Micronutrient Fertilizers: Micronutrients for Smart Crop Production
Understanding Micronutrients
Micronutrients, also known as trace elements, are plant nutrients that are needed in very small amounts for proper growth and yield. While macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are required in large quantities, micronutrients such as boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc are needed by plants in minute amounts measured in parts per million.
Despite being required in small quantities, micronutrients play a vital role in numerous plant metabolic functions. They are involved in photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, enzyme activation, oxidation-reduction reactions, and assist in macronutrient utilization. Deficiency of even one of these essential micronutrients can negatively impact crop productivity.
Common Micronutrient Deficiencies
Boron deficiency is widespread in many regions especially in coarse-textured and sandy soils low in organic matter. Micronutrients Fertilizers boron is crucial for pollination, fruit and seed development in several crops. Its deficiency results in hollow stem syndrome in broccoli, curd malformation in cauliflower, and cracked stems in sugar beet.
Iron deficiency, also known as iron chlorosis, commonly affects crops grown in alkaline and calcareous soils. It causes interveinal leaf chlorosis, reduced nutrient uptake, and Photosystem I damage leading to yield losses. Citrus, stone fruits, soybean, and wheat are highly susceptible to iron deficiency.
Manganese deficiency occurs due to high soil pH conditions. Symptoms include interveinal chlorosis with slight rosetting and tan spots in between leaf veins. It limits the growth of many horticultural crops including peppers, tomatoes, strawberries grown on calcareous soils.
Zinc deficiency is widespread in Asia and Africa mainly attributed to high phosphate fertilizer usage diluting native zinc reserves. Deficiency causes stunted growth, rosetting, and dead apical meristems in cereal crops like rice, wheat and maize resulting in poor grain filling.
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