DEFICIENCY

Prepared by: MS. EDS LEONISA

Essential Elements
• The 16 elements required by plants are obtained
from the soil, water and air.
• Thirteen of these elements must be supplied by
the soil.
• Six of the soil elements required by plants are
needed in relatively large amounts and are
usually added to the soil through fertilizer or lime.
These are called macronutrients.
• The remaining 7 elements supplied by soil are
required in very small amounts and are termed
micronutrients.
Element Symbol Source
Oxygen O Air/Water
Hydrogen H Air/Water
Carbon C Air/Water
Nitrogen N Soil
Phosphorus P Soil
Sulfur S Soil
Potassium K Soil
Calcium Ca Soil
Magnesium Mg Soil
Element Symbol Source
Iron Fe Soil
Manganese Mn Soil
Boron B Soil
Molybdenum Mo Soil
Copper Cu Soil
Zinc Zn Soil
Chlorine Cl Soil
MACROELEMENTS MICROELEMENTS
Nitrogen Iron
Phosphorus Copper
Potassium Zinc
Calcium Manganese
Magnesium Boron
Sulfur Molybdenum
Chlorine
Nickel
Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O).

- These elements are supplied to the plant in the water and

carbon dioxide it absorbs for photosynthesis

The Essential Elements

Carbon (C)
6 8
Hydrogen (H) + + =
Macroelements Microelements
Oxygen (O)
Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms
• Nutrient deficiency symptoms usually
appear on the plant when one or more
nutrients are in short supply.
• In many cases, deficiency may occur
because an added nutrient is not in the
form the plant can use.
• Deficiency symptoms for specific elements
are included on the "Key to Nutrient
Disorders".
Deficiency Symptoms of the
Macroelements and Iron
 Nitrogen Deficiency
• General chlorosis
(yellowing) of the
leaves.
• Older leaves showing
symptoms first.
• Entire plant becomes
yellow under prolonged
stress.
• Growth is immediately
restricted and plants
soon become spindly
and drop older leaves
N deficiency in potato
 Phosphorous Deficiency
• Reduced plant size
• Darkened foliage with a
purplish cast.
• Leaves appear dull, dark
green, blue green, or red-
purple, especially on the
underside, and especially
at the midrib and vein.
• Petioles may also exhibit
purpling. Restriction in
growth may be noticed.
P deficiency in corn
 Potassium Deficiency
• Margins eventually turning
brown.
• Symptoms develop on lower
leaves first.
• Leaf margins tanned, scorched,
or have necrotic spots (may be
small black spots which later
coalesce).
• Margins become brown and
cup downward.
• Growth is restricted and die
back may occur.
• Mild symptoms appear first on
recently matured leaves.
K deficiency on red currant
Potassium Deficiency
 Calcium Deficiency
• Young leaves are
prominently malformed.
• Poor root development.
• Growing points usually
damaged or dead (die
back).
• Margins of leaves
developing from the
growing point are first to
turn brown.
Ca deficiency on sugar
beet
 Magnesium Deficiency
• Interveinal chlorosis.
• Starts on the older leaves and
progresses towards the top of
the plant.
• Marginal chlorosis or chlorotic
blotches which later merge.
• Leaves show yellow chlorotic
interveinal tissue on some
species, reddish purple
progressing to necrosis on
others.
• Younger leaves affected with
continued stress.
• Chlorotic areas may become Mg deficiency on grape
necrotic, brittle, and curl
upward.
• Symptoms usually occur late in
the growing season.
 Magnesium (Mg) Deficiency on Poinsettia

Interveinal Chlorosis on Mature Leaves

 Sulfur Deficiency
• A chlorosis develops which affects the
entire plant except the very tip.
• Symptoms similar to a nitrogen deficiency.
• Leaves uniformly light green, followed by
yellowing and poor spindly growth.
• Uniform chlorosis does not occur
 Iron Deficiency

• Interveinal chlorosis
developing on the youngest
leaves first.
• Damage confined to the
upper regions of the plant.
• Distinct yellow or white
areas appear between
veins, and veins eventually
become chlorotic.
• Symptoms are rare on
mature leaves. Fe deficiency on cherry
Iron (Fe) Deficiency Symptoms
1 2

3 4

A B

1-Piggyback Plant, 2- Petunia, 3-Silver Maple,

4-Rose (A-normal, B-Fe-deficient)
Deficiency Symptoms - Mn
• Chlorosis is less marked
near veins.
• Some mottling occurs in
interveinal areas.
• Chlorotic areas
eventually become
brown, transparent, or
necrotic.
• Symptoms may appear http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/KHC/110-122.JPG

later on older leaves.

Deficiency Symptoms - Zn
• Leaves may be abnormally small and necrotic.
• Internodes are shortened.

http://agri.atu.edu/people/Hodgson/FieldCrop
s/Mirror/Nutrient%20Def_files/slide24.jpg

http://plantsci.sdstate.edu/woodardh/soilfert/Nut
rient_Deficiency_Pages/corn_def/CORN-
ZN1.JPG
Deficiency Symptoms - B
• Young, expanding
leaves may be necrotic
or distorted followed by
death of growing points.
• Internodes may be short,
especially at shoot
terminals.
• Stems may be rough,
cracked, or split along
the vascular bundles. http://www.canr.msu.edu/vanburen/ffc12.jpg
Crops Highly Susceptible to Deficiencies

Element Crops
Mn Soybean, Small Grain & Peanuts
Cu Wheat & Corn
Zn Corn
Mo Soybeans & Cauliflower
B Alfalfa, Apples, Peanuts, Tobacco & Tomatoes
Fe Ornamentals, Fruit Trees, Soybeans, Grain
Sorghum & Some Grasses