1. Calcium Deficiency Symptoms
On young plants, leaf tips stick to the next lower leaf, creating a ladder-like appearance
Plants may be severely stunted
Tips of the shoots die, tips of young leaves die, tips of leaves are hooked-shaped
Blossom end rot in tomatoes
Bitter pit in apples

2. Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms
Grapes
Yellowing of tissue along leaf margins and between the main veins; round spots sometimes follow giving the impression of beaded streaking
Symptoms may initially develop along leaf margins, similar to K deficiency
As the deficiency progresses, the yellow regions turn brown and die
Tends to develop first on older leaves

3. Sulfur Deficiency Symptoms
Pale green to yellow new growth, some interveinal chlorosis
Stunted growth
Shows similarity to N deficiency

4. Boron Deficiency Symptoms
New shoot growth severely reduced and shoot tips may die back
Fruit set may be reduced and and fruit cracking may occur
On veggie crops – development of hollow stems, crown or ‘heart rot’
On trees, young twigs may develop a browning just beneath the bark
Cork spot in apples
Source: MSUE Bull E-852

5. Manganese Deficiency Symptoms
Tissue between the main veins turns yellow and chlorotic
Shoot tips do not elongate fully, resulting in compressed internode lengths and a tuft or rosette of leaves at the terminal

6. Iron Deficiency Symptoms
Youngest leaves yellow between the veins, while the main veins remain green.
In severe cases, symptoms may progress to older leaves on the shoot

7. Zinc Deficiency Symptoms
Leaves are much smaller than normal and narrow
Tissue between the main veins turns yellow and chlorotic
Shoot tips do not elongate fully
Shortened internodes

8. Micronutrient toxicities
Can be an issue in low pH soils
Toxic symptoms are similar as is found with typical salt damage
Scorched leaf margins and excessive abscission
Leaf/leaflet size is reduced and may appear to be thickened
Overall plant growth is reduced

9. Micronutrient toxicities
Boron
Chloride
Manganese
“Measles”

10. Diagnosing nutrient needs
Many nutrient deficiencies and toxicities may look similar
If more than one problem is present or if two or more nutrients are deficient, the typical symptoms may not occur

11. Diagnosing nutrient needs
Soil and plant tissue analyses!!!!!!
Important to understand basics of soil and plant tissue sampling (i.e. how many, what plant parts to sample, etc.)
Need to collect all the evidence:
Nutrient deficiency symptoms
Root growth patterns
Weather
Current field conditions
Field history
Tissue analysis
Soil analysis

12. Correction of deficiencies identified may not be feasible because:
Deficiency may have already caused yield loss
Crop may not respond at the growth stage tested
Crop may be too large for nutrient application
Weather may be unfavorable for fertilization and/or for crop to benefit
So, use routine soil tests and BMPs to manage crop fertility so that a deficiency doesn’t occur!

13. Use the web as a resource
Google “plant nutrient deficiency”

14. Thank You.
Questions?