Nutrient Excess and Deficiency
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B
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Boron Excess
Toxicity.
Promotes disease and enzyme problems.
Boron Deficiency
Reduces growth of soil bacteria.
Poor movement of sugar and carbohydrates in the plant.
Affects timing of maturity, pollination, and reproduction.
Can be caused by excess nitrogen with low phosphorus.
High applications of potassium can affect uptake when boron is low.
Excess calcium or calcium uptake, drought, or excess potassium can
cause problems (boron at high level is very important on sandy-textured
soils where potassium levels are over 5% base saturation).
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Ca
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Calcium Excess
Increases the need for phosphorus and zinc.
Decreases the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron,
manganese, zinc, and potassium.
Hampers the build up of potassium.
Increases calcium content of food and feed grains.
Calcium Deficiency
Hinders early root formation and growth.
Plants lack vigor and stiffness.
Plants show diseased and dead tissue.
Slows down the improvement of soil texture and crumb texture of heavy clay soils.
Promotes the toxicity of certain soil constituents such as aluminum
and manganese.
Increases the need for other nutrients.
Makes some micronutrients available in excess.
Slows down the growth of both symbiotic and non-symbiotic types
of nitrogen fixing bacteria.
Poor roots and stems.
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Cu
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Copper Excess
Toxic possibilities.
Poor utilization of nitrogen.
Can be caused by excess of molybdenum and cobalt (controlling agents).
Causes ammonia not to convert.
Copper Deficiency
Chlorosis due to resulting inability of uptake of iron.
Depressed growth.
Poor pollination and reproduction.
Can cause light green color.
Can be caused by excess phosphorus, which can reduce uptake,
and can be caused by heavy applications of nitrogen.
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Fe
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Iron Excess
Interferes with phosphorus absorption.
Requires use of higher levels of potassium to regulate.
Can cause Zinc deficiency.
Iron Deficiency
Plant lacks vigor, has poor transpiration energy and poor resistance to disease.
Causes stunting and uneven field growth in wet or poorly drained soils.
Chlorosis.
Can be caused by excesses of phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese.
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Mg
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Magnesium Excess
Increases the need for phosphorus.
Prevents crops from drying down timely and reaching nutritional maturity.
Permits organic residue to decay into alcohol, a sterilant to bacteria.
Cements clay soils tightly together which compacts and crusts easily,
preventing air retention, in-soak of water, and recovery of capillary
water during periods of dry weather.
With low calcium, can prevent decay of organic crop residue into humus.
Magnesium Deficiency
Adversely affects the process of photosynthesis.
Hampers metabolism, absorption, and deposition of Phosphorus.
Inhibits movement of carbohydrates from leaves to stem.
Increases potential for leaching.
Can be caused by high potassium levels.
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Mn
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Manganese Excess
Increases need for iron and zinc.
Caused by adding high applications of nitrogen and phosphorus.
Manganese Deficiency
Adversely affects metabolism, absorption and utilization
of plant food, especially carbohydrates.
Adversely affects pollination and reproduction.
Can be caused by excess calcium and phosphorus.
Hampers photosynthesis.
Activates the enzyme which controls the distribution of
growth regulators produced by auxins (plant hormones).
Can be caused by high levels of field moisture or poor drainage.
Leaf spotting and yellowing.
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N
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Nitrogen Excess
Increases the need for hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Promotes lodging and poor quality grain.
Delays maturity.
Reduces sugar content in the plant.
Potential nitrate poisoning in livestock.
Tender lush growth promotes disease and insects.
Negatively affects assimilation of hydrogen, sulfur, calcium, magnesium,
zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, molybdenum, and carbon.
Nitrogen Deficiency
Decreases growth, yield, and quality of grain.
Nitrogen is very mobile so older leaves or parts of the plant show stress signs.
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P
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Phosphorus Excess
Causes crop to mature too rapidly.
Increases the need for iron, calcium, and magnesium.
Reduces zinc, copper, and iron availability.
Reduces uptake of manganese, zinc, copper, and molybdenum.
Phosphorus Deficiency
Slows and reduces growth and growth hormone production.
Phosphorus is non-mobile so deficiencies appear in younger parts of the plant.
Phosphorus plays important role in controlling osmotic pressure.
Decreases resistance to invasion by pathogenic microorganisms and disease.
Affects enzyme system including vitamin D, nucleic acid, and every cell
since they are rich in phosphorus.
Can be created by excesses of iron, aluminum, calcium, and magnesium.
Adversely affects reproductive process and pollination activities of the plant.
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K
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Potassium Excess
Causes high osmotic pressure in soils.
Slows bacterial growth and multiplication.
Causes poor fertilizer efficiency.
Reduces uptake of calcium, magnesium, and boron.
Causes leafy and stalk vegetables to be tough and stringy.
Causes alkaline soils unless excessive chlorine is present.
Potassium Deficiency
Keeps other nutrients from moving to the growing points.
Decreases formation of the carbohydrates.
Slows growth, reduces vigor, and affects reproduction activity
at time of pollination.
Can be caused by excess applications of nitrogen.
Reduces frost protection of plants.
Promotes lodging by reducing stalk and straw strength.
Potassium is mobile so older leaves or parts of the plant show signs of stress.
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Na
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Sodium Excess
Raises osmotic pressure to excess, causing dehydration.
Slows down bacterial growth.
Reduces uptake of manganese, potassium, and nitrogen.
Compacts crusted soils with poor crumb structure and capacity for holding water.
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S
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Sulfur Excess
Poor utilization of nitrogen.
Affects magnesium, sodium, molybdenum, calcium, and copper assimilation.
Affects management of calcium and magnesium.
Causes changes in pH by increasing acid or hydrogen in soil.
Sulfur Deficiency
Affects amino acids methionine and cystine in protein.
Increases disease potential.
Can be caused by excess nitrogen on low organic matter soils.
Has similar appearance to nitrogen deficiency.
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Zn
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Zinc Excess
Decreases copper availability.
Increases need for manganese.
Interferes with utilization of copper, iron, and calcium.
Zinc Deficiency
Can be caused by excess calcium.
Poor growth and vigor.
Lowers disease resistance.
Causes stunting and lack of growth in terminal locations.
Adversely affects metabolism.
Adversely affects pollination and reproduction.
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Micronutrient Fact of the Day: |
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