Nutrient

Conditions inducing deficiency

N

Excess leaching with heavy rainfall, low organic matter content of soils, burning the crop residue

P

Acidic condition, calcareous soils

K

Sandy, organic, leached and eroded soils; intensive cropping system without addition of fertilizer

Ca

Acidic, Alkali, or sodic soils

Mg

Similar to  Calcium

S

Low organic matter content of soils ; use of N and P fertilizers containing no sulfur, burning the crop residue

Fe

Calcareous silt and clays, high organic matter, calcareous soils

Zn

Highly leached acidic soils, calcareous soils, high levels of Ca, Mg, and P in the soils

Mn

Calcareous silt and clays, high organic matter, Calcareous soil

B

Sandy soils, naturally acidic leached soils, alkaline soils with free lime

Mo

Highly podzolized soils ; well drained calcareous soils

Nutrient

Normal range

Per cent (%)

Parts per million (ppm)

Nitrogen

0.02-0.50

200-5000

Phosphorus

0.01-0.20

100-2000

Potassium

0.17-3.30

1700-33000

Calcium

0.07-3.60

700-36000

Magnesium

0.12-1.50

1200-15000

Sulphur

0.01-0.20

100-2000

Iron

0.50-5.00

5000-50000

Manganese

0.02-1.00

200-10000

Zinc

0.001-0.025

10-250

Boron

0.0005-0.015

5-150

Copper

0.0005-0.015

5-150

Chlorine

0.001-0.10

10-1000

Cobalt

0.0001-0.005

1-50

Molybdenum

0.00002-0.0005

0.2-5