About Biotic Stress

If your crop symptoms appear on a single species, are observed at irregular locations, and seem to be spreading, you are probably dealing with some form of biotic stress. Biotic stressors are living creatures that disturb plant growth like pests, fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

A variety of biotic stressors can affect your crop depending on your farm's climate, geographic location, and plant species. Understanding the disease or pest afflicting your crop is an important step towards treating it.

About Frost Injury

If your crop symptoms are affecting several species, are uniform and do not spread, you are likely dealing with abiotic stress

Frost injury occurs when the temperature is cold enough to damage plant tissue. Symptoms are often blackening, curling, and wilting of leaves and stems after an unexpected drop in temperature.

About Wind Damage

If your crop symptoms are affecting several species, are uniform and do not spread, you are likely dealing with abiotic stress

Wind damage occurs after a major storm causes damage plant tissue. If you are finding flattened plants and torn roots, stems, and leaves, it is probably caused by wind damage.

About Heat Injury

If your crop symptoms are affecting several species, are uniform and do not spread, you are likely dealing with abiotic stress

Heat or drought injury is caused by lack of water or unbearably hot temperatures. Scorching, wilting, and curling of leaves are often the symptoms of heat injury.

About Herbicidal Injury

If your crop symptoms are affecting several species, are uniform and do not spread, you are likely dealing with abiotic stress

Herbicidal injury occurs if the wrong herbicide is applied or drifts into your crop from a nearby field. Visible symptoms can look similar to nutrient deficiencies but will often appear asymmetrical on the plant. Herbicide damage causes severe chlorosis on the leaf or scorching on the leaf tip.

About Nitrogen Deficiencies in Plants

Nitrogen is one of the major macronutrients required for plants to thrive. A common reason for Nitrogen deficiencies in your crop is caused by high carbon in the soil. High carbon causes organisms to use more Nitrogen to break down the carbon, leaving very little for the plants.

Symptoms caused by Nitrogen deficiencies include a yellowing of leaves due to a lack of chlorophyll production. Nitrogen is mobile in plants so when there is a deficiency the nutrient is transferred from older leaves to new growth causing older leaves to turn yellow first. Nitrogen deficiency can also cause a lack of protein production, stunting the plant's growth, as well as a reduction in flowering and fruits.

About Phosphorus Deficiencies in Plants

Phosphorus is one of the three most vital macronutrients for plant growth (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). It is primarily responsible for transforming sugars into starches, moving energy and nutrients within the plant, as well as photosynthesis.

With a lack of Phosphorus, carbohydrates build up in the plant causing a dark green or red-purple colour in the leaves. Phosphorus is mobile in plants so when there is a deficiency the nutrient is transferred from older leaves to new growth causing older leaves to show symptoms first.

About Magnesium Deficiencies in Plants

Magnesium has a central role in producing chlorophyll for plants and is essential for the uptake of phosphorus. Magnesium also has a part in cell division, cell membrane stabilization, and plant respiration.

A symptom of magnesium deficiency is often interveinal chlorosis on lower leaves. Because Magnesium is mobile in the plant it can be transferred from old leaves to new growth. This is why, if there is a deficiency, symptoms appear on older leaves first.

Be aware that symptoms of Magnesium deficiency are similar to symptoms of Calcium toxicity, or in rare cases, a Phosphorus toxicity. Please conduct a soil analysis to be certain.

About Potassium Deficiencies in Plants

Potassium is one of the three most vital macronutrients for plant growth (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). Potassium activates 30 enzyme systems responsible for important chemical reactions in the plant. It also transports nutrients, water, and carbohydrates wherever needed throughout the plant system.

Symptoms of potassium deficiencies often appear as chlorosis and eventual necrosis starting from leaf margins.

Be aware that symptoms of potassium deficiency can be similar to symptoms of calcium toxicity. Please conduct a soil analysis to be certain.

About Iron Toxicities in Plants

Iron toxicity is rare in most plants but can occur if the soil pH is too low or when too much chelated iron is added to the soil.

Iron toxicity symptoms appear on older growth (lower leaves) as bronzing and stippling, with brown spots starting from the tip of the leaf and spreading.

About Boron Toxicities in Plants

Boron toxicity can occur if too much fertilizer is applied, or the soil is naturally high in boron. Symptoms show up in older growth with chlorosis and eventual necrosis on the leaf margins progressing inwards.

About Sulfur Toxicities in Plants

Sulphur toxicities in plants is exceptionally rare so you should make sure to eliminate all other possibilities before attributing it to an overdose of sulphur.

Plants with a sulphur toxicity will be stunted while older leaves show signs of chlorosis or scorching on leaf tips and margins.

About Nitrogen Toxicities in Plants

Nitrogen is the most important nutrient for plants but too much can harm or even kill your crop. Nitrogen toxicity often occurs in plants if too much fertilizer is applied.

A sure sign of nitrogen toxicity is excessive soft, dark green foliage while the plant stems are stiff and brittle.

About Boron Deficiencies in Plants

Boron is a micronutrient and is not required by plants in large amounts, but it is still a vital ingredient for a healthy crop. Boron helps with the transport of sugars throughout the plant, the building of cell walls, and is especially important in reproductive growth.

Boron deficiencies cause the distortion, crinkling and thickening of new leaves while buds at the end of stems die. Necrotic patches may also appear on the leaf margins.

About Copper Deficiencies in Plants

Copper is a micronutrient essential to the growth of plants but is required in very small quantities. Copper is an important nutrient used in the production of chlorophyll and enzymatic processes.

Copper deficiencies generally show symptoms of wilting, mottling, and distortion on new leaves. New leaves can also show signs of chlorosis.

In rare cases, copper deficiency symptoms can actually be the cause of a phosphorus toxicity. In very rare cases it could be caused by a molybdenum toxicity. Please conduct a soil analysis to be certain of your diagnosis before taking any action.

About Sulphur Deficiencies in Plants

Sulphur is a secondary nutrient required in smaller quantities than macronutrients like N-P-K but more than micronutrients like Copper, Boron, and Iron. Sulphur is needed by plants to help process and use all the other nutrients and plays a role in the production of chlorophyll and proteins.

Symptoms of a sulphur deficiency are much like a nitrogen deficiency showing a uniform chlorosis of the leaf. Unlike nitrogen deficiencies, sulphur deficiency symptoms show up in newer leaves rather than older leaves.

About Zinc Deficiencies in Plants

Zinc is essential for plant enzymatic processes, including photosynthesis and the production of indoleacetic acid, affecting stem length, leaf size, and overall yield. If soil temperatures remain cool during spring planting and early growth, zinc supplementation may be particularly beneficial. Some crops, however, may not require additional zinc, and caution is needed to avoid zinc toxicity.

General Zinc deficiency symptoms occur in new growth with interveinal chlorosis and necrotic patches on the leaves.

About Manganese Deficiencies in Plants

Manganese is essential for strong, healthy growth, and supplementing manganese is particularly beneficial in small grains, soybeans, sweet corn, and vegetable crops. It supports root growth, photosynthesis, pollination, respiration, and disease and stress resistance.

Symptoms of a manganese deficiency often show up as interveinal chlorosis on younger leaves, sometimes with necrotic spots along the leaf veins. Manganese deficiency symptoms are very similar to iron deficiency symptoms and often occur at the same time.

About Iron Deficiencies in Plants

Iron helps build the structure for many enzymes associated with energy transfer, chlorophyll formation, nitrogen reduction, respiration and metabolism. Pulse crops are more susceptible to iron deficiencies, so it's important to conduct a soil and tissue analysis to make sure your crop is topped up with the appropriate micronutrients.

Symptoms of an iron deficiency often show up as interveinal chlorosis on younger leaves. Iron deficiency symptoms are very similar to manganese deficiency symptoms and often occur together.