Identifying Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms In Field Crops

 

 

A useful step in identifying nutrient deficiency symptoms is to determine whether the deficiency is the result of a mobile or immobile nutrient based on where the symptoms first appear in the plant. Mobile nutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg). Mobile nutrients are able to move out of older leaves to younger plant parts when supplies are inadequate. Because of their mobility inside the plant, visual deficiencies will first occur in the older or lower leaves (see photo). If the deficiency continues, then the symptoms will spread throughout the plant.

 

 

 

 

In contrast, the relatively immobile nutrients do not readily move within the plant. As such, their deficiency symptoms first appear in new growth or young leaves and can be localized. Some of the common immobile nutrients include manganese (Mn), sulfur (S), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca) and boron (B).

 

Macro nutrients such as N, P, K and Mg are needed in large quantities, so they are best applied to the soil. The micronutrients are needed in small qualities and can be soil and foliar applied.

 

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.