Crops require essential nutrients for healthy development and optimal growth. Various physiological functions such as photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, root growth and flowering all rely on nutrients. When plants don’t have enough of a specific nutrient they may display a range of symptoms, varying from morphological impairments (i.e. stunting), to chlorosis or necrosis, to premature seed set and ripening.

Deficiency in any given nutrient comes with the presentation a specific symptom or combination of symptoms. The expression and severity of symptoms varies, depending on how long the crop is left deficient.