Nutrient Deficiency Photos

A collection of crop nutrient deficiency photos. A range of nutrient deficiency examples are provided for 93 prominent crops. Text and diagrammatic descriptions are also provided.

IPNI would like to thank our contributors for providing the images used in our collections, who are part of a worldwide network of agricultural researchers, extension staff, field scouts, and farmers.

This collection provides a comprehensive sampling of hundreds of classic cases of crop deficiency from research plots and farm fields located around the world.

You'll find these images intuitively grouped according to the three nutrient types required for plant growth (i.e., primary, secondary, and micronutrient). Text and diagrammatic descriptions of nutrient deficiency are also available as supporting information.

Symptoms of deficiency can vary across crop species, but similarities exist for how nutrient insufficiency impacts plant tissue color and appearance. As the graphic portrays, nutrient deficiencies are commonly associated with the physical location on the plant (i.e., whether the symptoms are primarily observed on older versus newly formed plant tissue), but these symptoms can spread as the severity of the deficiency progresses.

In many cases, visual symptoms may not be so clear or can be confused with other underlying problems, including the conditions created by an adverse growing environment, pest, or disease. It is advised that crop production specialists become familiar with the typical nutrient deficiency traits for the range of crops commonly grown in their region.