Common Nutrient Deficiency

Symptoms
Corn(Maize)
Nitrogen Deficiencies:
Symptom:
Yellow coloration in a ‘V’ shaped pattern
• progresses from leaf end to leaf collar
• progresses from lower to upper leaves
Causes:
1. under-application of N fertilizer needs
2. underestimation of N release in manure
3. leaching of nitrate (rainfall/irrigation)
4. loss of N as a gas in soils with history of
standing water or in compacted sites
Remedies: (Corresponds to numbers above)
1. appropriate fertilizer N application
according to soil test recommednations.
2. analyze applied manure for N content,
and provide proper N credit from the
manure.
3. apply irrigation level appropriate for soil,
avoid long-term ponding or standing
water (> 12 hours)
4. install drainage tiles in heavier textured
soils and /or minimize field compaction
by reducing field trips in spring and fall,
and drive in same wheel tracks.

Phosphorous Deficiencies:
Symptom:
Purple coloration of lower leaves

Causes:
1. under-application of P fertilizer
needs
2. cooler/wetter weather which
influence the soil temperature
(environmentally induced) and
reduces movement of P from soil
 to plant root.
3. inherited tendency of some hybrids
Remedies: (Corresponds to numbers
above)
1. apply fertilizer P as a ‘starter’
application at the 20-30
lbs.P2O5 /a rate and according to
soil test recommendations.
2. if the soil is a heavier texture,
avoid planting at the earlier part of
the appropriate range of of
planting dates (warmer weather
can correct symptoms).
3. use strip tillage in fall or attach
aggresive residue managers in
spring for planting in no-till fields .

Sulfur Deficiencies:
Symptom:
Yellow coloration in a striping or
interveinal chlorosis pattern
• generally found in younger
leaves
Causes:
1. under-application of S fertilizer
needs
2. reduced mineralization of
organic -S to sulfate-S because
of reduced soil temperatures or
lower soil organic matter levels :
1. fields with eroded knolls
and hillsides have lower
organic matter than rest
of the field
2. mineralization of organic-
S to sulfate-S in fields
under no-till cultivation is
reduced compared to
cultivated fields
Remedies:
1. apply appropriate fertilizer S
levels after soil testing
2. analyze soil organic matter
content (deficiencies are
 generally found in no-till soils
with organic matter content of
<2.5%)
3. apply fertilizer in sulfate form as
ammonium sulfate or
ammonium thiosulfate .
Elemental S may take several
years to increase sulfate-S
levels.

Potassium Deficiencies:
Symptom:
Yellow and brown coloration of leaf margins
• occurs first on lower leaves
• may progress to upper leaves
Causes:
1. under-application of K fertilizer needs
2. cooler/wetter weather (environmentally
induced)
3. planted K inefficient hybrids
Remedies: (Corresponds to numbers above)
1. apply an appropriate fertilizer K rate
according to the soil test recommendation.
2. if the soil is a heavier texture, wait to plant at
the latter part of the appropriate range of
planting dates. (warmer weather can correct
symptoms).
3. identify and plant K efficient hybrids

Zinc Deficiencies:
Symptom:
Yellow coloration in broad bands and
localize d leaf striping (interveinal
chlorosis).
• occurs in upper leaves
• occurs in leaf middle, may
progressing outward
 Causes:
1. under-application of Zn fertilizer
needs
2. soil has high pH (>7.5)
Remedies: (Corresponds to numbers
above)
1. apply appropriate Zn fertilizer as
Zn-sulfate needs as starter
fertilizer according to soil test
recommendations. Applications of
Zn-Chelates are not recommended
due to high cost. Also avoid
purchasing Zn-frits since this
material if not very soluble.
Other nutrient deficiency symptoms are not very obvious. Testing
the soil for nutrient levels and plant tissue for analysis are the only
appropriate approaches to determine whether fertilizer applications
are necessary.
We appreciate the use of those photographs which were contributed by the Potash
and Phosphate Institute and Farmland Industries.
SDSU Soil Fertility Project Home

Identifying Nutrient Deficiencies in Corn

Last week (issue 12, June 12) I addressed some of the possible factors affecting nutrient
availability and causing plant foliage to show deficiency symptoms. The Illinois State Water
Survey says that wet conditions in March, April, and May were the fifth-wettest on record
since 1895. Wet conditions and cloudy (low-light intensity) days this spring are causing crops
to look nutrient-deficient. As I mentioned last week, the fact that plants look deficient does
not mean that you need to hurry and apply nutrients to take care of the "problem." Many of
what appear to be symptoms of nutrient deficiency will take care of themselves without the
need for additional fertilizers once soils dry a little and the sun starts to shine on more
regularly. If a deficiency continues after growing-season conditions improve, then corrective
measures will be necessary to reverse the problem. Whether or not symptoms are true
problems at this time, it is important to know the deficiency symptoms for various nutrients
and under what conditions a deficiency is most likely to occur.
Once nutrients enter a plant, some are mobile and others are not. Mobile nutrients will cause
deficiency symptoms to develop in older leaves, because nutrients present in the older leaves
will move to new leaves to maintain the new growth. On the other hand, immobile nutrients
will cause new leaves to show greater deficiency symptoms, while older leaves might be
completely green.
Deficiency symptoms for many of the essential nutrients have not been verified, or are very
rare, in Illinois and will not be discussed here. Mobile nutrients that are known to cause
deficiencies in corn include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Sulfur is
another nutrient that has been known to cause deficiency in corn, but it is not easily
translocated in the plant. The only immobile nutrient known to cause deficiency in corn under
some Illinois conditions is zinc.
Nitrogen (N) deficiency makes the older leaves (the bottom portion of the corn plant) turn
pale or yellowish-green. The deficiency then starts to create a V shape, starting at the tip of
the leaf. If the problem continues, the deficiency works its way up the plant from older to
newer leaves. The stalks tend to be thin and spindly. N deficiency develops commonly in wet
to saturated soils or under cool soil temperatures in the spring. N can leach out with heavy
rainfall in light-textured (sandy) soils or can be denitrified in flooded soils when temperatures
are warm. N deficiency can be induced after midseason or during other periods when soils
tend to be dry. N deficiency can also occur in soils with large amounts of low-nitrogen-
containing residues.

Nitrogen Deficiency
Phosphorus (P) deficiency causes a distinct dark green with reddish to purplish leaf margins,
typically starting from the tip. The deficiency is observed in the older leaves. Stunted growth
is also typical. At early development stages some hybrids show purple colors even though P
is not deficient, while other hybrids might not show this coloration even when P levels are
limiting. P deficiency symptoms normally disappear by the time the plant is waist-high. Since
P is fairly immobile in the soil, any soil condition that limits root growth (cool temperature,
wet or very dry conditions, compaction) can induce the deficiency.

Phosphorus Deficiency
Potassium (K) deficiency is observed as yellowing and necrosis (death) of the edge of older
leaves. When the problem persists, this deficiency will continue to move up from older to
newer leaves, while the top leaves may look completely green. K deficiency can cause
lodging of the crop later in the season because stalks are thin and not strong. As with P, soil
conditions that restrict root growth can induce deficiency, especially at early stages of
development when the root system is small. Soils with low K buffer capacity can cause the
deficiency if an appropriate fertilization plan is not followed.

Potassium Deficiency
Magnesium (Mg) deficiency appears in lower leaves as yellow or white streaking between
veins. The leaves eventually become reddish-purple, and the edge and tip die if the deficiency
is severe. Deficiencies have been seen in isolated situations in Illinois. The soils most likely
to be deficient in Mg include acidic and sandy soils throughout Illinois and low-CEC soils in
southern Illinois. Deficiency is more likely where calcitic limestone (CaCO3) rather than
dolomitic limestone (CaMg[CO3]2) has been used in those soils.

Magnesium Deficiency
Sulfur (S) deficiency causes yellowing of the foliage. S deficiency is often confused with N
deficiency. Since S is not easily translocated, deficiency tends to be more visible in the newer
leaves, differently from the older leaves with N deficiency. It is not uncommon to see
interveinal chlorosis of the newer leaves. The condition is typically observed in soils with
low organic matter (including sandy soils), low pH, and cold and wet conditions that reduce
mineralization (release) of S from organic matter. Since S is leachable, corn will often grow
out of a S deficiency once the root system taps into the S that has accumulated in the
subsurface soil.

Sulfur Deficiency
Zinc (Zn) deficiency is observed as light green to white stripes between veins or as wide
bands starting at the base of the leaf and extending toward the tip of the newer leaves. The
edge of the leaf as well as the midrib usually stay green. Usually corn can outgrow this
problem, but in cases of severe deficiency, new leaves can be almost white. Zn deficiency is
most commonly observed in soils low in organic matter, sandy soils with high pH (>7.3),
cool and wet soils, or soils with very high P levels where Zn levels are marginal.

Zinc Deficiency
As I mentioned, the unfavorable conditions for crop growth this spring mean that observing
some deficiency symptoms in young corn plants should not be cause for immediate alarm.
However, if deficiencies continue after growing season conditions improve, it is important to
confirm any deficiency before trying to correct the problem. Since the visual symptoms are
sometimes not clear-cut, it could be beneficial to collect affected plants and conduct tissue
nutrient analysis.--Fabián G. Fernández
Author: