Bottle gourd Nutrient Deficiency: Signs, Causes and the Fertilizer That Fixes It
Bottle gourd nutrient deficiency is one of the first things to check when the leaves of your upo (bottle gourd) turn yellow, purple or burnt at the edges. On Philippine farms the usual ones are nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and boron. This guide shows where each one starts, how to be sure, and the fertilizer that fixes it.
Start with one question: did the change begin on the old leaves or on the young ones? Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium move inside the plant, so a shortage shows on the old, lower leaves first. But calcium and boron stay where the plant first put them, so the young leaves and the growing tip show it first. After that, the color and the pattern narrow down which bottle gourd nutrient deficiency you have, and a soil test confirms it. Each one below has its signs, its causes and its fix.
Bottle gourd nutrient deficiency signs, old leaves and young leaves
Shows first on the old leaves
| Nutrient | Where it starts | What you see | Fix with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | old, lower leaves, the whole plant | Older leaves pale and yellowing up the vine, with small, pale fruits. | Urea 46 0 0, Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0 |
| Potassium | old, lower leaves, leaf edges and tips | Old leaves scorch and cup up, shoots die back, and few female flowers open. | Muriate of potash 0 0 60, Sulfate of potash 0 0 50 |
| Phosphorus | old, lower leaves, the whole plant | Purplish leaves along the veins and short, thin runners. | Complete 14 14 14, Ammonium phosphate 16 20 0 |
| Magnesium | old, lower leaves, between the veins | Mature leaves yellow in the middle with green edges and green veins. | Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), Dolomite |
Shows first on the young leaves
| Nutrient | Where it starts | What you see | Fix with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | young leaves and the tip, fruit, grain or tubers | New leaves crinkle and curl, vine tips die, and fruits fail to set or rot at the end. | Agricultural lime, Dolomite |
| Boron | young leaves and the tip, fruit, grain or tubers | Young fruits drop, and fruits show corky marks and cracks. | Borax, Solubor (sodium borate) |
Before you buy fertilizer for a bottle gourd nutrient deficiency
So use the table to pick the likeliest bottle gourd nutrient deficiency, then read its section below. Also keep in mind that dry soil, standing water, cold nights, a pest or a disease can look the same. That is why it pays to check the roots and the whole field first.
Nitrogen deficiency in bottle gourd
Older leaves turn pale to light green and the yellowing spreads up the shoot. Vines are stunted, fruits are pale and small, and yield drops. You see it most at this stage: vine growth and fruiting.
Why nitrogen deficiency happens in upo
Sandy soils, heavy rain, low organic matter, and no side dressing during fruiting.
How to tell it apart
Magnesium shortage keeps the veins green on old leaves. To be sure, old leaves yellow first. Soil test and leaf tissue test.
What to apply for nitrogen deficiency
Side dress urea based on the soil test. For a quick fix, give a urea leaf spray at 10 grams per liter of water (160 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) every 15 days. Side dress 5 to 10 grams of Urea 46 0 0 a plant, about 1 to 2 bags per hectare, every two to three weeks from flowering, and water it in.
- Urea 46 0 0
- Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0
- Complete 14 14 14
Sold here with nitrogen: Atlas Granular Urea (46 0 0) by Atlas Fertilizer, Crown Champion Ammonium Sulfate by Aqua Hydroponic Prime Ventures (21 0 0 with 24 percent sulfur), Agripower 46 0 0 (Locally Blended) Coated by Green Acres Agri Tech and Calcipro by Ramgo (15.5 0 0 with 18.8 percent calcium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to urea fertilizer, and the page on nitrogen deficiency in every crop. In anee.io, Anee, the smart farm technician, reads a photo of the leaf and tells you which nutrient is short.
To keep it away, add manure in the hills and side dress during fruiting. Split the nitrogen into two or three doses.
Potassium deficiency in bottle gourd
Older leaves yellow and scorch, cup and curl upward, with dead spots along the midrib. Shoots die back, stems are weak and fewer female flowers form. You see it most at this stage: flowering and fruiting.
Why potassium deficiency happens in upo
Sandy or acid soils, heavy rain, and fertilizing with urea only.
How to tell it apart
Magnesium shortage yellows between the veins first. To be sure, soil test for potassium and a leaf tissue test.
What to apply for potassium deficiency
Apply muriate of potash based on the soil test, in split doses. For immediate relief, give a morning spray of sulfate of potash at 10 grams per liter of water (160 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) with a sticker. Keep pH above 6 with lime or dolomite. A usual dose is 1 to 2 bags of Muriate of potash 0 0 60 or Sulfate of potash 0 0 50 per hectare, split from flowering to fruit fill.
- Muriate of potash 0 0 60
- Sulfate of potash 0 0 50
- Complete 14 14 14
Sold here with potassium: Atlas Muriate of Potash (MOP) by Atlas Fertilizer (0 0 60), Simplot Sulfate 0 0 50 by Nutranta, Potassium Nitrate by Parafield (13 0 46) and Qrop Mix Production 14 0 23 plus 13 Cao by Farmtech Agriland (14 0 23 with 9.3 percent calcium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to potash fertilizer, and the page on potassium deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, include potash at planting and at flowering. Keep organic matter up with compost, manure or crop residues.
Phosphorus deficiency in bottle gourd
Leaves turn purplish, especially along the veins. Shoots are short and thin, leaves dull, and vigour and yield are poor. You see it most at this stage: early vine growth.
Why phosphorus deficiency happens in upo
Acid or iron rich soils, low organic matter, and no phosphorus at planting.
How to tell it apart
Root knot nematodes also stunt vines. To be sure, soil test for available phosphorus and pH.
What to apply for phosphorus deficiency
Apply phosphorus in the hill based on the soil test. Use single superphosphate for a quick fix. Uptake is best near pH 6.2 to 7.0. A usual basal dose is 4 to 6 bags of Complete 14 14 14 per hectare, 10 to 20 grams a hill, mixed into the soil at transplanting.
- Complete 14 14 14
- Ammonium phosphate 16 20 0
- Single superphosphate
Sold here with phosphorus: Philphos 18 46 0 (Di Ammonium Phosphate), Atlas Super Gro (16 20 0) by Atlas Fertilizer, Amigo Planters Granular Single Super Phosphate by La Filipina (0 18 0 with 11 percent sulfur) and Triple Super Phosphate by Newman Chemicals (0 46 0). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to 16 20 0 fertilizer, and the page on phosphorus deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, use complete fertilizer or 16 20 0 in the hill at planting.
Magnesium deficiency in bottle gourd
The middle of mature leaves turns yellow while the edges stay green, with yellowing between the veins and spotted dead patches. Leaves drop early and yield falls. You see it most at this stage: fruiting.
Why magnesium deficiency happens in upo
Sandy acid soils, dry spells, and heavy potash or ammonium fertilizer.
How to tell it apart
Nitrogen shortage yellows the whole leaf. To be sure, soil test for magnesium, potassium and pH.
What to apply for magnesium deficiency
Try magnesium sulfate in a band near the plants at about 80 kg per hectare. Do not apply it with potash. Leaf sprays alone seldom cure a serious shortage in upo and other gourds. For quick help, spray Magnesium sulfate at 1 to 2 percent (160 to 320 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) two or three times, 10 to 14 days apart.
- Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt)
- Dolomite
Sold here with magnesium: Dolomite by A6 Agrisource (24 percent calcium and 11 percent magnesium), Agsmart Kieserite Granule (20 percent sulfur and 16.3 percent magnesium), DDDD Planter's Choice Magnesium Sulphate Monohydrate by Modern Time (15.1 percent magnesium) and Zetryl MAG 9 by Zetryl Chem (9 percent magnesium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to complete fertilizer, and the page on magnesium deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, use dolomite on acid soil. Test the soil every two or three years. Lime acid soil with Dolomite rather than plain lime.
Calcium deficiency in bottle gourd
Young leaves show yellow stripes along the midrib, crinkle, curl and yellow at the edges. Growing tips die back, roots are stunted, and fruit set is poor or fails. Fruits can rot at the blossom end, as in other cucurbits. You see it most at this stage: vine growth and early fruiting, in dry spells.
Why calcium deficiency happens in upo
Very acid soils, uneven watering, excess phosphorus and low boron. Heavy potash or ammonium fertilizer, salty soil and dry spells keep calcium from reaching fruit and young leaves.
How to tell it apart
Boron shortage also deforms new growth and drops fruit. To be sure, soil test for calcium, pH and boron.
What to apply for calcium deficiency
On acid soil, lime by the soil test: usually 1 to 3 tons of Agricultural lime or Dolomite per hectare, mixed in 2 to 4 weeks before planting. Gypsum on soil that is not acid. Water evenly.
- Agricultural lime
- Dolomite
- Gypsum
Sold here with calcium: Micronized Activated Calcite by CMCS Agricultural Products (37.6 percent calcium), Dolomite by A6 Agrisource (24 percent calcium and 11 percent magnesium), Titon Pro by Vast Agro (27.2 percent calcium, 6.1 percent silicon and 3.6 percent magnesium) and Calcipro by Ramgo (15.5 0 0 with 18.8 percent calcium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to fertilizer for tomatoes, and the page on calcium deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, lime acid soil before planting and keep watering steady. Keep potash in balance with magnesium and calcium.
Boron deficiency in bottle gourd
New leaves are malformed and the plant grows stunted and bushy. Young fruits drop or abort, and fruits show corky marks on the skin, crack, and stay small and light. You see it most at this stage: flowering and fruit set.
Why boron deficiency happens in upo
Sandy soils, overlimed soils, low organic matter and drought.
How to tell it apart
Fruit fly damage also drops fruits, but leaves stay normal and maggots are found inside. To be sure, soil test for boron and a leaf tissue test. In a soil test, less than 0.5 ppm of boron is low.
What to apply for boron deficiency
Try borax in the soil at about 10 kg per hectare or a borax spray at 1 gram per liter of water (16 grams in a 16 liter sprayer). Do not mix borax with calcium or ammonium fertilizers. Give boron before flowering: flowers and fruit set need it most.
- Borax
- Solubor (sodium borate)
Sold here with boron: Etifert 11 (Borax Decahydrate) by Zetryl Chem (11 percent boron), Fertibagra 15G by Unilox Far East Resources (14.6 percent boron), B17 (Boric Acid) by Newman Chemicals (17 percent boron) and Better Yield by Bacphil Planters Fertilizer (0 0 0.9 with 10 percent boron). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to foliar fertilizer, and the page on boron deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, add a small boron dose to the basal fertilizer on sandy fields. Test the soil every two or three years. Keep organic matter up with compost, manure or crop residues.
A soil test is the surest check for any bottle gourd nutrient deficiency. Before you buy, ask your Municipal Agriculture Office where to send a soil sample. The DA regional soil laboratories test soil, and the result says how much of each fertilizer your upo needs. That saves money, because extra fertilizer is money lost.
Open the Nutrient Deficiency Finder, pick upo, say where the leaves changed first and what you see, and get the fertilizers sold here that fix it.
- Anee, the smart farm technician, reads a photo of the leaf
- The cropping calendar dates every fertilizer application of your season
Bottle gourd nutrient deficiency questions
Why are my upo leaves turning yellow?
What fertilizer fixes nitrogen deficiency in bottle gourd?
What fertilizer fixes potassium deficiency in bottle gourd?
What fertilizer fixes phosphorus deficiency in bottle gourd?
How do I know which nutrient my upo lacks?
Find the missing nutrient and fix it
With Libre + Anee, read the whole guide: how to tell the deficiency from look alikes, how to be sure, what to apply, and the fertilizers sold here that supply it.
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