| Element | Physiological Roles | Deficiency symptoms |
| NITROGEN | Proteins, chlorophyll, nucleic acids.
Cell membranes Enzymes, coenzymes etc. |
Chlorosis, Leaf fall
Stunted growth Poor flowering |
| SULPHUR | Amino acids; Methionine, cysteine,
Vitamins, biotin, thiamine, Coenzymes etc. |
Leaf fall,
Leaf rolling Chlorosis Inhibition of apical bud Young leaves affects first |
| PHOSPHORUS | Proteins, nucleic acids.
Cell membranes ATP, ADP, NADP Oxidation reduction, |
Chlorosis
Leaf curling Stunted growth Poor nodulation in legumes |
| CALCIUM | Middle lamella
Cell division Membrane integrity, Chromosomes |
Chlorosis
Leaf curl Stunted growth Death of root and shoot tips. Poor flowering |
| POTASSIUM | Enzyme activation
Protein synthesis Stomatal opening and closing Water balance, Carbohydrate metabolism |
Chlorosis and necrosis of margins of leaves.
Die back of young shoots Stunted growth Older leaves affected first Poor flowering |
| MAGNESIUM | Chlorophyll
Ribosomal integration, Protein synthesis, Nucleic acid synthesis, Enzyme activator |
Chlorosis
Leaf necrosis Leaf fall Stunted growth Older leaves affected first Poor flowering |
| IRON | Ferredoxin, cytochromes,
Catalase, peroxidase, leghaemoglobin, Electron transport chain, chlorophyll formation. |
Necrosis of stem and leaves
Chlorosis (interveinal) Young leaves affected first |
| MANGANESE | Activator of enzymes; oxidases, peroxidases, dehydrogenases, decarboxylases
Chlorophyll formation Nitrogen metabolism |
Chlorosis and motteling
Necrosis Browning of leaves
|
| BORON | Carbohydrate, Calcium and phosphorus metabolism
Pollen germination, fertilization |
Root and shoot apices death
Stunted growth Necrosis Leaf fall Flowering and fruiting inhibition |
| ZINC | Enzyme activator
Carbonic anhydrase Auxin synthesis Tryptophan synthesis |
Chlorosis (leaf margins)
Motteling and necrosis Stunted growth Failure of fruit set. |
| COPPER | Enzyme activator
Oxidase, cytochrome, tyrosinase, phenolase, electron carrier, plastocyanin and plastoquinone |
Chlorosis (leaf margins)
Motteling and necrosis Stunted growth Wilting of shoots
|
| MOLYBDENUM | Enzyme activator
Dehydrogenase, nitrate reductase, nitrogenase. |
Chlorosis (leaf margins)
Motteling and curling of leaves Failure of nodulation Failure of leaf expansion |
| CHLORINE | Enzyme activator for photolysis | Stunted root
Chlorosis Wilting of leaf |
| SODIUM | C4 and CAM pathways of carbon fixation require sodium ions (Na+)
|
chlorosis and necrosis, or even fail to form flowers. |
| NICKEL | Part of Urease, nitrogen-fixing microorganisms require nickel for the enzyme | Accumulate urea in their leaves and, consequently, show leaf tip necrosis. |
Fig: Chlorosis; yellowing of leaves due to loss of chlorophyll
Fig: puckering, distortion, and wrinkling of the leaves.
Fig: Rolling of leaves