ESSENTIAL ELEMENT FUNCTION DEFICIENCY SYMPTOM
1. Nitrogen  Associated with plant
cell components (Amino
acids and nucleic acids)
 Organic nitrogen
compounds: Amides,
Betaine, peptides)
2. Potassium  Most abundant cation in
the cytoplasm
 Uptake is highly selective
and coupled with
metabolic activity
 Used for secondary
messaging and
osmoregulation
(stomates, closing of
proteins to prevent
influx of ions ex.
Chlorine)
 Stabilizes pH (7-8)
 Stimulates enzyme
activation (e.g starch
synthase)
3. Calcium  Involved in cell division
 Provides cell wall rigidity
 Prevents hypocotyl
collapse (no hook
formation)
 Stabilize cell membrane
(prevent solutes from
leaking out)
 Stunted growth
 Chlorosis in older leaves
(1st symptom)
 Produces tons of
carbohydrates leading to
woody and slender stem
 Plants tap the carbs due
to fast production to
prevent toxicity and
forms anthocyanin
 Mottled or marginal
chlorosis (1st symptom)
 Followed by necrosis
 Curling and crinkling of
leaves
 Slender and weak stem
 Necrosis of tips and leaf
margins (once cell
rigidity is compromised
the cell dies, leaking of
nutrients)
 Necrosis of terminal
buds (severe stunting
may result from
premature death of the
meristematic regions)
 Root system is highly
branched, short, and
brownish (slimy)
 Increase leakage in
solutes
 Regulation of
phytochrome is affected
(calcium is a secondary
messenger, forms a
complex with calmodulin
 forming Ca/calmodulin
complex that is needed
for phytochrome
formation)
4. Magnesium  Used for the activation  Interveinal chlorosis
of enzymes (respiration, (veins are green, the rest
photosynthesis and of the leaf is yellow)
synthesis of DNA and  Inhibition of root growth
RNA) because of inhibition in
 Central atom in phloem loading
chlorophyll
 Regulation of cellular pH
5. Phosphorus  Integral component of  Stunted growth
important compounds  Dark green coloration of
(in phosphate form) the leaves (chlorophyll
 Components of increases in number)
nucleotides and ATP  Malformed leaves with
 Involved in carbon necrotic spots (old
partitioning (TP leaves will not change
partitioning to either shape)
sucrose or starch)  Dark-greenish purple
*Ortho-phosphate goes in coloration
chloroplast -> TP goes out  Slender stems (not
*If there is no ortho- woody, decrease in
phosphate, the TP won’t be development)
able to go out  Death of older leaves
6. Sulfur  Protein and amino acid  Chlorosis and stunted
component growth
 Directly involved in  Accumulation of
metabolic reactions as a anthocyanin
functional group
7. Chlorine  Required of water  Wilting of leaf tips
splitting reaction in  Bronzing of leaves (has a
photosynthesis (Oxygen metallic look)
evolving complex  Stunted roots with
working with PSII which thickening near tips
helps evolve O2 from
H2O to make electron go
into PSII)
 Stimulates ATPase in the
tonoplast
 Closure of stomata along
with K
8. Iron  Chelates of Fe 3+ or Fe2+  Decrease in chlorophyll
 Component of the and B-carotene
catalytic group for  Increase in xanthophylls
enzymes involved in  Interveinal Chlorosis
 redox (either catalytic
component, activator,
peroxidase, catalase) Fe-
S proteins (ferredoxin)
and heme proteins
(cytochrome)
 Synthesis of Chlorophyll
(form of amino levolinic
acid)
9. Boron  Cell wall synthesis  Black necrosis (young
 Sugar transport leaves and terminal
 Lignification buds) presence of soot
 Carbohydrate  Stubby and bushy roots
metabolism  Loss of apical dominance
 Membrane integrity (profuse branching) IAA
 Pollen tube growth concentration defuses
 Water-soaked areas
(heads of vegetables)
 Heart-rot (storage root)
10. Manganese  Activation of enzymes  Interveinal chlorosis
(decarboxylase and  Greenish-gray spot
dehydrogenase) (basal leaves of cereals )
 Part of OEC of PSII  Brown speckles precede
 Involved in biosynthesis by callose (toxic) (non-
of fatty acids and necrotic most of the
carotenoids time)
11. Zinc  Integral component in a  Protein decrease; amino
large number of acid decrease
enzymes  Increase membrane
 Involved in gene permeability (solute
regulation leakage)
 Structural component of  Promotes rosette growth
ribosome (protein will habit (reduced internode
not produced) growth)
 Leaves are small and
distorted (insufficient
prod of IAA)
 Inhibition of root growth
and photosynthesis
(toxicity)
 Interveinal chlorosis
12. Copper  Linked with enzymes  Dark-green leaves
involved in redox  Necrotic spots (tips)
reactions (no catalytic  Premature loss of leaves
function but is a  Distortion of leaves
structural component)  Bending and twisting of
stem and twigs
  Low carbohydrates
contents
 Inhibit root growth
13. Molybdenum  Cofactor of enzyme  General chlorosis
directly involved in redox  Necrosis of older leaves
reactions (nitrate  Whiptail disease (twisted
reductase, nitrogenase, leaves dies)
sulfite oxidase)  Can cause N deficiency
 Nitrogenase helps
convert nitrogen to
assimilable form
 Both catalytic and
structural role
14. Nickel  Chemically related to  Leaf tip necrosis
iron and cobalt (without chlorosis)
 Forms stable complexes  Sever inhibition of root
with cysteine and citrate growth
 Component urease
 Metal component of
enzymes