Jute mallow Nutrient Deficiency: Signs, Causes and the Fertilizer That Fixes It
Jute mallow nutrient deficiency is one of the first things to check when the leaves of your saluyot (jute mallow) turn yellow, purple or burnt at the edges. On Philippine farms the usual ones are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron 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, phosphorus and potassium move inside the plant, so a shortage shows on the old, lower leaves first. But iron 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 jute mallow nutrient deficiency you have, and a soil test confirms it. Each one below has its signs, its causes and its fix.
Jute mallow 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 | Lower leaves turn pale yellow and plants grow thin, hard stems with few tender tops. | Compost or manure, Urea 46 0 0 |
| Phosphorus | the whole plant, old, lower leaves | Seedlings stay small and dark green with thin, woody stems. | Complete 14 14 14, Ammonium phosphate 16 20 0 |
| Potassium | old, lower leaves, leaf edges and tips | Older leaves bronze and brown at the edges and curl down. | Complete 14 14 14, Muriate of potash 0 0 60 |
Shows first on the young leaves
| Nutrient | Where it starts | What you see | Fix with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | young leaves and the tip, between the veins | On limed or alkaline soil, the newest top leaves turn pale yellow between green veins. | Ferrous sulfate, Iron chelate |
| Boron | young leaves and the tip, the roots | New leaves and tips are small, brittle and deformed, and roots stay short. | Borax, Solubor (sodium borate) |
Before you buy fertilizer for a jute mallow nutrient deficiency
So use the table to pick the likeliest jute mallow 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 jute mallow
Older, lower leaves fade to yellowish green and yellow, and the yellowing moves up the plant. Stems are slender, hard and fibrous, leaves are small, and plants flower early with few tender tops to pick. You see it most at this stage: from about two weeks after sowing to the last picking.
Why nitrogen deficiency happens in saluyot
Low organic matter, sandy soils, heavy rain, and repeated pickings without feeding.
How to tell it apart
Root knot nematodes, which stunt saluyot, also yellow plants. Check the roots. To be sure, lower leaves yellow first. Use a soil test for N, P and K.
What to apply for nitrogen deficiency
Saluyot responds well to organic fertilizer, with rates set by soil fertility and a soil test. A light side dressing of urea or ammonium sulfate after picking speeds regrowth. Follow the soil test for the rate. Side dress 1 to 2 bags of Urea 46 0 0 per hectare, about 5 grams a plant, two and four weeks after transplanting, and water it in.
- Compost or manure
- 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, work compost or manure into the soil before sowing. Split the nitrogen into two or three doses.
Phosphorus deficiency in jute mallow
Growth is slow without yellowing. Stems are slender and woody, leaves small and darker green, and some leaves show a reddish purple tint underneath. You see it most at this stage: seedling and early growth. Saluyot seedlings are already slow and weak against weeds.
Why phosphorus deficiency happens in saluyot
Strongly acid or iron rich soils, low organic matter and cold or waterlogged soils.
How to tell it apart
The red stemmed Pula variety is naturally purplish. To be sure, soil test for available phosphorus and pH.
What to apply for phosphorus deficiency
Use complete 14 14 14 at sowing based on the soil test, and add compost. Follow the soil test for the rate. A usual basal dose is 4 to 6 bags of Complete 14 14 14 per hectare, about 10 grams a hill, mixed into the soil at transplanting.
- Complete 14 14 14
- Ammonium phosphate 16 20 0
- Compost or manure
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, prepare the soil well with organic matter before sowing. Lime acid soil to pH 6 to 6.5.
Potassium deficiency in jute mallow
Older leaves turn greyish green then bronze or yellowish brown, with brown edges that cup down. Stems are slender and roots are poor. You see it most at this stage: after several pickings.
Why potassium deficiency happens in saluyot
Sandy soils, heavy rain, and feeding with urea only.
How to tell it apart
Spider mite feeding bronzes leaves too, but with fine speckling and webbing under the leaves. To be sure, soil test for potassium.
What to apply for potassium deficiency
Use complete 14 14 14 or muriate of potash based on the soil test. Follow the soil test for the rate. A usual dose is 1 to 2 bags of Muriate of potash 0 0 60 per hectare, split between transplanting and the first side dress.
- Complete 14 14 14
- Muriate of potash 0 0 60
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, use complete fertilizer and compost rather than urea alone.
Iron deficiency in jute mallow
New leaves at the top turn light yellow between the veins, then over the whole leaf, while older leaves stay green. Iron is usually the first trace nutrient to show signs of lack, and one of those that most hold back growth. You see it most at this stage: seedling and early growth on alkaline soil.
Why iron deficiency happens in saluyot
Saluyot tolerates pH 4.5 to 8.0, and going beyond that range leaves less iron in the soil for the plant. Overliming and waterlogging add to it.
How to tell it apart
Nitrogen shortage starts on the older leaves. To be sure, soil pH test. A soil pH test and a leaf test of the young leaves confirm it. In a soil test, less than 4.5 ppm of iron is low.
What to apply for iron deficiency
Stop liming and spray ferrous sulfate or iron chelate on the leaves. Follow the product label. Spray Ferrous sulfate at 0.5 to 1 percent (80 to 160 grams in a 16 liter sprayer), or an iron chelate at the label rate, two or three times 7 to 10 days apart.
- Ferrous sulfate
- Iron chelate
- Compost or manure
Sold here with iron: DDDD Planter's Choice Ferrous Sulphate Heptahydrate by Modern Time (19 percent iron), Ferrous Sulfate Monohydrate by Zetryl Chem (30 percent iron), Ferrous Sulphate Monohydrate by Newman Chemicals (30 percent iron) and Liquid Chelate Iron with Sulfur by Sagrex (5 percent iron and 3 percent sulfur). 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 iron deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, keep soil pH within 4.5 to 8.0, and add compost. Test the soil every two or three years.
Boron deficiency in jute mallow
New leaves and leaf stalks are light, brittle and deformed, internodes are short and the shoot tips rosette, and roots grow poorly. Boron is one of the two trace nutrients that most limit growth, and without it roots grow poorly. You see it most at this stage: early growth, especially on sandy soil in dry spells.
Why boron deficiency happens in saluyot
Sandy, leached soils, overliming, low organic matter and drought.
How to tell it apart
Mite damage also distorts young leaves. Look for mites under the leaves. To be sure, soil test for boron. In a soil test, less than 0.5 ppm of boron is low.
What to apply for boron deficiency
Apply boron only after a soil test, at a light rate. Follow the soil test. Do not repeat doses. A usual soil dose is 5 to 10 kg of Borax per hectare (0.5 to 1 kg of boron), mixed evenly with the basal fertilizer.
- 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, keep organic matter up.
A soil test is the surest check for any jute mallow 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 saluyot needs. That saves money, because extra fertilizer is money lost.
Open the Nutrient Deficiency Finder, pick saluyot, 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
Jute mallow nutrient deficiency questions
Why are my saluyot leaves turning yellow?
What fertilizer fixes nitrogen deficiency in jute mallow?
What fertilizer fixes phosphorus deficiency in jute mallow?
What fertilizer fixes potassium deficiency in jute mallow?
How do I know which nutrient my saluyot 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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