Deficiency Symptoms
Molybdenum-deficiency symptoms show up as a general yellowing and stunting of the plant. A Mo deficiency can also cause marginal scorching and cupping or rolling of leaves.
Usage
Several materials supply Mo and can be mixed with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers applied as foliar sprays or used as a seed treatment. Seed treatment is the most common way of correcting Mo deficiency because of the very small amounts of the nutrient required.
MoO₄⁻² Anion
Plants take up Mo as the MoO₄⁻² anion
Soil pH to Molybdenum Ratio
Molybdenum becomes more available as soil pH goes up, the opposite of most other micronutrients.
Toxicity
Excessive Mo is toxic, especially to grazing animals.
Molybdenum deficiency symptoms
Symptoms of deficiency can vary across crop species, but similarities exist for how nutrient insufficiency impacts plant tissue color and appearance. 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.
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