Plants require 16 essential nutrients for growth, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen can be obtained from air and water. If the soil lacks the other 13 elements, the best solution to deal with is applying fertilizers. These 13 nutrients include macronutrients and trace elements. Macronutrients, in addition to the well-known Nitrogen(N), Phosphorus(P), and Potassium(K), also include Calcium (Ca), Manganese (Mg), and Sulfur (S). Trace elements include Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo), and Chlorine (Cl).

Just like humans need trace nutrients, plants also require trace elements. Since plants require only small amounts of trace elements, their importance is often overlooked. The lack of trace elements in plants can affect their growth and development.

We can observe whether there are symptoms of trace element deficiency in plants by observing the leaves:

1. Iron (Fe) deficiency:

Will cause the leaves to turn yellow/white with a dark green vein.

2. Copper (Cu) deficiency:

Will cause the leaves to become deformed and thin with a pale pink vein, and eventually wither and drop.

3. Manganese (Mn) deficiency:

Will cause the leaves to turn pale green/yellow and brown/black spots occur, also develop a network of dark green veins.

4. Zinc (Zn) deficiency:

Will cause the leaves to become narrow and the color become yellow/white, veins turn into a dark green color, and the edges of the leaves have black spots.

5. Boron (B) deficiency:

Will cause the new buds drop off, new leaves become deformed, and burnt spots will appear on the edges.

6. Molybdenum (Mo) deficiency:

Will cause the leaves turn light green/yellow and develop brown/black spot, also the back of the leaves has sticky secretions.

7. Chlorine (Cl) deficiency:

Will cause the leaves to turn yellow or wither.

People generally focus on the use of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers, while underestimating the importance of trace elements. In fact, trace elements are the secret to increase the crop yields. To understand the timing of application trace elements and the symptoms of various trace element deficiencies can make crops healthier and improve yields.

When symptoms of trace element deficiency occur, foliar fertilization can be used to directly absorb nutrients through the stomata of leaves, increase nutrient utilization efficiency, and quickly improve the poor development of plants.

It is recommended to supplement the necessary macronutrients and micronutrient through foliar fertilization at different growth stages of crops, which can promote healthy growth of crops and improve their yield and quality. Please visit the official website of Kwanstar Agriculture to learn more about our liquid fertilizer / foliar fertilizer products at https://www.kwanstar.com/KW%20Agriculture/kw%20agriculture-products-icon-all.html , or order relevant products in our official online store at https://shopee.tw/agrickw

Reference:

(1) https://www.agriharvest.tw/archives/89660......

(2) https://kmweb.coa.gov.tw/subject/subject.php?id=8397

(3) <植物施肥的奧秘> 台灣肥料股份有限公司研究發展處