CROP NUTRITION HUB
We champion regenerative agriculture that protects the land, increases yields, and secures long-term income for farming communities.
Maize
For maize crop when planted goes through the seeding and germination, vegetative, tasselling and pollination, sinking and grain filling, maturation stages. For maize to successfully go through these stages, it needs the following nutrients:
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium(K)
Magnesium (Mg)
Calcium (Ca)
Micronutrients : Zinc (Zn) and Boron (B) with
Soil pH of 5.8-7.0.
For a high and sustainable yield, there should be a careful combination of inorganic fertiliser such as ammonium or urea with organic fertilizer.
Nitrogen : Stunted growth, pale appearance of leaves, small cobs with few grains, v-shaped yellowing of old leaves.
Phosphorus: Dwarfed growth, thin and dark green to reddish –purple discoloration of leaves in young stages, weak stems , sparsely growth, small cobs with poor grain formation.
Potassium: Poorly filled cobs, yellowing or browning of older leaves with curling, fried or dried looking leaves (necrosis), plant has a narrow appearance.
Sulfur: yellowing of younger leaves.
Magnesium: Interveinal yellowing of older leaves, often with reddish-purple stints, intervening chlorosis with streaky appearance.
Zinc: Yellow to reddish to brown bands appear along the midrib of leaves with streaking, when severe a reduced internode growth causing a Stunted growth appearance.
Rice
The Rice crop needs three essential nutrients in large quantities for normal development. These are:
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Some of the other nutrients are:
Magnesium (Mg)
Sulphur (S)
Calcium(Ca)
Manganese (Mn)
Zinc (Zn)
Boron (B)
Nitrogen : Sparsely planted growth, Stunted growth, older leaves are light green to yellowish green that starts from the tip and subsequent light brown necrosis, some tips become chlorotic pale, older leaves become short and narrow, some leaves die off, poor tillering,
Phosphorus: Poor root growth development , delayed maturity, tillering with weak and spindy thin stems, leaves become narrow, short and very erect and dirty green. At times leaves turn from dark green to bluish-green. Old leaves become brownish with purple spots in some areas of the leaves.
Potassium: Older leaves turn yellowish –brown or scorched margins, short, droopy dark brown necrosis spots on leaves with midrib staying green longer, higher unfilled grains and increased lodging leaves; Leaf wilting, rolling and more prone to pests and diseases. Poor grain formation.
Sulfur: Plant turns yellow or pale green, young leaves become chlorotic or light green coloured with tips becoming necrotic
Magnesium: Yellow to whitish interveinal chlorosis in young leaves, reduced grain quality, reduced number of spikelets, older and younger leaves experience of pale –coloured have orange-yellow interveinal chlorosis, Chlorosis progresses to yellowing and necrosis in older leaves, severe cases cause wavy and droopy leaves.
Zinc: Stunted plants with dusty brown spots or streaks on middle or upper leaves usually 2-4 weeks after transplanting
Chili & Habanero Pepper
Chili and Habanero pepper plants require a nutrient of the following:
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Calcium (Ca)
With Micronutrients of :
Magnesium (Mg)
Boron (B)
Zinc (Zn)
For Chili pepper: Nitrogen in higher proportion during early leaf growth and increased Potassium and potassium fir fruiting or flowering.
For Habanero pepper: Higher proportion of Nitrogen during early growth, Higher quantity of phosphorus for root or flower development and higher quantity of potassium for fruit production and flavour.
Nitrogen : Yellowing of old leaves that spreads to the entire plant. Stunted and weak growth. Few branches with reduced leaf size. Lower fruit production.
Phosphorus: Slow stunted growth with short, erect leaves, leaves may turn dark green or purple-reddish (especially in older leaves). Few buds and reduced yields, poor root development and delayed flowering or fruiting.
Potassium: Leaf curling, necrosis and weak stems, uneven ripening of fruits or spots, plants have fewer smaller peppers, scorching or browning of older leaves or yellowing of the edges.
Magnesium: Redder or necrotic spots developing on leaves, tips of leaves curl, yellowing between veins, veins stay green (interveinal chlorosis)
Zinc: Stunted plants with dusty brown spots or streaks on middle or upper leaves usually 2-4 weeks after transplanting
Calcium: Distortion of young leaves, necrosis at the tips of the leaves, blossom-end rot ( black, sunken leathery spots at the bottom of fruits).
Sorghum
Sorghum requires key nutrients for maximum yield. These are:
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Magnesium (Mg)
Sulphur (S)
Calcium(Ca)
Zinc (Zn)
Soil pH for optimal growth should be within the range of 6.0 to 7.5.
Nitrogen : Poor grain filling, delayed flowering, and low grain protein. Chlorosis evident in older leaves which progresses to necrosis. Plants become pale green to light yellow. Stunted growth with reduced tillering and smaller heads.
Phosphorus: Slow stunted growth with poor vigour, short, erect leaves, leaves may turn dark green or purple-reddish (especially in older leaves). Few buds and reduced yields, poor root development and delayed or uneven flowering or fruiting.
Potassium: Leaf curling, necrosis and weak stems to increasing lodging risk, uneven ripening of fruits or spots, plants have fewer smaller peppers, scorching or browning of older leaves or yellowing of the edges. Interveinal or marginal yellowing with midrib staying green.
Magnesium: Redder or necrotic spots developing on leaves, tips of leaves curl, yellowing between veins, veins stay green (interveinal chlorosis)
Zinc: Pale green plants, white to pale yellow bands in the lower half of the leaf which intensifies into necrosis or pale brown.
Sulphur: Plant has a pale uniform yellow appearance.