AT A GLANCE
- Symptoms on OLD leaves first: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or magnesium (these move to new growth).
- Symptoms on NEW leaves first: sulphur, iron, zinc, manganese or boron (these stay where they are).
- Many diseases, pests, waterlogging and herbicide damage look similar — confirm before spending money.
The first question: old leaves or new leaves?
Some nutrients can move inside the plant. When they run short, the plant takes them from older leaves to feed new growth — so the lower leaves show symptoms first. Other nutrients cannot move, so the youngest leaves at the top suffer first.
Old (lower) leaves first New (top) leaves firstIllustrations show the typical pattern only.
Symptom guide
| Nutrient | Where first | What you see | Common in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | Old leaves | Whole leaf pale yellow-green, starting at the tip; in cereals a V-shape down the midrib; stunted plants | Sandy soils, waterlogged fields, after heavy rain |
| Phosphorus (P) | Old leaves | Dark green to purplish leaves and stems; slow growth; late maturity | Cold early season, acidic or very alkaline soils |
| Potassium (K) | Old leaves | Yellow then brown, scorched leaf edges and tips; weak stems, lodging | Light soils, intensive rice–wheat |
| Magnesium (Mg) | Old leaves | Yellowing between veins while veins stay green; sometimes reddish | Acidic, sandy soils |
| Sulphur (S) | New leaves | Young leaves evenly pale yellow (like nitrogen, but at the top) | Oilseeds and pulses; soils low in organic matter |
| Zinc (Zn) | New / middle leaves | Rice: rusty-brown spots (khaira). Maize: pale band at the base of young leaves (white bud). Wheat: pale stripes between veins | High-pH, sodic and flooded soils |
| Iron (Fe) | Youngest leaves | Yellow to almost white between green veins; severe cases fully white | Calcareous and alkaline soils, upland rice |
| Manganese (Mn) | New leaves | Pale between veins with grey-brown specks (wheat: “grey speck”) | Sandy, high-pH soils, wheat after rice |
| Boron (B) | Growing tip | Deformed, brittle young leaves; dying growing points; hollow stems (cauliflower); poor seed and fruit set | Sandy soils, vegetables, mustard, fruits |
Before you treat: rule out look-alikes
- Waterlogging and cold nights can cause yellowing that recovers on its own once the soil drains or warms.
- Spots with rings, powdery or rusty coatings, or spreading lesions usually point to a fungal or bacterial disease.
- Sucking pests (aphids, jassids, whitefly) cause curling and yellowing — check under the leaves.
- Herbicide drift shows as sudden, uniform damage on one side of a field or along the wind direction.
Zinc, iron, manganese and boron shortages often occur together. Where a soil test or symptoms point to micronutrient deficiency, a combined mixture corrects them in one application:
Not sure what your crop needs?Send clear photos of the crop — the whole plant, the affected leaves up close, and the field — with your crop and its age. Our team will reply in Hindi or English.
