Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
square feet. Molybdenum deficiency looks like nitrogen
deficiency, except the underside of the leaves doesn't look red
as they usually will with nitrogen deficiency. (This is because
plants need molybdenum to process nitrogen.) In severe
cases, leaves will also cup upwards and develop spots of dead
tissue.
Sulfur: Sulfur is a component of the amino acids that make
the DNA, proteins and enzymes within a plant, and it is
therefore critical. Any compound that includes the phrase
“sulfate” contains sulfur. So when you add magnesium sulfate
(Epsom salt), copper sulfate or calcium sulfate (gypsum) to
your soil, you are adding sulfur along with the primary
desired nutrient. Sulfur is usually added in the form of plain
elemental sulfur, known as flowers of sulfur, at the rate of
twenty-four ounces per 100 square feet annually. It tends to
lower the pH, so adding it with an equal amount of lime is
prudent. Sulfur deficiency shows itself as an overall chlorosis
with a distinct pinkness in the veins of the leaves.
Zinc: Zinc is key for seed production and regulation of water
equilibrium in plants. It is rare for soils to be deficient in zinc,
but if they are deficient it will show up as chlorotic bands
within the leaves of plants. The pH of the soil affects how
available zinc is to plants. A soil could have plenty of zinc,
but still give symptoms of deficiency in alkaline (pH greater
than 7) soils. So I would recommend getting the pH down to
6.5 before supplementing zinc. When needed, zinc is used in
the form of zinc sulfate at the rate of twelve ounces per 100
square feet annually. A deficiency in zinc manifests in
yellowed younger leaves that also show pitting between the
veins. Continued deficiency results in the tissues between the
veins dying while the veins remain green.
