The zinc deficiency symptoms of Citrus

In Citrus’ growth, it not only needs large amounts of nutrition as NPK, but also needs trace element fertilizer such as zinc, iron, manganese, magnesium fertilizer. Most of the fruit farmer pay more attention to large elements and ignore micro-nutrient fertilizers which commonly cause deficiency symptoms. Thus, zinc deficiency symptoms are the commonest deficiency symptoms in citrus garden.

Zinc deficiency symptoms mainly appear on Citrus’ leaves and fruits:
Leaves: the blades on new shoots are small, up-right, and surrounded. Both leaves and mesophyll firstly appear green, and then go on yellowing in later period. Old leaves show irregular green belt in main lateral veins. The rest are light yellow or orange and some leaves may show yellow or light yellow spots.

Fruit: fruit is small, and skin is thin and smooth, appearing light yellow. Flesh occur lignifications with less and pale juice.

Once zinc deficiency symptoms found in fruit trees, farmers need to do something as follows:
Firstly, fertilize 0.3 ~ 0.5% zinc sulfate and other blended fertilizers or zinc-boron compound fertilizer 0.5 kg on citrus trees those had showed zinc deficiency symptoms in spring.

Secondly, spray mixed solution with 0.3% zinc sulfate and 0.3% urea in citrus budding, once every seven days.
Third, if zinc deficiency caused by the lack of magnesium or copper, spray the fertilizers containing magnesium, copper and zinc, such as fertilizers as ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate.

The treated citrus can greatly alleviated zinc deficiency symptoms in the current year, and return to normal in the following year that fruit quality and yield greatly improved.