Papaya Nutrient Deficiency: Signs, Causes and the Fertilizer That Fixes It
Papaya nutrient deficiency is one of the first things to check when the leaves of your papaya turn yellow, purple or burnt at the edges. On Philippine farms the usual ones are nitrogen, potassium, boron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. 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, magnesium and phosphorus move inside the plant, so a shortage shows on the old, lower leaves first. But boron, calcium and zinc 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 papaya nutrient deficiency you have, and a soil test confirms it. Each one below has its signs, its causes and its fix.
Papaya 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 go pale green from the tip, new leaves come small and slow, and leaf stalks are short, thin and pinkish. | Urea 46 0 0, Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0 |
| Potassium | old, lower leaves, leaf edges and tips | Old leaves get lemon yellow edges that die brown, purplish brown patches show at the base of leaf stalks, and fruit come out misshapen. | Muriate of potash 0 0 60, Sulfate of potash 0 0 50 |
| Magnesium | old, lower leaves, between the veins | Lower leaves yellow between the veins while green bands stay along the edge and the midrib. Leaf stalks look purple mottled. | Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), Kieserite |
| Phosphorus | old, lower leaves, the roots | Dark bluish green leaves on a tree that stops growing taller, with dead patches on the old leaves. | Superphosphate 0 20 0, Ammonium phosphate 18 46 0 |
Shows first on the young leaves
| Nutrient | Where it starts | What you see | Fix with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boron | fruit, grain or tubers, young leaves and the tip | Bumpy, lumpy fruit that bleed latex, with empty or poorly formed seeds inside. | Borax, Solubor |
| Calcium | young leaves and the tip, fruit, grain or tubers | New leaves pale with curled edges and small dead spots, a bunched top, and soft fruit flesh. | Agricultural lime, Gypsum |
| Zinc | young leaves and the tip, between the veins | New leaves come small and yellow between the veins, and the top bunches up. | Zinc sulfate |
Before you buy fertilizer for a papaya nutrient deficiency
So use the table to pick the likeliest papaya 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 papaya
The older, lower leaves turn pale green to light green first, often starting at the leaf tip. New leaves come out smaller and less often, so the crown looks thin. Leaf stalks stay short, thin and pressed together, and may show a pinkish color. The tree grows slowly and sets fewer fruit. You see it most at this stage: any stage, but most often in fast growing young trees and in bearing trees that carry many fruit.
Why nitrogen deficiency happens in papaya
Papaya feeds heavily and fruits all year, so it runs short fast when it is not fed every month or two. Sandy soils, heavy rain that washes nitrogen down, and soils low in organic matter make it worse.
How to tell it apart
Papaya ringspot virus also makes trees pale and slow. But it gives a yellow mosaic on young leaves, oily dark streaks on the leaf stalks and stem. To be sure, do a soil test to see how short the soil is. A leaf test of recently matured leaves, blade and stalk, helps. New leaves that green up within two to three weeks after urea confirm it.
What to apply for nitrogen deficiency
Apply a quick nitrogen fertilizer such as Urea 46 0 0 or Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0 around the tree, based on the soil test, and water it in. For a fast boost, give a urea leaf spray of 10 grams per liter (160 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) every 15 days. A stronger 2 percent spray (20 grams per liter, 320 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) is also used. So try the milder rate first. Add compost or well rotted manure as well. Give about 100 grams of Urea 46 0 0 a plant for each year of age, up to 1 to 2 kg for a bearing plant, split between the first rains and the last, under the canopy edge.
- 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, Amigo Planters Ammonium Chloride by La Filipina (25 0 0), 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, feed in small, regular splits. For Solo papaya, growers use ammonium sulfate, Complete 14 14 14, superphosphate, muriate of potash and dolomite. Split these into 12 doses from the first to the tenth month after transplanting.
Potassium deficiency in papaya
The older, lower leaves show pale to lemon yellow edges first. The leaf tips and edges then die and turn brown, and new leaves come smaller. The lower ends of the leaf stalks get purplish brown patches. The whole tree can yellow early and grow much less, and the fruit are misshapen, poorly filled and hard to sell. You see it most at this stage: mostly in bearing trees, since the fruit pull a lot of potash out of the leaves.
Why potassium deficiency happens in papaya
Bearing trees need a steady supply of potash for the fruit. Sandy soils, acid soils below pH 6 (potash is taken up best above pH 6), heavy rain and feeding nitrogen without potash bring it on.
How to tell it apart
Magnesium shortage also hits old leaves, but the yellow runs between the veins and leaves green bands along the edge and midrib. But potash shortage scorches the edge itself. To be sure, do a soil test for potash, and test magnesium and calcium with it since they compete. A leaf test of the leaf stalks helps. Better fruit shape and filling after potash is a strong sign.
What to apply for potassium deficiency
Apply Muriate of potash 0 0 60 around the tree based on the soil test, split into several doses. For quick help, give a Sulfate of potash leaf spray at 10 grams per liter (160 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) with a sticker, sprayed in the morning. Give a 2 percent potassium chloride spray (320 grams in a 16 liter sprayer). On acid soil, bring the pH above 6 with Agricultural lime or Dolomite, and add organic matter. Give 200 to 500 grams of Muriate of potash 0 0 60 a bearing plant a year in two doses, more while fruits are filling.
- Muriate of potash 0 0 60
- Sulfate of potash 0 0 50
- Complete 14 14 14
- Dolomite
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, give potash in every split along with nitrogen once the tree starts to bear. Give a little more potash than nitrogen overall.
Boron deficiency in papaya
Young fruit start to bleed latex and lose their shape, and the bumps grow worse as the fruit gets older. Parts of the fruit stop growing while the rest keeps swelling, so the fruit turns lumpy. Small cracks may ooze drops of latex, ripening is uneven, and seeds inside are aborted or poorly formed. In bad cases new leaves cup inward and turn brittle, the top bunches up, and the growing point can die. You see it most at this stage: fruiting. Signs start on young fruit and show most on mature fruit. It can come and go with the season.
Why boron deficiency happens in papaya
Heavy rain washes boron out of tropical soils. Shallow, rocky soils, dry spells and high pH soils also keep boron from the roots. It is common where papaya is grown on the same land again and again.
How to tell it apart
Papaya ringspot virus marks the fruit with dark rings and the leaves with a yellow mosaic. But the fruit stays round, while boron shortage makes real lumps. To be sure, send leaf stalks from healthy and sick trees of the same age to a lab. Trees whose fruit come out deformed show about 20 ppm boron or less in the leaf stalk. But normal trees have 25 ppm or more.
What to apply for boron deficiency
Spray Borax at 0.25 percent (2.5 grams per liter, 40 grams in a 16 liter sprayer), or spread 1 to 3 kg of boron (not borax) per hectare. Either one clears the problem in the next fruit. Give 4 grams of Borax per tree in the soil, or a spray of 1 gram per liter (16 grams in a 16 liter sprayer). Fruit set after the treatment comes out normal in about three months. Boron turns toxic easily, so never go above these rates.
- Borax
- Solubor
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 compost every season, since boron comes with organic matter. Give a 0.1 percent boric acid spray every three months from the sixth month after planting. Do not mix borax with calcium or ammonium fertilizers in one dose.
Magnesium deficiency in papaya
The bottom leaves yellow between the veins first, while a band of green stays around the edge and beside the midrib. Later the yellow moves in from the edge toward the midrib and brown spots form on the edges. Leaf stalks show purplish mottling, leaves can be misshapen, and trees stay shorter. You see it most at this stage: mostly in bearing trees and after heavy potash feeding.
Why magnesium deficiency happens in papaya
Acid, sandy soils that have lost magnesium to rain, and heavy potash use, which crowds magnesium out.
How to tell it apart
Potash shortage also starts on old leaves. But it scorches the edge itself and puts purplish brown patches at the base of the leaf stalk. To be sure, do a soil test, and check magnesium, potash and calcium together. A leaf test helps. Green bands along the edge and midrib of old leaves are a strong field sign.
What to apply for magnesium deficiency
Give 32 grams of Magnesium sulfate per tree, laid in a band near the tree. For a quick fix, give a Magnesium sulfate leaf spray at 1 to 2 percent (10 to 20 grams per liter, 160 to 320 grams in a 16 liter sprayer). Do not apply magnesium and potash fertilizer at the same time. Put the soil dose in before planting or when the rains begin. Sprays show results in 10 to 14 days.
- Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt)
- Kieserite
- 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 instead of plain lime on acid soils. Long use of dolomite keeps magnesium shortage away. Keep potash and magnesium in balance with a soil test.
Calcium deficiency in papaya
The growing tip and the young leaves show it first. New leaves turn pale with curled edges, and small dead spots spread over the blade so the leaves do not grow well. Leaf stalks can twist and fold, the space between leaves shortens so the top looks bunched, and the fruit flesh goes soft. You see it most at this stage: fast growth and fruit development.
Why calcium deficiency happens in papaya
Acid soils low in calcium, and too much phosphorus. Boron shortage can also bring on calcium shortage, since the plant needs boron to use calcium. Dry soil cuts calcium uptake as well.
How to tell it apart
Boron shortage also hits young leaves and the top, and the two often come together. But boron shortage shows most as lumpy fruit that bleed latex. To be sure, do a soil test with pH, since acid soils point to low calcium. A leaf test helps, and test boron at the same time.
What to apply for calcium deficiency
On acid soil, give Agricultural lime at 300 to 500 grams per tree per year. On soil that is not acid, use Gypsum, which adds calcium without raising pH. Correct boron shortage too. Calcium nitrate can also be used. Follow the label. Lime 2 to 4 weeks before planting. Calcium sprays go on young fruit from fruit set.
- Agricultural lime
- Gypsum
- Dolomite
- Calcium nitrate
Sold here with calcium: Planters Products Lifelime (36.2 percent calcium), Dolomite by A6 Agrisource (24 percent calcium and 11 percent magnesium), Calcipro by Ramgo (15.5 0 0 with 18.8 percent calcium) and Philphos Gypsum (22.2 percent calcium and 17.4 percent sulfur). 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, based on a soil test, and avoid too much phosphate fertilizer. Water evenly in dry months. Keep potash in balance with magnesium and calcium.
Phosphorus deficiency in papaya
The tree stops growing taller and makes fewer leaves. Leaves take on a dark or bluish green color. The older, lower leaves get uneven dead patches and yellow edges, and they die early. Roots grow poorly. You see it most at this stage: young trees after transplanting, and on poor acid soils.
Why phosphorus deficiency happens in papaya
Acid soils and very alkaline soils hold phosphorus tight. It is taken up best between pH 6.2 and 7. Poor, eroded soils and no basal fertilizer at planting add to it.
How to tell it apart
Nitrogen shortage also stunts the tree, but its leaves are pale, not dark. Root rot and nematodes also stop growth, so pull a weak tree and look at the roots. To be sure, do a soil test for phosphorus and pH. A leaf test helps.
What to apply for phosphorus deficiency
For quick correction, use Superphosphate 0 20 0. For the long term, bone meal or rock phosphate. Follow the soil test for the rate. Mix organic manure with phosphate solubilizing bacteria to make more of it available. Give 200 to 500 grams of Complete 14 14 14 a young plant, up to 1 to 2 kg a bearing plant, when the rains begin.
- Superphosphate 0 20 0
- Ammonium phosphate 18 46 0
- Complete 14 14 14
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, put phosphate fertilizer and compost in the planting hole, and keep soil pH between about 6.2 and 7 with lime.
Zinc deficiency in papaya
Papaya shows it much like other fruit trees. New leaves come out small and narrow and turn yellow between the veins, while the veins stay green. The space between leaves shortens so the top looks bunched, and fruit stay small. Zinc and boron shortage are common where papaya is grown on the same land year after year. You see it most at this stage: young leaves in any stage. Worst in fields that have grown papaya for several crops.
Why zinc deficiency happens in papaya
Fields cropped to papaya again and again, high pH soils, sandy soils and heavy phosphate use.
How to tell it apart
Papaya ringspot virus also makes young leaves small, mottled and twisted. But it brings a yellow mosaic, oily streaks on the stalks and ring spots on the fruit. To be sure, do a soil test with pH and a leaf test. Spray zinc on a few trees and see if the next leaves come out normal. In a soil test, less than 0.8 ppm of zinc is low.
What to apply for zinc deficiency
A leaf spray of 0.5 percent Zinc sulfate (5 grams per liter, 80 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) together with 0.1 percent boron, given at the fourth and eighth month after planting, raised yield and fruit quality. Do not mix zinc with phosphate fertilizer in one dose. Give 50 to 100 grams of Zinc sulfate a young plant and 100 to 250 grams a bearing plant a year under the canopy.
- Zinc sulfate
Sold here with zinc: Harvester Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate by Universal Harvester (22 percent zinc), Tierramino ZN by Unilox Far East Resources (7 0 0 with 10 percent zinc), Liquid Chelate Zinc with Sulfur by Sagrex (10 percent zinc and 5 percent sulfur) and Nemes Foliar by SCL Filipinas (4.8 0 0 with 10 percent zinc, 4.9 percent boron and 4.8 percent magnesium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to fertilizer with zinc, and the page on zinc deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, rotate papaya with other crops where you can, add compost. Use a fertilizer with zinc in fields that have grown papaya before. Test the soil every two or three years.
A soil test is the surest check for any papaya 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 papaya needs. That saves money, because extra fertilizer is money lost.
Open the Nutrient Deficiency Finder, pick papaya, 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
Papaya nutrient deficiency questions
Why are my papaya leaves turning yellow?
What fertilizer fixes nitrogen deficiency in papaya?
What fertilizer fixes potassium deficiency in papaya?
What fertilizer fixes boron deficiency in papaya?
How do I know which nutrient my papaya lacks?
Find the missing nutrient and fix it
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