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Role of Phosphorus Deficiency Symptoms
Plants absorb phosphorus (P) as either HPO4-2 or H2PO4-1 ions. Soil pH is the important fact in determining which ion is most dominant in the soil solution. However, either form can be absorbed by plants. An important function of phosphorus in plants is energy transfer through the formation and reduction of phosphate bonds in a specific chemical energy carrying compound called ATP. Photosynthesis results in the production of additional phosphate bonds needed to form ATP, while energy requiring processes used in growth and metabolism break this bond for the energy stored in the bond. Phosphate is also a part of the lipid structure of all cell membranes, which form the barriers regulating the flow of compounds into and out of a cell. Phosphorus is also a part of the DNA molecule, and so is very important in cell division and reproduction.
Phosphorus deficiency often appears early in plant growth as stunting, with purple or reddish tints in the leaf and vegetative tissues of corn, barley, and some mustard crops. Deficiency in wheat is generally shown by a thinner than normal wheat leaf and stunting. Deficiency in potatoes often resembles late blight symptoms. Phosphorus deficiency can sometimes be induced through situations that inhibit root growth, such as soil compaction or cold soil temperatures. Phosphorus deficiencies can be verified with soil tests and plant tissue analysis.
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