If a plant shows a symptom which could develop due to deficiency of more than one nutrient, how would you find out experimentally, the real deficient mineral element?
The deficiency symptoms can be distinguished on the basis pf the region of occurrence, presence or absence of dead spots, and chlorosis of entire leaf or interveinal chlorosis. The region of the appearance of deficiency symptoms depends on the mobility of nutrients in plants. The nutrient deficiency symptoms of N, P, K, Mg, and Mo appear in lower leaves. Zinc is moderately mobile in plants and deficiency symptoms, therefore, appear in middle leaves. The deficiency symptoms of less mobile elements (S, Fe, Mn, and Cu) appear on new leaves. Ca and B are immobile in plants, deficiency symptoms appear on terminal buds. Chlorine deficiency is less common in crops.
