Structured overview of deficiency symptoms

🟩 Leaves

🔻 Leaf loss & death

•  Dying shoot tips → Ca, B (strongly documented even in standard works such as Resh 2012)
•  Leaf loss (secondary) → Ca, B (Cu– deficiency rare, rare primary cause)
•  Midday wilting despite water → Ca, root stress (e.g. B. in the case of O₂ deficiency or pH problems). Ca is no longer adequately transported due to disturbed transpiration flow (e.g. high humidity).

🌕 Chlorosis (yellowing)

a) Entire plant / large area

•  Yellow leaves old → N, Mg. Old leaves first
•  Yellowing of entire plant → N, S, lack of light, root problems. Classic for nitrogen deficiency: older leaves first
•  Slow, uniform yellowing → S
•  Bright new shoots → Fe, S, Mn
•  White leaf tips / tip chlorosis → B (often together with Ca). Particularly visible at shoot tips
•  Faded new shoots with deformed leaves → Fe, Zn, Mn. Often blocked at high pH
• Yellow plant in good light → root problems, EC too high, pH stress e.g. B. in anaerobic conditions
• High EC (salt stress) → ion imbalance blocks uptake of Fe, Mn, Mg etc.
• Light deficiency → Reduces chlorophyll synthesis
• Root stress / oxygen depletion → Reduces water and nutrient absorption
• Copper deficiency (rare) → Possible in special crops, but not a typical yellow color

b) Intercostal / intervenal chlorosis

•  Intercostal chlorosis (between leaf veins) → Mg, Mn, Fe
•  Intervenal chlorosis (old leaves) → Mg. Typical for magnesium deficiency – central vein remains green
•  Intervenal chlorosis (young leaves) → Fe, Mn, Zn. Micronutrient deficiency or pH-dependent availability

c) Specific at high EC

•  Chlorosis and EC is above 3 → salt stress, K‑ excess supply, antagonisms (e.g. Fe, Mn, Ca, Mg blocked)

🍂 Necrosis / Dying Tissues

•  Necrosis at leaf tips → Ca, B, salt stress (especially on youngest leaves)
•  Point necrosis → Mn, B, Cl
•  Necrosis at the edge of the leaf → K

🔀 Deformations and structural symptoms

•  Young leaves deformed → B, Ca, Cu
•  Leaf margins rolled up → K, heat stress
•  Twisted leaves or shoots → B, Ca
•  Lack of foliar gloss → S, P excess
•  Purple or purple leaf undersides → P deficiency
•  Bronze or reddish brown spots → Mn, Mg
•  Red color / anthocyanin formation → P deficiency, cold, stress

🌿 Shoot / growth habit

⬇️ Growth problems

•  Crippled growth → B, Ca, Zn
•  Short stature / short internodes → Zn, Mo
•  Growth arrest / dwarfism → N, Mo, Zn, Cu
•  Soft or fragile stems → Ca, B, K

🌸 Flowers/fruits

🌼 Flower problems

•  Yellowing at flower tips → B, Fe, Mo
•  Flower / fruit deformities or loss → Ca, B

🍅 Fruit problems

•  Cracked or deformed fruits → Ca, B, uneven water availability
•  Hollow heart: cavities in the center of the tuber/potato → B, Ca, P, N. Uneven water availability. K Supports uniform cell growth

🌱 Roots

•  Root growth inhibited → P, Ca, O₂ deficiency, pH stress

Deficiency symptoms by element

Symptoms of lack of Al

• Root shortening, toxic

Symptoms of lack of B

• White leaf tips
• Shoot tips die
• Fruit deformation
• Cracked fruits
• Crippling

Symptoms of lack of Be

• Deformed shoots (rare)

Symptoms of lack of Ca

• Lace necrosis
• Flower end rot
• Crippled growth
• Drive dieback
• Fruit deformation

Symptoms of lack of Cl

• Point necrosis
• Competition for nitrate intake

Symptoms of Cu deficiency

• Growth arrest
• Deformed shoots
• Loss of old leaves

Symptoms of lack of Fe

• Intervenal chlorosis (young leaves)
• White tips
• Faded new shoots
• Deformed shoots

Symptoms of lack of K

• Marginal necrosis on leaves
• Leaf rolling
• Weak stems
• EC-dependent chloroses

Symptoms of lack of Li

• Wilted leaves

Symptoms of lack of Mg

• Intercostal chlorosis (old leaves)
• Yellow old leaves
• Bronze spotting

Symptoms of lack of Mn

• Point necrosis
• Bronze spotting
• Chlorosis between leaf veins

Symptoms of lack of Mo

• Growth arrest
• Yellowed flower tips
• Short stature

Symptoms of lack of N

• Yellowing of older leaves
• Growth arrest
• Hollow heart in tubers
• Soft stems

Symptoms of lack of Na

• Chlorosis due to salt stress
• Calcium displacement in the event of oversupply

Symptoms of lack of NH₄⁺

• pH reduction, calcium depletion, toxicity in the event of oversupply

Symptoms of lack of NO₃⁻

• General yellowing, need in vegetative phase

Symptoms of P deficiency

• Purple undersides of leaves
• Short stature
• Anthocyanins / red color
• Root growth inhibition

Symptoms of lack of S

• Slow uniform yellowing
• Bright new shoots
• Leaf loss

Symptoms of lack of Se

• Superimposed by S; rarely symptoms in case of deficiency

Symptoms of lack of Si

• Sensitive, easily torn leaves and brittle petioles (only partial leaf protection)
• Structural strengthening

Symptoms of lack of Zn

• Short stature
• Deformed new shoots
• Chlorosis of young leaves