Iron deficiency

• Role in the plant: iron is essential to plant respiration, electron transfer and the photosynthesis reaction.

• Symptoms of deficiency: young shoots and leaves are pale yellow or even whitish because the chlorophyll formation is impaired, however the veins remain green and marked (photos 1 and 2). In the case of severe deficiency, plants are stunted and all the top leaves may be chlorotic. Iron deficiency is rare, except in some calcareous, high pH or clay soils where soil iron may be fixated, therefore becoming less available for the plant.