Guide to Symptoms of Plant Nutrient Deficiencies

Guide to Symptoms of
Plant Nutrient Deficiencies
PUBLICATION AZ1106
5/99
Issued May, 1999 by:
Plants need the right combination of nutrients
Caveats
to live, grow and reproduce. When plants suffer
Shanyn Hosier,
from malnutrition, they show symptoms of being
• Many nutrient deficiencies may look similar.
Instructional Specialist
unhealthy. Too little or too much of any one
• It is important to know what a plant species
Urban Horticulture
nutrient can cause problems.
looks like when it is healthy in order to
Plant nutrients fall into 2 categories:
Lucy Bradley, Agent
recognize symptoms of distress, for example
Urban Horticulture
macronutrients and micronutrients.
some plants were bred to have variegated
Macronutrients are those elements that are
patterns in the leaves when they are
needed in relatively large amounts. They include
healthy.
ag.arizona.edu/pubs/
nitrogen, potassium, sulfur, calcium, magnesium
• Many micronutrients are used by plants to
garden/az1106.pdf
and phosphorus. Micronutrients are those
process other nutrients or work together
elements that plants need in small amounts
with other nutrients, so a deficiency of one
This information
(sometimes trace amounts), like iron, boron,
has been reviewed by
may look like another (for instance,
manganese, zinc, copper, chlorine and
university faculty.
molybdenum is required by legumes to
molybdenum. Both macro- and micronutrients
complete the nitrogen fixation process).
are naturally obtained by the roots from the soil.
• If more than one problem is present, i.e. if
Plant roots require certain conditions to obtain
water stress, disease, or insect pressure
these nutrients from the soil. First, the soil must
occurs simultaneously with a nutrient
be sufficiently moist to allow the roots to take up
deficiency, or if two nutrients are deficient
and transport the nutrients. Sometimes correcting
simultaneously, the typical symptoms may
improper watering strategies will eliminate
301
not occur.
nutrient deficiency symptoms. Second, the pH of
the soil must be within a certain range for
nutrients to be release-able from the soil
Too much of any nutrient can be toxic to
particles. Third, the temperature of the soil must
plants. This is most frequently evidenced by salt
fall within a certain range for nutrient uptake to
burn symptoms. These symptoms include
occur. The optimum range of temperature, pH
marginal browning of leaves, separated from

• 602.470.8086 ext.
and moisture is different for different species of
green leaf tissue by a slender yellow halo. The
plants. Thus, nutrients may be physically
browning pattern, also called necrosis, begins at
XTENSION
present in the soil, but not available to plants. A
the tip and proceeds to the base of the leaf along
knowledge of soil pH, texture, and history can be
the edge of the leaf.
E COUNTY
very useful for predicting what nutrients may
A

AZ 85040-8807
become deficient.
Nitrogen, phosphorous, and iron are the only
TIVE
nutrients that are commonly lacking in Arizona
At a Glance
soils. Most of the others can be lacking under
• Know the characteristics of the plant when
certain conditions, but deficiencies are quite
MARICOP
healthy to identify symptoms of distress
http://ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/
rare. The following table lists nutrients that may
y Road • Phoenix,
• Identify where symptoms are appearing
be lacking in Arizona soils, and what deficiency
(new leaves, old leaves, edge of leaf, veins
symptoms often look like. Keep in mind that each
OOPERA
etc.)
oadwa
plant variety is different and may display
Br
• Identify pattern of symptoms
C
different symptoms.
• Compare symptoms to chart
4341 E.
• Follow directions on label of product for
applying fertilizer if warranted.

---

t
n
e
i
r
t
u
N
y
c
n
e
i
c
i
f
e
D
s
m
o
t
p
m
y
S
s
t
n
e
m
m
o
C
r
e
F
r
e
z
i
l
i
t
s
e
c
r
u
o
S
S
T
N
E
I
R
T
U
N
O
R
C
A
M
e
c
a
l
p
e
R
s
t
n
e
i
r
t
u
n
o
r
c
a
m
n
i
s
l
i
o
s
y
l
r
a
l
u
g
e
r
t
a
(
t
s
a
e
l
e
c
n
o
r
e
p
g
n
i
w
o
r
g
)
n
o
s
a
e
s
m
u
i
c
l
a
c
w
e
N
s
e
v
a
e
l
p
o
t
(
f
o
)
t
n
a
l
p
e
r
a
r
e
s
e
D
t
s
li
o
s
d
n
a
r
e
t
a
w
y
ll
a
r
e
n
e
g
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
d
r
o
w
)
a
C
(
r
o
t
s
i
d
d
e
t
r
o
y
l
r
a
l
u
g
e
r
r
i
.
d
e
p
a
h
s
e
v
a
h
y
t
n
e
l
p
f
o
,
m
u
i
c
l
a
c
o
s
;
”
m
u
i
c
l
a
c
“
o
s
l
a
g
.
m
u
s
p
y
s
e
s
u
a
C
d
n
e
-
m
o
s
s
o
l
b
.
t
o
r
y
c
n
e
i
c
i
f
e
d
s
m
e
l
b
o
r
p
e
r
a
e
r
a
r
.
e
v
i
s
s
e
c
x
E
m
u
i
c
l
a
c
n
a
c
t
i
m
il
e
h
t
y
t
il
i
b
a
li
a
v
a
f
o
r
e
h
t
o
.
s
t
n
e
i
r
t
u
n
n
e
g
o
r
t
i
n
l
a
r
e
n
e
G
g
n
i
w
o
ll
e
y
f
o
r
e
d
l
o
s
e
v
a
e
l
t
s
o
M
s
t
n
a
l
p
b
r
o
s
b
a
n
e
g
o
r
t
i
n
n
i
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
s
d
r
o
w
)
N
(
m
o
t
t
o
b
(
f
o
.
)
t
n
a
l
p
e
h
T
t
s
e
r
f
o
e
h
t
e
h
t
m
r
o
f
f
o
m
u
i
n
o
m
m
a
r
o
e
t
a
r
t
i
n
.
”
,
m
u
i
n
o
m
m
a
“
e
t
a
r
t
i
n
“
”
,
r
o
t
n
a
l
p
s
i
n
e
t
f
o
t
h
g
il
.
n
e
e
r
g
e
s
e
h
T
s
m
r
o
f
y
li
d
a
e
r
e
v
l
o
s
s
i
d
n
i
”
.
a
e
r
u
“
o
s
l
A
.
s
e
r
u
n
a
m
r
e
t
a
w
d
n
a
h
c
a
e
l
.
y
a
w
a
m
u
i
s
e
n
g
a
m
r
e
d
l
O
s
e
v
a
e
l
n
r
u
t
w
o
ll
e
y
t
a
e
g
d
e
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
m
u
i
s
e
n
g
a
m
s
a
n
a
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
d
r
o
w
)
g
M
(
g
n
i
v
a
e
l
a
n
e
e
r
g
d
a
e
h
w
o
r
r
a
e
p
a
h
s
n
o
i
d
e
g
r
a
h
c
(
r
a
p
,
)
e
l
c
i
t
h
c
i
h
w
n
a
c
;
”
m
u
i
s
e
n
g
a
m
“
o
s
l
a
m
o
s
p
E
n
i
e
h
t
r
e
t
n
e
c
f
o
e
h
t
.
f
a
e
l
e
b
y
li
d
a
e
r
d
e
h
c
a
e
l
m
o
r
f
.l
i
o
s
y
a
M
s
t
l
a
s
m
u
i
s
e
n
g
a
m
(
.
)
e
t
a
f
l
u
s
e
b
y
li
d
a
e
r
d
e
h
c
a
e
l
m
o
r
f
li
o
s
f
i
m
u
i
c
l
a
c
s
i
t
o
n
.
t
n
e
s
e
r
p
s
u
r
o
h
p
s
o
h
p
f
a
e
L
s
p
i
t
k
o
o
l
,
t
n
r
u
b
d
e
w
o
ll
o
f
y
b
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
s
u
r
o
h
p
s
o
h
p
n
i
e
h
t
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
s
d
r
o
w
)
P
(
r
e
d
l
o
s
e
v
a
e
l
g
n
i
n
r
u
t
a
k
r
a
d
n
e
e
r
g
m
r
o
f
f
o
e
t
a
h
p
s
o
h
p
.
s
i
h
T
m
r
o
f
”
e
t
a
h
p
s
o
h
p
“
r
o
e
n
o
b
“
”
.
o
s
l
A
r
o
e
l
p
r
u
p
-
h
s
i
d
d
e
r
.
s
e
v
l
o
s
s
i
d
y
l
n
o
y
l
t
h
g
il
s
n
i
,
r
e
t
a
w
.
d
n
a
s
n
e
e
r
g
t
u
b
H
p
y
l
g
n
o
r
t
s
s
t
c
e
f
f
a
e
k
a
t
p
u
.
m
u
i
s
s
a
t
o
p
r
e
d
l
O
s
e
v
a
e
l
y
a
m
,
t
li
w
k
o
o
l
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
m
u
i
s
s
a
t
o
p
s
a
n
a
,
n
o
i
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
s
d
r
o
w
)
K
(
.
d
e
h
c
r
o
c
s
r
e
t
n
I
l
a
n
i
e
v
s
i
s
o
r
o
l
h
c
h
c
i
h
w
n
a
c
e
b
y
li
d
a
e
r
d
e
h
c
a
e
l
m
o
r
f
”
m
u
i
s
s
a
t
o
p
“
r
o
”
.
h
s
a
t
o
p
“
s
n
i
g
e
b
t
a
e
h
t
e
s
a
b
,
g
n
i
h
c
r
o
c
s
.l
i
o
s
r
e
s
e
D
t
s
li
o
s
d
n
a
r
e
t
a
w
d
r
a
w
n
i
m
o
r
f
f
a
e
l
.
s
n
i
g
r
a
m
y
ll
a
r
e
n
e
g
e
v
a
h
y
t
n
e
l
p
f
o
,
m
u
i
s
s
a
t
o
p
o
s
y
c
n
e
i
c
i
f
e
d
s
m
e
l
b
o
r
p
e
r
a
e
r
a
r
.
r
u
f
l
u
s
r
e
g
n
u
o
Y
s
e
v
a
e
l
n
r
u
t
w
o
ll
e
y
,
t
s
r
i
f
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
r
u
f
l
u
s
n
i
e
h
t
m
r
o
f
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
d
r
o
w
)
S
(
s
e
m
i
t
e
m
o
s
d
e
w
o
ll
o
f
y
b
r
e
d
l
o
f
o
e
t
a
f
l
u
s
.
s
i
h
T
y
li
d
a
e
r
s
e
h
c
a
e
l
e
t
a
f
l
u
s
“
”
.
.
s
e
v
a
e
l
m
o
r
f
e
h
t
.l
i
o
s
r
u
f
l
u
S
y
a
m
y
f
i
d
i
c
a
e
h
t
li
o
s
r
e
w
o
l
(
e
h
t
.
)
H
p
S
T
N
E
I
R
T
U
N
O
R
C
I
M
e
c
a
l
p
e
R
n
e
h
w
y
c
n
e
i
c
i
f
e
d
s
m
o
t
p
m
y
s
e
r
a
.
t
n
e
d
i
v
e
n
o
r
o
b
l
a
n
i
m
r
e
T
s
d
u
b
e
i
d ,
’
s
e
h
c
t
i
w
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
n
o
r
o
b
n
i
e
h
t
m
r
o
f
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
s
d
r
o
w
)
B
(
s
m
o
o
r
b
.
m
r
o
f
f
o
e
t
a
r
o
b
.
s
m
e
l
b
o
r
P
e
r
a
n
e
e
s
n
i
”
x
a
r
o
b
“
r
o
e
t
a
r
o
b
“
”
.
y
l
e
s
n
e
t
n
i
d
e
p
p
o
r
c
.
s
a
e
r
a
r
e
p
p
o
c
s
e
v
a
e
L
e
r
a
k
r
a
d
,
n
e
e
r
g
t
n
a
l
p
s
i
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
r
e
p
p
o
c
s
a
n
a
.
n
o
i
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
s
d
r
o
w
)
u
C
(
.
d
e
t
n
u
t
s
a
n
o
z
i
r
A
s
li
o
s
e
v
a
h
y
t
n
e
l
p
f
o
”
,
r
e
p
p
o
c
“
c
i
r
p
u
c
“
”
,
r
o
,
r
e
p
p
o
c
o
s
s
m
e
l
b
o
r
p
e
r
a
e
r
a
r
.
”
.
s
u
o
r
p
u
c
“
2 • The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension

---

n
o
r
i
g
n
i
w
o
ll
e
Y
s
r
u
c
c
o
n
e
e
w
t
e
b
e
h
t
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
n
o
r
i
s
a
n
a
n
o
i
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
d
r
o
w
n
o
r
i
"
)
e
F
(
s
n
i
e
v
f
o
g
n
u
o
y
*
*
.
s
e
v
a
e
l
h
g
u
o
r
h
t
r
i
e
h
t
e
g
a
il
o
f
s
a
ll
e
w
s
a
e
t
a
l
e
h
c
"
.
r
i
e
h
t
.
s
t
o
o
r
e
k
a
t
p
U
s
i
y
l
g
n
o
r
t
s
d
e
t
c
e
f
f
a
y
b
.
H
p
d
e
t
a
l
e
h
C
n
o
r
i
s
i
y
li
d
a
e
r
e
l
b
a
li
a
v
a
r
o
f
e
s
u
y
b
e
h
t
,
t
n
a
l
p
r
e
h
t
o
s
m
r
o
f
f
o
n
o
r
i
y
a
m
e
b
d
e
i
t
p
u
n
i
e
h
t
.l
i
o
s
e
s
e
n
a
g
n
a
m
g
n
i
w
o
ll
e
Y
s
r
u
c
c
o
n
e
e
w
t
e
b
e
h
t
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
e
s
e
n
a
g
n
a
m
s
a
n
a
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
s
d
r
o
w
)
n
M
(
s
n
i
e
v
f
o
g
n
u
o
y
.
s
e
v
a
e
l
n
r
e
t
t
a
P
s
i
n
o
i
h
g
u
o
r
h
t
r
i
e
h
t
e
g
a
il
o
f
s
a
ll
e
w
"
e
s
e
n
a
g
n
a
m
"
r
o
t
o
n
s
a
t
c
n
i
t
s
i
d
s
a
h
t
i
w
.
n
o
r
i
m
l
a
P
s
a
r
i
e
h
t
.
s
t
o
o
r
"
.
s
u
o
n
a
g
n
a
m
"
n
e
t
f
O
d
e
r
i
u
q
e
r
s
d
n
o
r
f
e
r
a
d
e
t
n
u
t
s
d
n
a
,
d
e
m
r
o
f
e
d
h
t
i
w
c
n
i
z
.
n
o
i
t
a
c
il
p
p
a
d
e
ll
a
c
e
l
z
z
i
r
f
"
"
.
p
o
t
n
o
i
t
c
u
d
e
R
n
i
e
z
i
s
f
o
t
n
a
l
p
r
a
p
s
t
,
s
e
v
a
e
l
(
,
s
t
o
o
h
s
)
t
i
u
r
f
.
y
ll
a
r
e
n
e
g
d
a
e
D
s
t
o
p
s
r
o
.
s
e
h
c
t
a
p
m
u
n
e
d
b
y
l
o
m
l
a
r
e
n
e
G
g
n
i
w
o
ll
e
y
f
o
r
e
d
l
o
s
e
v
a
e
l
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
m
u
n
e
d
b
y
l
o
m
n
i
e
h
t
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
s
d
r
o
w
)
o
M
(
m
o
t
t
o
b
(
f
o
.
)
t
n
a
l
p
e
h
T
t
s
e
r
f
o
e
h
t
m
r
o
f
f
o
e
t
a
d
b
y
l
o
m
.
s
m
e
l
b
o
r
P
e
r
a
"
e
t
a
d
b
y
l
o
m
"
r
o
c
i
d
b
y
l
o
m
"
"
.
t
n
a
l
p
s
i
n
e
t
f
o
t
h
g
il
.
n
e
e
r
g
e
r
a
r
n
i
a
n
o
z
i
r
A
s
li
o
s
t
u
b
e
r
a
y
ll
a
n
o
i
s
a
c
c
o
n
e
e
s
n
o
s
e
m
u
g
e
l
e
r
e
h
w
t
i
s
c
i
m
i
m
n
e
g
o
r
t
i
n
.
y
c
n
e
i
c
i
f
e
d
c
n
i
z
l
a
n
i
m
r
e
T
s
e
v
a
e
l
y
a
m
e
b
,
d
e
t
t
e
s
o
r
s
t
n
a
l
P
b
r
o
s
b
a
c
n
i
z
s
a
n
a
n
o
i
g
n
i
h
t
y
n
A
h
t
i
w
e
h
t
d
r
o
w
)
n
Z
(
d
n
a
g
n
i
w
o
ll
e
y
s
r
u
c
c
o
n
e
e
w
t
e
b
e
h
t
h
g
u
o
r
h
t
r
i
e
h
t
e
g
a
il
o
f
s
a
ll
e
w
s
a
c
n
i
z
"
"
.
s
n
i
e
v
f
o
e
h
t
w
e
n
.
s
e
v
a
e
l
r
i
e
h
t
.
s
t
o
o
r
h
g
i
H
H
p
y
a
m
t
i
m
il
.
y
t
il
i
b
a
li
a
v
a
* Magnesium deficiency symptom in leaf evident
** Interveinal chlorosis, a symptom of iron, zinc
in yellow parts of leaf.
and manganese deficiencies, evident in yellow
parts of leaf.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James A.
Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona.
The University of Arizona College of Agriculture is an equal opportunity employer authorized to provide research, educational information and other services
only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, Vietnam Era Veteran’s status, or disability.
Any products, services, or organizations that are mentioned, shown, or indirectly implied in this publication do not imply endorsement by The University of Arizona.
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension • 3

---