Plant Nutrition

Zinc - Deficiency Symptons

• Leaves are smaller and narrower than normal (“little leaf”), and their tips are often white. The entire plant is often stunted (dwarfism)
• Malformation of foliage and reduced fruit set
• Yellow or chlorotic striping
• Older and middle leaves display chlorotic spots with necrotic areas
• Shortened internode
• In fruit crops, ‘rosette’ or ‘little leaf’ development occurs because of jammed internodes
• The growth of sprigs is inhibited and young shoots die
• Premature leaf senescence can also occur
• Leaf roll in potatoes

Zinc - Factors Affecting Deficiency

• Low organic matter soils, high pH soils, light and sandy soils.
• The pH and the total Zinc content of the soil.
• Excessive sulphate and phosphate content in the soil solution will result in immobilization of zinc.
• Under anaerobic conditions, zinc can be precipitated into the barely soluble sulphide form which is largely unavailable to plants.
• Conditions in which restrict root development such as compacted and cold wet soils, will negatively affect Zinc availability.
• High available P can accentuate Zn deficiencies as well as high N fertilization and very high potassium levels may also induce Zn deficiency.

Zinc - Deficiency Photos